The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
women in the world.

Latest items for LO-PRACTICE-1

Sept. 22, 2023, 8:51 a.m.
Countries: Angola
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Regulation 273/13 restricted refugees from obtaining the business license required to own and operate a business" (14). Women who are refugees are unable to own and operate businesses (MV- coder comment).
Aug. 30, 2023, 3:33 p.m.
Countries: Macedonia
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-LAW-1, IAW-PRACTICE-1, IAW-LAW-1, IAD-PRACTICE-1, IAD-LAW-1

"Women have the same legal status as men under family, religious, personal status, and nationality laws, as well as laws related to labor, property, nationality, inheritance, employment, access to credit, and owning or managing businesses or property. The laws were effectively enforced" (34).
Aug. 24, 2023, 5:33 p.m.
Countries: Jordan
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"NGOs reported a disproportionate number of individuals charged with nonrepayment of debt were women unable to repay loans they had taken out on behalf of their male family members" (44).
Aug. 24, 2023, 1:08 a.m.
Countries: Cape Verde
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"[I]n cases in which joint marital property is registered only in the name of one spouse or partner, it is usually the man’s name that is registered in the property title, despite the fact that, in 2015, 49.7 per cent of those working in agriculture were women" (12). [R]rural women [do not] have access to legal assistance when claiming their property rights" (13). "[T]he jointly owned property of women and men in de facto unions is [not] registered in the name of both partners from the outset" (14). It is usually registered in the naem of the male partner (MV-coder comment).
Aug. 15, 2023, 5:22 p.m.
Countries: Bahamas
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"[W]omen reported it was more difficult for them to qualify for credit and to own a business" (12).
Aug. 15, 2023, 6:17 a.m.
Countries: Cote D'Ivoire
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"The Committee notes with appreciation the various initiatives aimed at promoting the economic empowerment of women. It is concerned, however, about: (b) The lack of information on legislative and other measures to increase access of women to new technologies, land and credits" (13).
Aug. 9, 2023, 1:06 p.m.
Countries: Eritrea
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"The Committee recommends that the State party: Invest in the independence and autonomy of women through programmes facilitating access to bank loans, credit guarantees, microcredit, markets, business scale-up, common production facilities and other production systems" (12). "In line with its general recommendation No. 29 (2013) on the economic consequences of marriage, family relations and their dissolution and with joint general recommendation No. 31/general comment No. 18, the Committee recommends that the State party:... Ensure that the jointly owned property of women and men is registered in the name of both partners from the outset; Ensure that women and men enjoy equal rights to inheritance and as testators, heirs or beneficiaries,...more
Aug. 8, 2023, 8:30 p.m.
Countries: Bulgaria
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"The lack of information on loan schemes and other forms of financial credit for women and the lack of specific training on entrepreneurial skills [is a concern]" (11). "[T]argeted measures, including skills training and technical education, and facilitate women’s access to loans and other forms of financial credit, in order to support and stimulate women’s entrepreneurship and promote their economic empowerment, in particular in rural areas [are not adopted]" (12). These aims are not developed (MV- coder comment).
Aug. 8, 2023, 12:20 p.m.
Countries: Senegal
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"A National Land Reform Commission responsible for analysing existing legislation and regulations and identifying institutional constraints on optimal land management was established by Decree No. 2012-1419 of 6 December 2012. The State is committed to improving land management in order to respond to the needs of development and social cohesion. Land reform is based on the principles of participation, decentralization, encouraging family and commercial agriculture, and respect for human rights and the rights of women and minorities." (4).
July 27, 2023, 10:30 a.m.
Countries: Chad
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-LAW-1, IAW-PRACTICE-1, IAW-LAW-1, IAD-PRACTICE-1, IAD-LAW-1

"Although property and inheritance laws provide the same legal status and rights for women as for men, the government did not enforce the laws effectively. Inheritance, property, and housing practices frequently discriminated against women due to cultural and religious elements present in many communities. Women often could not inherit property from their father or husband. Additionally, local leaders settled most inheritance disputes in favor of men, according to traditional practice. Women seeking to rent a house often had to prove they were married, while men were able often to rent without a similar burden. Women requesting divorce from men often faced a process that took three times as long as...more
July 25, 2023, 10:44 a.m.
Countries: Cambodia
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

" [The state should] reallocate and distribute land so that women have equal ownership of land" (6). This indicates that women do not have equal ownership of land (MV- coder comment). "[M]icrofinancing institutions charge high interest rates, require land titles as collateral and target poor clients, the majority of whom are women, and that, in the event of default, the land seized is frequently of much higher value than the debt, without the difference being compensated, which leaves many rural women destitute and homeless" (13). This indicates that women have access to land titles also (MV- coder comment).
July 21, 2023, 11:58 a.m.
Countries: Azerbaijan
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"No limitation is applied for women in their entrepreneurial activities by the national legislation, and at the same time, special privileges and exemptions are defined in relation to women. Entrepreneurs enjoy equal opportunities in implementing their rights without setting any sexual discrimination and preference in issues ranging from the State registration of entrepreneurial activities to issuance of licenses and permits, from tax obligations and audits to the restoration of violated rights etc" (28). "During 2015–2018, 494 women have obtained leasing based agricultural machines on the basis of contracts signed" (31).
July 15, 2023, 1:23 p.m.
Countries: Bahamas
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Women were generally free from economic discrimination, and the law provides for equal pay for equal work. The law provides for the same legal status and rights for women as for men; however, women reported it was more difficult for them to qualify for credit and to own a business" (12).
July 15, 2023, 12:38 p.m.
Countries: Austria
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, IAW-PRACTICE-1, IAD-PRACTICE-1

"The law provides the same legal status and rights for women and men, including under family, religious, personal status, and nationality laws, as well as in laws related to labor, property, inheritance, employment, access to credit and owning or managing businesses or property. The government enforced the law effectively" (11).
July 15, 2023, 12:35 p.m.
Countries: Austria
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"'You can’t say Austria is the hub for fintech, for example, because it is obviously not,' says Fassl. 'But I think it can become the hub for female entrepreneurship, and Vienna especially" (para 4). "Women make up more than half the European population but have long been under-represented in entrepreneurship, notes Martha Schulz, vice-president of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and president of Women in Business Austria, which represents about 130,000 female entrepreneurs. Even so, in 2020, more than 45 per cent of companies in Austria were founded by women, and every third company was managed by a woman" (para 5). "Austria is gaining a reputation as a hub for...more
July 14, 2023, 3:44 p.m.
Countries: France
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, IAD-PRACTICE-1

"The handicap of being a woman is also evident when it comes to transferring a family business. Bessière & Gollac emphasize how boys are given a special social status by their families from a very early age, which often predestines them to take over from their parent(s). The 'good heir', who has been prepared for this for a long time, is generally the oldest male. Daughters may be introduced to the business when they help out, but it is rare that they will acquire shares in the family business or become employees. Parents prefer to pass on their professional and managerial skills to a boy because they are more confident...more
July 14, 2023, 2:45 p.m.
Countries: Hungary
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, ATFPA-PRACTICE-2

"Another important housing difference between cohabiting and married couples is that married couples are usually joint homeowners. If a married person buys a house or an apartment during the marriage, half of the property automatically belongs to his or her spouse (as opposed to cases when one of the spouses inherited the home or if one partner bought it before getting married). Therefore, in case of a divorce, the former spouses have to sell the house or one partner has to buy the share of the other" (9).
July 13, 2023, 1:02 p.m.
Countries: Norway
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"There is no information suggesting that there are customary, religious or traditional practices or laws that discriminate against women’s right to be head of household or to be the legal guardian of her children. There are no reports to indicate that women’s right to freely choose where to live is restricted in Norway" (3). "There is no reports suggesting that there are religious, traditional or customary practices or laws that discriminate against women’s legal right to own, use, make decisions about and use land and nonland assets as collateral" (10). "There is no information suggesting that there are religious, customary or traditional laws or practices that discriminate against women’s legal...more
July 10, 2023, 9:26 p.m.
Countries: Maldives
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"On the Committee’s CO regarding temporary special measures (TSMs) in the Gender Equality Act and implementation of these, including measures to address the disadvantages and inequalities faced by women outside Male and in remote islands, migrant women, women with disabilities and women heads of household, since 2008, under the leadership of the MOGFSS, efforts have been made to establish TSMs among political parties to increase women’s leadership, but with no success. There is no specific study or finding however, below are some challenges that women face in competing and winning: Women find in difficult to get funds and lack of support they receive from families and community in participating politics;...more
June 29, 2023, 10:21 a.m.
Countries: Hungary
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"There is no specific legal provision or policy providing for the joint land titling for land used or acquired by married couples or couples in informal unions. There is no information to suggest that women’s rights are challenged in the context of land titling in Hungary" (10). "There does not appear to be any customary, traditional or religious laws or practices that discriminate against women’s right to access formal financial services on equal terms and conditions as men" (10).
June 28, 2023, 6:54 p.m.
Countries: Macedonia
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Although Albanian laws guarantee women the right to property, experts warn that they are not always implemented, and together with the tradition that favours males in the inheritance of family property, a deep gap has been created between the numbers of women and men who own property in the country" (para 8). "Aurela Anastasi, a lecturer at the Law Faculty at the University of Tirana, told BIRN that the articles in the civil code governing inheritance foresee equal rights for men and women in Albania, but in practice there are two key obstacles that restrict a woman’s rights. 'The first restriction is due to the fact that in many cases...more
June 28, 2023, 3:04 p.m.
Countries: Haiti
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"According to a recent study, land property is often disputed in Haiti, driven by conflicts over lack of supply as well as the absence of a centralised land registry. In the case of women, especially, the lack of regulation in relation to informal de facto unions, known as plaçage, makes it even harder for them to access land" (6).
June 27, 2023, 11:15 p.m.
Countries: Algeria
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Women did not often have exclusive control over assets that they brought to a marriage or that they earned... Women may own businesses, enter into contracts, and pursue careers similar to those of men. Women enjoyed rights equal to those of men concerning property ownership, and property titles listed female landowners’ names" (29).
June 23, 2023, 12:21 p.m.
Countries: France
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"The Interministerial Committee for Ruralities sets 40 per cent as the target for women among business creators in these territories, relying in particular on the women’s equality guarantee system, the national system dedicated to women entrepreneurs which facilitates access to bank credit to finance the creation, takeover or development of their business" (6).
June 22, 2023, 3:03 p.m.
Countries: Finland
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"The gender representation in the government that turned heads internationally is also mirrored in the foundation of new enterprises, when looking from a global perspective. While Finland has more female entrepreneurs per capita than the European average, the share of female entrepreneurs here has remained at 30 per cent for the past decade. 'Although doing well internationally, we still have plenty of work to do related to flexibility in our parental leave system but also our labour market,' notes Carita Orlando, CEO of Women Entrepreneurs of Finland. 'Our goal is to advocate legislation that supports this trend, to make founding companies easier and to develop the social system to fill...more
June 21, 2023, 3:10 p.m.
Countries: Japan
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Please provide information on the measures taken to improve the situation of women in rural areas in the State party, in particular regarding access to and ownership of land" (6). This indicates that women may lag behind men in land ownership in Japan (JLR-CODER COMMENT).
June 21, 2023, 2:08 p.m.
Countries: Venezuela
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Venezuela has taken steps to promote women’s access to credit, more particularly through its statesponsored women’s micro-credit bank: Venezuela’s Women’s Development Bank abbreviated Banmujer. Banmujer loans only to women and offers free financial services, loans and training to lowincome women. In contrast to most Banks, rather than doing business from a centralized office, employees of Banmujer (mostly women) regularly travel to rural communities to help poor women develop loan proposals. Furthermore, in addition to developing loan proposals, regional employees of Banmujer offer women 'non-financial services' such as training focused on basic business and good management principles. This prepares the clients of Banmujer to develop their strategic thinking skills, wisely invest...more
June 21, 2023, 1:48 p.m.
Countries: Israel
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Israel was named the best country in the world for women entrepreneurs in the 2020 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs. The MIWE report findings highlighted the need for gender-specific policy to support women in business and made an initial analysis of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on women in the workforce. The report found that Israel, the top performing country, is 'a prime example of gender-specific support mechanisms having swift and significant results.' Israel was in fourth place in 2019, and its recent success was 'driven by a focused institutional backing for SMEs' – Small and Medium-sized Enterprises – and a concerted effort to double the number of female...more
June 20, 2023, 9:30 p.m.
Countries: Nicaragua
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1

"Programmes have been launched to ease access to capital for women organized in solidarity groups by granting them loans at fair interest rates and providing goods and production inputs to strengthen their economic entrepreneurship and production capacities. The Usura Cero (Zero Usury) microcredit programme financed 510,454 loans between 2007 and 2018."(10)(NF - CODER COMMENT - The easing of access to capital for women shows that there have been barriers in the past for women accessing loans). "The Ministry of Family, Community, Cooperative and Associative Economics promotes financial inclusion and access to credit for rural and urban women through productive investment programmes and projects, which have benefited 640,947 women. There are...more
June 20, 2023, 11:09 a.m.
Countries: Vanuatu
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-LAW-1, IAW-PRACTICE-1, IAW-LAW-1, IAD-PRACTICE-1, IAD-LAW-1

"Although the law does not prohibit women from owning or inheriting property or land, tradition generally bars women from land ownership or property inheritance. Women were slowly emerging from a traditional culture characterized by male dominance, but women continued to experience discrimination in access to employment, credit, and pay equity for substantially similar work. The Department of Women’s Affairs worked with regional and international organizations to increase women’s access to the formal justice system and educate women regarding their rights under the law, holding multiple open workshops throughout the year that coincided with public holidays to encourage participation at the local community level" (11).more