Temperature Anomalies as an Obstacle to Women’s Rights and Economic Empowerment?

Daniela Monika Behr, Liang Shen, Ana Maria Tribin Uribe and Tea Trumbic

No 11206, Policy Research Working Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: Gender equality is associated with economic growth and resilience, yet various factors, including climate change, may stall progress toward equal rights for men and women. This paper analyzes historical temperature and precipitation fluctuations within countries to assess their effect on legal gender equality, using data from the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law dataset, which measures women’s rights across 190 economies and five decades. The findings reveal that temperature anomalies correlate with slower progress in legal gender equality, particularly in low-income countries. Irregular temperature fluctuations significantly delay the development of legal frameworks for parental leave, marriage, and mobility. Countries, particularly those with limited resources, seem less inclined to provide tangible benefits to women. This study emphasizes the complex relationship between extreme temperatures and women’s rights, highlighting the importance of addressing gender disparities to build more resilient societies, especially in the face of shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.

Date: 2025-09-05
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