Gender and Sustainable Development MAXIMISING THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ROLE OF WOMENGENDER AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: MAXIMISING THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ROLE OF WOMEN3 –Foreword (original) (raw)

Sustainable development can only be achieved through long-term investments in economic, human and environmental capital. At present, the female half of the world’s human capital is undervalued and underutilised the world over. As a group, women – and their potential contributions to economic advances, social progress and environmental protection – have been marginalised. Better use of the world’s female population could increase economic growth, reduce poverty, enhance societal well-being, and help ensure sustainable development in all countries. Closing the gender gap depends on enlightened government policies which take gender dimensions into account. This report is a contribution by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) and its cross-cutting work on gender. It aims to increase understanding of the role of women in maintaining the three pillars – economic, social and environmental – of s...