Standfirst, Sept. 19 -- Women sustain economies through paid employment, entrepreneurship and unpaid care, yet legal barriers, unequal responsibilities and limited access to finance continue to restrict their economic power-and the world's growth.

An economy cannot afford to leave talent on the sidelines

Economic growth is often measured through familiar indicators: employment, productivity, investment, exports and gross domestic product. But behind these figures lies a less visible question: who has the opportunity to participate in creating that wealth?

Across the world, women are working in hospitals, schools, farms, factories, technology companies, financial institutions and small businesses. They are also performing the unpaid wor...