Gender and Policy

The Gender and Economic Opportunity area examines policies that help close the gender gaps in economic opportunity, political participation, education and health. The goal of this initiative is to build a world more equal in opportunity and to decrease poverty both in the United States as well as in developing countries.

The initiative, Closing the Global Gender Gap: A Call to Action, led by the Women and Public Policy Program in collaboration with the Center for International Development at the Harvard Kennedy School, aims to leverage Harvard University’s capacity for rigorous research and convening power towards the empowerment of women. The purpose of this initiative is threefold: to examine and quantify the impact of specific policy interventions, to develop a theory of change, and to stimulate innovative ideas and policy action to close the global gender gaps in economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

Gender and Policy Seminar

The Student Seminar on Gender and Policy will hold monthly meetings on the second Thursday of each month from 11:30 am - 1:00pm in Taubman 401. During the fall of 2008, this seminar will focus on international development. In the spring of 2009, the student seminar will focus on domestic poverty. The seminar is open to students from across the university and will feature doctoral students, research fellows and other guests.

Closing the Global Gender Gap Initiative (CGGGI)

Closing the Global Gender Gap: A Call to Action is an initiative led by the Women and Public Policy Program in collaboration with the Center for International Development at the Harvard Kennedy School that aims to leverage Harvard University’s capacity for rigorous research and convening power towards the empowerment of women.

The purpose of this initiative is threefold: to examine and quantify the impact of specific policy interventions, to develop a theory of change, and to stimulate innovative ideas and policy action in order to close the global gender gaps across four areas. These areas include economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. There is enormous rhetoric about women’s empowerment—this initiative’s goal is to shed new light on the channels that successfully effect change.

Policy Insights, Spring 2009 | "Closing the Global Gender Gap"

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