Improving women’s rights drives economic gainsThis year’s International Women’s Day explored the theme of “Give to gain,” demonstrating how investing in women’s rights generates high returnsBy Anisha Chugh, Laura Leonelli Morey, and Teresa Zapeta MenAcross the Global South, painful austerity measures such as benefit caps, pay freezes and subsidy cuts have followed donor governments’ recent cuts to foreign aid. If national budgets do not account for women’s rights, fiscal frameworks would continue to create vulnerabilities. The Women’s Fund Asia complements efforts by migrant and informal workers to organize for fair wages and social protection. The economic case for boosting investment in women’s rights organizations, and for ensuring that financing and budget decisions improves women’s safety and autonomy, has long been settled. Investing in women’s rights is not charity; it is a form of giving that generates outsize gains for all.

Source: Taipei Times March 13, 2026 16:52 UTC