OECD and APEC economies are navigating profound demographic shifts marked by rapidly ageing populations and mounting pressures on labour markets and social protection systems. These trends threaten long-term economic growth, strain pension and health systems, and exacerbate existing workforce shortages. At the same time, persistent gender inequalities – including gaps in labour force participation, working hours, unpaid caregiving, leadership representation, and pay – limit countries’ ability to mitigate demographic decline. Despite women now surpassing men in educational attainment in most OECD countries, their labour market participation lags, due to structural barriers, gender norms, and the unequal distribution of unpaid care work. Closing gender gaps could generate considerable economic gains, with OECD projections showing substantial boosts to GDP growth if women’s participation and working hours converged with men’s.
Harnessing women’s full economic potential is therefore one of the most powerful levers available to governments confronting demographic change. Targeted policy action – including expanding access to affordable childcare, strengthening parental leave for both mothers and fathers, redesigning workplaces to support flexibility, and improving pay and conditions in the care economy – can significantly reduce barriers to women’s employment. Equally essential are systemic approaches such as gender mainstreaming, gender impact assessments, and gender budgeting, which ensure that demographic policy reforms do not inadvertently reinforce existing inequalities. Evidence from countries including Australia, Korea, and Chile demonstrates that gender-responsive reforms in areas such as care-sector wage-setting, parental leave, and the integration of gender analysis into national ageing strategies can strengthen labour markets, improve equity, and enhance policy effectiveness.
A gender-sensitive approach to demographic policy is not only fairer, it is more effective. Aligning gender equality and demographic priorities can enable governments to address labour shortages, improve productivity, and build resilient, inclusive societies capable of thriving amidst demographic transition. This requires co-ordinated, whole-of-government action; high-quality, gender-disaggregated data; and sustained investment in care systems, workforce development, and healthy ageing. Countries can transform current challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth, and stronger, more equitable economies by embedding gender equality in demographic strategies.