When Investing in Women Multiplies Growth

M.K. Padma Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, IPE Global Limited

 IWD 2026

“Investing in women is investing in humanity’s most under-utilised economic engine,” says the World Economic Forum.

Giving is not a subtraction; but multiplication. Every $1 invested in girls’ education can return roughly $2.80 in extra GDP - a powerful reminder that advancing gender equality is not just a moral, but also an economic imperative that benefits us all.

As we embrace the theme Give to Gain, on International Women’s Day 2026, the message is clear: expanding women’s access to opportunity not only unlocks humanity’s most underutilised engine of progress but also strengthens economies, fuels innovation, and leads to an exponential return on equality.

The evidence is undeniable. The UN Gender Snapshot 2025 underscores strategic investments in education, equitable labour markets, and closing the gender digital divide could lift nearly 30 million women out of poverty and unlock USD 1.5 trillion in global GDP. Yet the global picture is sobering. At current rates, 351 million women and girls could still be living in extreme poverty by 2030, and UN SDG 5 may remain out of reach.

According to ILO estimates, the global Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) has declined by nearly 2% over the last two decades in 2025. In India, however, there is momentum with the LFPR rising significantly from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24, largely driven by rural and self-employment opportunities. Indicating, that progress is possible - but it must be accelerated and sustained.

The World Economic Forum affirms that investing in women’s employment is the most efficient route to building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready economy. The pathway forward demands a three-pronged, gender-focused investment strategy. First, close the foundational STEM gap, so girls are equipped for tomorrow’s industries. Second, upskill women already in the workforce - particularly in emerging economies where automation threatens existing roles. Third, prepare for the “emerging economy tsunami” with nearly 800 million young people expected to enter working age in the next decade. Training and mentoring young women for newer jobs and convert a looming labour surplus into a global competitive dividend. This is not merely an employment agenda; it is a poverty-reduction and prosperity strategy at scale.

At IPE Global, we see Give to Gain as a responsibility. For us, giving means investing time, trust, knowledge and systems that allow young girls and women to rise - and when they rise, families stabilise, incomes grow leading to lasting, inclusive development. We integrate gender-responsive planning across sectors - from health and nutrition to livelihoods, skilling, governance, and climate resilience. Our efforts focus on strengthening capabilities, expanding economic opportunities, and increasing women’s participation in the workforce through focused programmes, collaborations, and supportive institutional frameworks. Within the organisation, we champion inclusive policies and pathways to leadership, recognising that equality must be practised as well as promoted. By aligning policy engagement, on-ground action, and evidence-driven insights, we ensure women are not merely participants in growth, but architects of it.

Thirty years after the Beijing Platform for Action, equality remains unfinished business - not because the roadmap is unclear, but because bold, collective action has yet to match the ambition. And, we at IPE Global remain committed to unlocking humanity’s most under-utilised engine of progress. Because, investing in girls is investing in our common future, economic prosperity, and sustainable development.