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Biodiversity 101: Why it matters and how to protect it

• May 21, 2020

The Earth is undergoing a mass extinction that could see up to a million species disappear in the coming decades – and humans are contributing heavily to this.

The numbers are staggering: the population sizes of vertebrate species, which include mammals, reptiles, birds and fish, dropped by around half between 1970 and 2010 . A quarter of mammals, 40 percent of amphibians, and 30 percent of sharks and rays are currently endangered .

During the 20th century, extinction rates were about 100 times higher than they would have been without humans significantly altering most of the planet’s surface .

What does this loss of biodiversity mean for the future of the planet and its inhabitants – and what can we do about it? The first step is understanding the basics, unraveled in easy-to-digest terms here in this explainer:

What is biodiversity?

How is biodiversity measured, what are the benefits of biodiversity, what are the main threats to biodiversity, how can we protect biodiversity.

Coined by biologists in the 1980s as a contraction of biological diversity , the term usually refers to the variety of life on Earth as a whole . The U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) breaks it down as follows :

“Biological diversity” means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part.

But the CBD makes it clear that measuring biodiversity is no simple feat:

This includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

Let’s start with biodiversity between species, or species diversity . Arguably the simplest measure is ‘species richness’ – a count of how many species live in a community.

But species richness does not consider the relative abundance of each species, or its importance to an ecosystem or landscape, or its value to people. As such, biologists have invented diversity indices, such as the Simpson index and the Shannon index , to take these factors into account.

When talking about biodiversity loss, we often focus on losses in species diversity, as it is crucial to maintain the balance of ecosystems, nutritional value of food, and enhance resilience of ecosystems and landscapes to the threats of climate change and other risks like weeds and pests.

Yet genetic diversity – the characteristics of a species’ genetic makeup – is equally important, as it ensures resilience to change and stressors on a more individual level.

Consider the following analogy: in investing, a diversified portfolio minimizes risk and usually provides the most reliable returns. Likewise, genetic diversity protects a species from being wiped out by an external shock like a natural disaster or disease outbreak.

At the largest scale is the concept of ecosystem diversity , which measures how many different ecosystems exist within a geographical area or wider landscape. The more ecosystems exist within a landscape, the more resilient that landscape is, and the more services it has to offer its inhabitants. 

These include wetlands , which contain over 40 percent of the value of the world’s ecosystems ; peatlands , which store a third of the planet’s soil carbon; and lesser-known tropical forests such as monsoon and karst forests , which are among our best natural defenses against climate change.

You might have also heard of ‘biodiversity hotspots.’ These are landscapes with exceptionally high concentrations of biodiversity. 43 percent of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species are only found in areas that make up just 2.4 percent of the Earth’s surface .

Healthy and functional ecosystems play a crucial role in sustaining human livelihoods through providing necessities and benefits such as food, water, energy sources and carbon sequestration, known as ‘ecosystem services.’

One study estimates that each year, the goods and services provided by the planet’s ecosystems contribute over USD 100 trillion to the global economy , more than double the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). But much debate remains over how to factor in non-monetary values, such as natural beauty, regulating functions, and providing homes for humans and animals.

Underpinning ecosystem services are genetic diversity and biodiversity. Genetic diversity supports agriculture by building resilience and protecting against environmental stresses such as pests, crop diseases and natural disasters . This provides a source of income and safeguards the food security of much of the world’s poor.

Biodiversity also plays a role in some ‘ nature-based solutions ’ to climate change and problems caused by changes in the environment. These solutions could provide up to a third of the carbon emissions reductions needed to meet the Paris Agreement goals .

Including biodiversity in nature-based solutions, though, must be a conscious choice. Tree planting , for instance, can come in the form of monocultures (planting just a single species in a landscape) or agroforestry, which mixes species of agricultural crops and trees in a single landscape to enhance the sustainability of both.

While each of these cases offers a different set of financial and environmental benefits, most experts will sing the praises of nature-based solutions that take into account biodiversity over those that don’t.

And, let us not forget: the planet’s various ecosystems and landscapes also hold considerable intrinsic value to humans, whether for their recreational opportunities, their cultural importance to Indigenous communities , or their contributions to physical and mental health . Without biodiversity, these values will be lost.

In a seminal report published last year, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) identified five direct drivers of biodiversity loss: changes in land and sea use, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species.

These five drivers, it argues , are in turn driven by increasing demand for natural resources, as well as governance structures that prioritize economic growth over conservation and restoration.

Land and sea use

The most widespread form of land-use change has been the expansion of agriculture : according to the IPBES report, over a third of the Earth’s land surface is now used for cropping or livestock, mainly at the expense of forests , wetlands and grasslands.

The tropics , which are home to the highest levels of biodiversity on Earth, are now seeing their ecosystems replaced by cattle ranching in Latin America and plantations in Southeast Asia .

Other key land-use changes include logging, mining and urbanization. Coastal and marine ecosystems have also been significantly affected by activities such as offshore aquaculture, bottom trawling, coastal development and ocean mining .

Overexploitation

The IPBES suggests that fishing has had a larger impact on marine ecosystems than any other human activity: 33 percent of marine fish stocks are currently overfished, and 60 percent are being fished to their sustainable limits. Poaching and hunting , too, are driving many mammals to the brink of extinction.

Climate change

Humans have caused the planet to warm by around 1 degree Celsius since pre-industrial times – and biodiversity is already bearing the brunt of that warming. Climate change is reducing the distribution of many species (the geographical area in which they can survive), including almost half of all endangered mammals.

Changes in the ecological balance can also result in species that can beneficial turning into pests and plagues once their natural enemies are reduced or disappear: think locusts, mosquitos, algae.

Many plants and animals are also experiencing disruptions to their phenology , which refers to seasonal life cycle events such as flowering, migration and hibernation.

Mining, agriculture, industry and other pervasive changes in human’s land-use are contributing to air, water and soil pollution. The IPBES notes that coastal waters contain the highest levels of metals and organic pollutants, such as industrial discharge and fertilizers.

Similarly, marine plastic pollution has increased tenfold since 1980, primarily affecting marine turtles, seabirds and marine mammals, as well as humans indirectly through the food chain.

Invasive species

An invasive alien species is a species that has been introduced to a new location and starts to disrupt its new habitat. These species can threaten native biodiversity by out-competing them for resources, and they’re spreading ever more quickly as international travel and trade expands. A recent study found that one-sixth of the Earth’s land surface is highly vulnerable to invasion , including many biodiversity hotspots.

Humanity’s ecological footprint is about 70 percent larger than the planet can sustain – and in the world’s richest countries, that figure is as much as four or five times larger. Given these huge inequalities in both living standards and ecological impact, residents of industrialized nations can – and should – do their part to preserve biodiversity by helping contribute to more sustainable global systems.

At the individual level, that could include reducing air travel, buying organic , eating less red meat, avoiding fast fashion , and turning your backyard into a carbon sink .

At the international and policy level , we need commitments to restore the Earth’s ecosystems , following the examples set by the Everglades and farmers in the African Sahel .

Indigenous and local communities are deep and rich sources of traditional knowledge of how best to care for increasingly fragile landscapes. Technological innovation is a crucial tool too.

And with biodiversity worth more in monetary terms than the entire global economy , there’s a clear business case to be made for investing in restoring the planet .

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Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species  in one region or ecosystem . Bio diversity refers to every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans. Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence. However, only around 1.2 million species have been identified and described so far, most of which are insects. This means that millions of other organisms remain a complete mystery.

Over generations , all of the species that are currently alive today have evolved unique traits that make them distinct from other species . These differences are what scientists use to tell one species from another. Organisms that have evolved to be so different from one another that they can no longer reproduce with each other are considered different species . All organisms that can reproduce with each other fall into one species .

Scientists are interested in how much biodiversity there is on a global scale, given that there is still so much biodiversity to discover. They also study how many species exist in single ecosystems, such as a forest, grassland, tundra, or lake. A single grassland can contain a wide range of species, from beetles to snakes to antelopes. Ecosystems that host the most biodiversity tend to have ideal environmental conditions for plant growth, like the warm and wet climate of tropical regions. Ecosystems can also contain species too small to see with the naked eye. Looking at samples of soil or water through a microscope reveals a whole world of bacteria and other tiny organisms.

Some areas in the world, such as areas of Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, the southwestern United States, and Madagascar, have more bio diversity than others. Areas with extremely high levels of bio diversity are called hotspots . Endemic species — species that are only found in one particular location—are also found in hotspots .

All of the Earth’s species work together to survive and maintain their ecosystems . For example, the grass in pastures feeds cattle. Cattle then produce manure that returns nutrients to the soil, which helps to grow more grass. This manure can also be used to fertilize cropland. Many species provide important benefits to humans, including food, clothing, and medicine.

Much of the Earth’s bio diversity , however, is in jeopardy due to human consumption and other activities that disturb and even destroy ecosystems . Pollution , climate change, and population growth are all threats to bio diversity . These threats have caused an unprecedented rise in the rate of species extinction . Some scientists estimate that half of all species on Earth will be wiped out within the next century. Conservation efforts are necessary to preserve bio diversity and protect endangered species and their habitats.

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Essay on Biodiversity for Students and Children

500+ words essay on biodiversity.

Essay on Biodiversity – Biodiversity is the presence of different species of plants and animals on the earth. Moreover, it is also called biological diversity as it is related to the variety of species of flora and fauna. Biodiversity plays a major role in maintaining the balance of the earth.

Furthermore, everything depends upon the biological diversity of different plants and animals. But due to some reasons, biodiversity is decreasing day by day. If it does not stop then our earth could no longer be a place to live in. Therefore different measures help in increasing the biodiversity of the earth.

Methods to Increase Biodiversity

Building wildlife corridors- This means to build connections between wildlife spaces. In other words, many animals are incapable to cross huge barriers. Therefore they are no able to migrate the barrier and breed. So different engineering techniques can make wildlife corridors. Also, help animals to move from one place to the other.

Set up gardens- Setting up gardens in the houses is the easiest way to increase biodiversity. You can grow different types of plants and animals in the yard or even in the balcony. Further, this would help in increasing the amount of fresh air in the house.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Protected areas- protected areas like wildlife sanctuaries and zoo conserve biodiversity. For instance, they maintain the natural habitat of plants and animals. Furthermore, these places are away from any human civilization. Therefore the ecosystem is well maintained which makes it a perfect breeding ground for flora and fauna. In our country, their various wildlife sanctuaries are build that is today spread over a vast area. Moreover, these areas are the only reason some of the animal species are not getting extinct. Therefore the protected areas should increase all over the globe.

Re-wilding – Re-wilding is necessary to avert the damage that has been taking place over centuries. Furthermore, the meaning of re-wilding is introducing the endangered species in the areas where it is extinct. Over the past years, by various human activities like hunting and cutting down of trees the biodiversity is in danger. So we must take the necessary steps to conserve our wildlife and different species of plants.

Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is extremely important to maintain the ecological system. Most Noteworthy many species of plants and animals are dependent on each other.

Therefore if one of them gets extinct, the others will start getting endangered too. Moreover, it is important for humans too because our survival depends on plants and animals. For instance, the human needs food to survive which we get from plants. If the earth does not give us a favorable environment then we cannot grow any crops. As a result, it will no longer be possible for us to sustain on this planet.

Biodiversity in flora and fauna is the need of the hour. Therefore we should take various countermeasures to stop the reduction of endangering of species. Furthermore, pollution from vehicles should decrease. So that animals can get fresh air to breathe. Moreover, it will also decrease global warming which is the major cause of the extinction of the species.

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Why is biodiversity important?

Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth, including humans. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems that we rely on to provide us with the air we breathe and the food we eat. And people also value nature of itself.

Some aspects of biodiversity are instinctively widely valued by people but the more we study biodiversity the more we see that all of it is important – even bugs and bacteria that we can’t see or may not like the look of. There are lots of ways that humans depend upon biodiversity and it is vital for us to conserve it. Pollinators such as birds, bees and other insects are estimated to be responsible for a third of the world’s crop production. Without pollinators we would not have apples, cherries, blueberries, almonds and many other foods we eat. Agriculture is also reliant upon invertebrates – they help to maintain the health of the soil crops grow in.  Soil is teeming with microbes that are vital for liberating nutrients that plants need to grow, which are then also passed to us when we eat them. Life from the oceans provides the main source of animal protein for many people.

Trees, bushes and wetlands and wild grasslands naturally slow down water and help soil to absorb rainfall. When they are removed it can increase flooding. Trees and other plants clean the air we breathe and help us tackle the global challenge of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. Coral reefs and mangrove forests act as natural defences protecting coastlines from waves and storms. 

Many of our medicines, along with other complex chemicals that we use in our daily lives such as latex and rubber, also originate from plants. Spending time in nature is increasingly understood to lead to improvements in people’s physical and mental health. Simply having green spaces and trees in cities has been shown to decrease hospital admissions, reduce stress and lower blood pressure.

Further reading

Plural valuation of nature matters for environmental sustainability and justice by Berta Martin-Lopez, Social-Ecological Systems Institute, Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany

Climate change and biodiversity

Human activities are changing the climate. Science can help us understand what we are doing to habitats and the climate, but also find solutions.

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• Previous Article

The benefits of gender diversity are well known – it increases effectiveness and efficiency and strengthens decision-making. Yet, the IMF Executive Board continues to fall short of reaching gender balance, with women constituting a small minority of the Executive Directors and Alternate Executive Directors. There is a clear need for change. The IMFC has called on the membership to take action, including by introducing voluntary medium-term objectives to raise the number of women holding leadership positions at the Board. This report summarizes the Executive Board’s recommendations for these targets and lays out proposals for concerted actions that can be taken by individual countries and constituencies

Gender Diversity in the Executive Board—2024 Report to the Board of Governors

The benefits of gender diversity are well known – it increases effectiveness and efficiency and strengthens decision-making. Yet, the IMF Executive Board continues to fall short of reaching gender balance, with women constituting a small minority of the Executive Directors and Alternate Executive Directors. There is a clear need for change. The IMFC has called on the membership to take action, including by introducing voluntary medium-term objectives to raise the number of women holding leadership positions at the Board. This report summarizes the Executive Board’s recommendations for these targets and lays out proposals for concerted actions that can be taken by individual countries and constituencies .

• A Mandate from the IMFC

1. Following repeated calls from the IMFC to improve the gender diversity profile of the IMF Executive Board, there is a pressing need for action to increase the number of women holding the position of Executive Director or Alternate Executive Director on the Board. The dearth of women at the Executive Board is particularly striking given the IMF’s good progress in strengthening the diversity of its leadership at the level of Managing Director, First Deputy Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director and Department Director.

2. To achieve progress by increasing the number of women at the Board, the Executive Board should move swiftly to take forward the mandate given by the IMFC through the Fall 2023 Chair’s Statement where it called for voluntary objectives to increase the representation of women at the IMF Executive Board.

3. The current share of women holding the position of Executive Director (3 out of 24) and Alternate Executive Director (4 out of 31) on the IMF Executive Board is low. A recent working paper by the Center for Global Development shows that the gender diversity of the IMF Executive Board is also below that of several comparator international financial institutions (IFIs), including the World Bank, OECD, WTO, EBRD, EIB, and AfDB (see Figure 1 ). Some of them have made more progress on improving gender diversity than the IMF, although women are not yet equally represented on their executive boards.

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4. The stronger performance of other IFIs in appointing women to leadership positions suggests that focused commitment to the increased representation of women in senior roles in government and public sector yields results. The Board places high priority on matching the progress made by other comparators institutions.

5. Many member countries have already engaged within their central banks and ministries to work on improving gender diversity. While change takes time, the number of women in leadership positions in G20 central bank bodies responsible for monetary policy indicates strong progress is being made in many countries.

6. It is particularly striking that the Fund continues to lag behind its closest comparator organization, the World Bank. The Bank continues to have more women in these positions, especially at the Alternate Executive Director level. The Bank also continues to demonstrate higher percentages of women appointed to Senior Advisor and Advisor positions, for which voluntary collective employment targets have been established.

Gender Diversity in International Financial Insitutions Boards (percent women)

Citation: Policy Papers 2024, 006; 10.5089/9798400273933.007.A001

G20 Central Banks: Monetary Policy Decision Making Bodies (percent women)

• Proposal for Collective Voluntary Objectives

7. The Executive Board is taking forward the direction provided by the IMFC to define collective voluntary objectives for increasing the number of women Executive Directors and Alternate Executive Directors on the Board and to advocate for their achievement. When developing the proposed objectives, due consideration has been given to different processes among member countries and constituencies for appointing Executive Directors and Alternate Executive Directors.

8. The Executive Board agrees that voluntary collective objectives should be ambitious yet realistic. Given the low number of women represented at the Board throughout the Fund’s history and the slow progress made in recent years, an ambitious objective is important to signal the critical need to make progress. The different selection processes for Executive Director and Alternate Executive Director in each country or constituency will, however, require bespoke methods for achieving the objectives .

9. The Executive Board has agreed to establish collective voluntary medium-term objectives for the appointment of women as Executive Director and Alternate Executive Director combined of at least 30–40 percent over three election cycles, starting with the 2024 regular election of Executive Directors. This is a concrete first step towards the aspiration to reach parity.

10. A combined target of 30–40 percent women as Executive Director or Alternate Executive Director would imply 16–22 women in these positions. Currently, the Board comprises 7 women in these positions. A strong push will be required.

11. Given the turnover of Board members, which also takes place outside of the regular election cycles, it is inevitable that the share of women at Executive Director and/or Alternate Executive Director will vary from year to year, even month to month. Of the 24 Offices of Executive Directors, six have never had a woman appointed in the position of Executive Director or Alternate Executive Director. It is encouraging that one of these constituencies has advised its commitment to elect its first women Executive Director in the next rotation. Recently one constituency has selected a woman to serve as its next Alternate Executive Director, which will increase the number of women at the Board in the position of Executive Director or Alternate Executive Director to 8 women, or 15 percent. These are very positive developments. The aim with the voluntary objective is to ensure a steady and sustainable upward trend in the representation of women in leadership positions at the Board.

Offices of Executive Directors History of Women’s Employment: Executive Directors and Alternate Executive Directors (number of women)

• Actions to Help Move the Needle

12. Gender diversity objectives can be helpful to maintain progress, but they need to go hand in hand with intentional action, including during merit-based recruitment and appointment processes, to be effective. While a lack of pipeline can be an issue to differing extent in different countries, there is also evidence that setting targets can be effective in reducing gender biases in merit-based appointments, generating different outcomes in recruitment from the same talent pool.

13. Building on the different experiences of countries’ and constituencies’ selection processes, the Executive Board will work with authorities to leverage an array of ways to gain the support of decision-makers in reaching the objectives, including:

Outreach . Recognizing the importance of up-to-date and easy-to-digest information and data, the Executive Board will continue to provide updated statistics – most notably the factsheet “Gender Diversity in the IMF Executive Board” -with country authorities ahead of the IMF Spring and Annual Meetings. Other options for Executive Board members to conduct outreach include: leveraging IMF management’s stature and visibility and access to key-decision makers, including through written communication to Governors; as well as written communication from Executive Directors/Alternate Executive Directors to their constituencies.

Gender champions . Executive Directors and other Board members play a key role in raising awareness with their authorities, advocating for change, and acting as champions for gender diversity. Continuous communication, including during missions, on the need to improve the IMF Executive Board gender diversity will be helpful. Raising the issue at the highest level will also be important to ensure that the information reaches those with direct influence over appointments to the Board, which varies across countries and constituencies.

Influencing recruitment processes . Setting gender targets/objectives has become a common practice in several member country government authorities. Extending such gender objectives to appointments in international organizations should be encouraged. Constituencies could also incorporate gender objectives and expectations formally in their agreements on rotation arrangements; for example, some constituencies have adopted regular rotations of male and female candidates at the Executive Director and Alternate Executive Director level to ensure at least one member of the country’s/constituency’s leadership is a woman at all times. While this example showcases an effective approach, it is recognized that it may not be applicable to all.

Strengthen pipelines . Executive Board members should work with authorities to help develop strategies to build pipelines of women in senior positions that could be considered for leadership positions at the IMF Executive Board, including through mentoring, proactive identification and recruitment, and by highlighting the work of the IMF Executive Board.

Recognition of positive progress . Acknowledging the importance of positive recognition, the WGGD will, in addition to highlighting countries/constituencies with current female representation at the highest level, consider further ways to shine light on the progress being made, including in the progress reports to the Board of Governors.

• Accountability and Measuring Progress

14. The proposed objective is a collective goal to increase the number of women on the Board, while the decisions to select candidates for the roles of Executive Director and Alternate Executive Director rests with individual member country authorities. These individual decisions should, however, pursue the shared goal of improving the governance of the Fund through greater gender diversity on the Executive Board.

15. Reporting and accountability is important for enacting change and monitoring progress through time. In addition to its regular reporting to the Board of Governors on the gender diversity profile of the Executive Board, data on each chair’s/constituency’s representation of women in leadership positions over the last ten years with the Executive Board will be published on IMFConnect on a regular basis. Selected data on the gender composition of Offices of Executive Director will also be shared with the Board of Governors and included in the Fund’s Annual Report.

16. The WGGD will continue its work to raise awareness about the need for improved gender diversity in the Executive Board at all levels and garner support for the need for action, including through the following actions:

i) Consider ways to support the implementation of the collective voluntary objectives for the appointment of women as Executive Director and Alternate Executive Director as well as regular reporting on the progress made in the determined timeframe.

ii) Continue to report on the progress made towards meeting the voluntary targets introduced in 2016 for Senior Advisor (35% – 45%) and Advisor (40% – 50%) level over time.

Senior Advisors: Status of Voluntary Targets35%-45%

iii) Share best practices to help members to develop a pipeline of candidates for Executive Director and Alternative Executive Director positions to help meet the voluntary objectives.

iv) Consider other ways to engage member country authorities and ensure their support and participation towards reaching the objectives, to be reviewed and agreed by the Executive Board.

v) Continue to support activities to build a supportive work environment for women working in the Executive Board, including through the OED Women’s Network, and continue engaging with other IFIs to exchange experiences and best practices on how to improve Board gender diversity.

17. To support this initiative and ongoing conversation, the Executive Board commits to raise this issue with relevant decision makers to garner their support and participation towards reaching the objectives. To this end, Executive Directors will share the attached fact sheet with their authorities.

• Annex I. Spring 2024 Factsheet

Gender Diversity in the IMF Executive Board—Spring 2024

Other IMF Content

• Gender Diversity in The Executive Board—Interim Report of The Executive Board to The Board of Governors
• Gender Diversity In The Executive Board—Report Of The Executive Board To The Board Of Governors
• Gender Diversity in the Executive Board—Draft Report of the Executive Board to the Board of Governors
• IMF Executive Board’s First Report to the Board of Governors on Gender Diversity in the Executive Board
• Invested in Gender Diversity
• Gender Diversity at the Executive Board and its Shared Benefits
• IMF Strategy Toward Mainstreaming Gender
• Board Gender Diversity in ASEAN
• Since the time of the last report of the Executive Board on its gender diversity, profound changes have taken place globally, exposing wide social and economic disparities.
• Interim Guidance Note on Mainstreaming Gender at The IMF

Other Publishers

Asian development bank.

• CAREC Gender Assessment: Supplementary Documentary for the CAREC Gender Strategy 2030
• CAREC Gender Strategy 2030
• Gender Gaps in Ownership of Nonagricultural Enterprises in Georgia, Mongolia, and the Philippines
• Greater Mekong Subregion Gender Strategy
• Impact of Gender Inequality on Long-Term Economic Growth in Mongolia
• Gender-Responsive Procurement in Asia and the Pacific: An Opportunity for an Equitable Economic Future
• Enhancing Gender Equality in Infrastructure Development: Theories of Change, Indicators, and Sector Strategies
• Accelerating Gender Equality in the Agribusiness Sector
• Barriers to Entry: Decomposing the Gender Gap in Job Search in Urban Pakistan
• Exploring the Gender Dimensions of Unpaid Care Work in the Lao People's Democratic Republic

Food and Agriculture Organization

• Gender, water and agriculture: Assessing the nexus in Egypt
• Good practices for promoting gender equality through rural advisory services: Case studies from Ethiopia, India and Peru

Inter-American Development Bank

• Executive Summary: Evaluation of the Bank's Support for Gender and Diversity
• Evaluation of the Bank's Support for Gender and Diversity
• Approach Paper: Evaluation of the Bank's Support for Gender and Diversity
• Gender Mainstreaming at the IDB: A Report to the Board of Executive Directors on the Implementation of the WID Action Plan 1998-2001
• An Integrated Analysis of the Impact of Gender Diversity on Innovation and Productivity in Manufacturing Firms
• Social, Racial and Gender Profile of the 500 largest Brazilian Companies: Executive Summary
• The Public Sector Premium and the Gender Gap in Latin America: Evidence from the 1980s and 1990s
• Women in the Americas: Bridging the Gender Gap
• Working Within Confines: Occupational Segregation by Gender in Three Latin American Countries
• Gender Gaps in Entrepreneurship and their Macroeconomic Effects in Latin America

International Labour Organization

• Gender equality and decent work: Selected ILO Conventions and Recommendations that promote gender equality as of 2012. Third revised edition 2012

The World Bank

• Gender Diversity in Ghanaian Boardrooms: An Abridged Report on Women on Boards of Corporate and Public Institutions in Ghana.
• Gender Diversity in Jordan: Research on the Impact of Gender Diversity on the Economic Performance of Companies in Jordan.
• Exploring the Diversity of Young People Not in Employment, Education or Training: The Gender Profile of NEETs in Georgia and Armenia
• Closing the Gender Gaps among Marginalized Roma in the Western Balkans: A Summary of Findings and Policy Recommendations
• Colombia Gender Assessment
• Compensation, Diversity and Inclusion at the World Bank Group
• Women in the Pipeline: A Dynamic Decomposition of Firm Pay Gaps
• Women and Trade: The Role of Trade in Promoting Gender Equality
• Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessment: Pacific Regional Executive Summary.

Table of Contents

• Front Matter
• Gender Diversity in The Executive Board
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