Call for papers 

WEBINAR: IEA-WB Conference Gender Norms and the Law 

Date and time: October 24 and 25, 2024, (Morning hours, ET)

Venue/platform: Zoom 

Open to the public 

Context 

Closing the gender gap in the workforce is crucial in today’s global economic landscape. With expectations of sluggish growth in the coming years and traditional growth engines struggling, empowering women in the labor market is a vital strategy for economic reju venation. It’s alarming that a significant gender disparity persists, as only a portion of women actively participates in the labor market compared to men. This imbalance is the result of complex factors, including discriminatory laws, unequal access to services, and ingrained societal biases. Consequently, there’s a substantial loss of talent and potential growth. To address these challenges, it’s essential to scrutinize both legal frameworks and societal norms. This conference aims to explore the intricate interplay between them, with the goal of fostering a better understanding of what drives the formulation of equitable laws and how we can collectively promote their advancement. 

Conference 

The IEA, and the World Bank are co-organizing a conference on “Gender Norms and the Law,” to be held in October 24 and 25, 2024. The Conference provides an opportunity for researchers to present results on their research on the relationship between gender norms and the legal framework surrounding access to economic opportunities for both men and women. We also welcome research focusing on gender norms themselves or any analysis of the impact of legal changes on the well-being of women. This event also aims to foster evidence-based policy dialogues aimed at identifying the most effective legal measures for narrowing gender disparities in economic opportunities. 

Papers are encouraged to explore a wide range of databases, including but not limited to the utilization of the “Women, Business and the Law” data, and the “GenLAC” database. 

Conference Focus 

This conference aims to delve into the multifaceted dimensions of gender, examining them through the prisms of legislation and/or gender norms. Our exploration will encompass various critical areas, including but not limited to: 

• Assets 
• Childcare 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Marriage 
• Mobility 
• Parenthood 
• Pay 
• Pension 
• Safety 
• Workplace 

These themes will serve as the cornerstone of our discussions, fostering a deeper understanding of the intersection between gender and the sociolegal landscape. 

Submissions 

We invite full papers drawn from various methods and perspectives. Both theoretical and empirical papers are welcome. Priority will be given to work focusing on low- and middle-income countries. We expect papers to take the form of academic-style research. 

Please submit your paper here. Submission deadline: June 3rd, 2024. Only one submission per author is permitted. Decisions of acceptance or rejection will be sent out no later than July 19th, 2024. 

Keynote Speaker: 

Leonardo Bursztyn, University of Chicago. 

Panel: “How Laws and Social Norms Interconnect to Shape Gender Equality”
October 24, 2024, 10:00am ET
Chair: Raquel Fernández, NYU
Speakers: Marianne Bertrand (University of Chicago), Matthias Doepke (LSE), Penny Goldberg (Yale University),
Eliana La Ferrara (Harvard University).

Academic Committee 

• Inés Berniell, CEDLAS-UNLP 
• Ashwini Deshpande, Ashoka University 
• Jacobus Joost De Hoop, WB 
• Mieke Meurs, American University 
• Ana Maria Muñoz, WB 
• Núria Rodríguez-Planas, CUNY 
• Ana María Tribín, WB-DECWL 
• Tea Trumbic, WB-DECWL 

Additional Information 

Contact us at andrea.cavallo@iea-world.org for questions regarding the event or the call for papers. 

We look forward to your submission!