We have calculated these with a simple tool indicated in the Appendix. Deducting the gender gaps in one year from the gaps in another year shows how much they have narrowed. The Office's intentions in the report were, not only to document gender differentials, but also to explain them. The explanations can simplifyingly be grouped under economic developments, on the one hand, and cultural or social values, domestic policy influences and the impact of external factors, on the other. External factors might include the Beijing Conference, the ratification of ILO Conventions or technical cooperation activities.
Economic factors explain part of the narrowing of gender gaps.
High economic growth has a favourable impact. But high growth needs to be underpinned by policy measures to realize its full potential. Low economic growth or stagnation tends to have an unfavourable impact unless legislation or institutional support helps women. This conclusion is tellingly illustrated in Figure 1.1 on page 14. This figure focuses on the most basic and most comprehensive factor, labour force participation.