Women, Business and the Law 2022 is the eighth in a series of annual studies measuring the laws and regulations that affect women’s economic opportunity in 190 economies. The project presents eight indicators structured around women’s interactions with the law as they progress through their lives and careers: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. 

Amid ongoing development challenges that disproportionately affect women, Women, Business and the Law 2022 identifies barriers to women’s economic participation and encourages the reform of discriminatory laws. This year, the study also includes preliminary findings and analysis of pilot data collected on the provision of childcare and the implementation of the law. 

The indicators build evidence of the critical relationship between legal gender equality and women’s employment and entrepreneurship. By examining the economic decisions that women make throughout their working lives as well as progress made toward gender equality over the last 50 years, Women, Business and the Law makes an important contribution to research and policy discussions about the state of women’s economic empowerment. 

Data in Women, Business and the Law 2022 are current as of October 1, 2021.