Women, work and the population puzzle

Population ageing is transforming economies and societies across many OECD countries, including those in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. At the same time, persistent inequalities in paid and unpaid work continue to limit women’s full participation in the labour market, undermining growth, productivity, and countries’ capacity to respond to demographic change. This policy paper examines how low fertility, longer life expectancy, and rising care needs intersect with gaps in employment, earnings, and caregiving. Drawing on international evidence and country experiences, the paper highlights how gender-blind demographic strategies can inadvertently reinforce inequalities, reduce policy effectiveness, and miss opportunities to strengthen care systems, labour supply, and healthy ageing. It identifies how governments can design more effective demographic responses by integrating equality considerations into labour market, care, health, and social protection reforms. It also outlines the institutional capacities needed to support whole-of-government action, from budgeting to data systems and impact assessments.