Bridging Gaps, Building Futures: Female Unemployment in Japan and Iraq
Female unemployment rates are more than just numbers – they tell us stories about economies, societies, and opportunities. As we explore the data from Japan and Iraq, we witness a stark contrast. Japan, with its robust policies and reforms, presents one of the lowest female unemployment rates globally. Conversely, Iraq faces challenges, reflected in its significantly higher rates.
This dashboard delves into not only the ‘what’ and ‘the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ behind these figures. Through interactive visualizations, we examine the Women, Business, and the Law (WBL) Index, which provides insights into the legal and regulatory barriers affecting women’s economic participation in each country.
In Japan, a series of targeted reforms over the years – collectively known as “Womenomics” – have aimed to boost female participation in the workforce. Policies like extended maternity leave, equal pay for equal work, and company governance codes that favor diversity are not just social justice measures; they are strategic economic tools. As you navigate the dashboard, observe the correlation between Japan’s high WBL score and its low female unemployment rate.
Turning to Iraq, we see potential in the form of untapped economic and social contributions of women. The dashboard reveals Iraq’s lower WBL score, highlighting areas for improvement. The Women, Business, and the Law (WBL) Index is an insightful composite measure developed by the World Bank to understand how legal and regulatory barriers affect women’s economic opportunities across 190 economies. It scores countries based on eight indicators that span the arc of a woman’s working life: mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pension. Legal changes in property rights, business laws, and gender equality could be the catalysts Iraq needs to emulate Japan’s success and drive down its high female unemployment rate.
We invite you to interact with the visualizations to understand the depth of these issues. By comparing these countries, we see a narrative unfold: Legal reform is more than a gender issue; it’s a foundation of economic development. We learn that by increasing the WBL index through intentional, targeted reforms, countries like Iraq can not only empower women but also drive broader economic growth.
As you explore the dashboard, think about the lives and ambitions behind these numbers. What lessons can Iraq adopt from Japan’s model? Where does the potential for reform lie, and how can it be realized? This is not just data – it is a call to action for policy-makers, stakeholders, and communities to destroy barriers and pave the way for gender equality in the workforce.