The evidence in this paper highlights that women’s empowerment is a powerful lever for demographic revitalisation and growth. As such, governments need the capacity and expertise to integrate gender equality into related policy frameworks. For example, national demographic action plans offer an important opportunity to align cross-cutting policies, however, they risk being ineffective if they do not consider gender from the outset. Gender mainstreaming provides a strategic approach for embedding equality goals into demographic policy design, enabling governments to improve both efficiency and fairness. Because demographic and gender challenges intersect across policy domains (e.g. from pensions to labour markets to health), co-ordinated and/or integrated approaches can help deliver more cost-effective, fair and sustainable outcomes (OECD, 2023[4]) (OECD, 2024[31])) (OECD, 2025[5]). As such, governments also play a key role in strengthening the enabling conditions for effective, coordinated policy design and delivery.
Well-resourced, whole-of-government strategies are powerful tools to help align gender equality and demographic revitalisation goals. A comprehensive gender equality strategy can show how addressing labour market inequalities and discrimination can contribute to tackling demographic challenges. Such a strategy is most effective when it includes cross-portfolio priorities and objectives, supported by a whole-of-government implementation plan that outlines clear timelines, budgets, and expected outcomes or targets – elements crucial for coordinated policy planning across public institutions (OECD, 2023[32]). Additionally, ensuring that national demographic plans, such as those focused on demographic revitalization, incorporate high-quality gender data and analysis can enhance evidence-based policymaking. This integration promotes greater alignment between demographic initiatives and other cross-cutting national strategies, including gender equality plans. By using gender data and analysis across plans, countries can develop indicators that support coordination and tracking of progress toward shared goals OECD, 2023).
Gender budgeting is a tool that can help governments advance gender equality with fiscal and economic benefits. Gender budgeting is especially valuable amidst demographic shifts that are reducing the working age population and putting increasing strain on government budgets. For example, it can raise awareness of budget measures that aim to close the gender employment gap, bringing economics benefits for all.
To ensure proposed demographics reforms take into account the different potential impacts on women and men and avoid unintentionally undermining cross-cutting policy objectives, countries can use Gender Impact Assessment (GIA). By applying GIA during the development of policies, legislation, and budgets (particularly in cross-cutting areas such as labour markets, health systems, social protection, and family support) policymakers can ensure that demographic strategies function as intended and promote gender equality. This approach supports more effective, inclusive, and sustainable policy outcomes in response to complex demographic challenges.
Key GIA questions for policymakers to consider include:
Do some people benefit more from a policy or service because they have greater access and/or because of a gendered social norm? For example, do skills and workforce policies consider women’s unpaid caring responsibilities?
Is the policy, programme or service doing everything it can to make sure resources are distributed and used equally? For example, in the context of an entrepreneurial grants round aimed at promoting innovative solutions to healthy ageing challenges, are the allocations gender-balanced?
Does the policy, programme or service potentially have negative unintended consequences for certain groups of people; and if so, how these can be redressed. For example, some skilled migration programmes can focus on male-dominated occupations which can reinforce traditional gender roles and limit women’s economic opportunities.
Policymakers can then develop a range of policy solutions for consideration that support progress toward policy goals, including gender equality.
To undertake GIAs and design, implement and evaluate gender equality strategies, countries need high quality intersectional gender data. Planning for gender and intersectional data collection as part of national statistical systems and in programme and policy development should be a priority to support impact evaluation and future system design (OECD, 2023[32]). The collection of detailed, high-quality data across different metrics such as time use, work-life balance, study and career choices, digital inclusion, trade and environment and by different factors such as gender and disability, socio-economic status and geographic location is vital for promoting data-driven research to strengthen policy development. This is particularly important in the context of population ageing where both age and gender data will be necessary for tracking whether reforms are effective. All ministries should be involved in the collection of data in their respective sectors, including at the programme level. This can complement data collection undertaken by national statistical offices and central gender institutions.
Gender-sensitive public procurement, particularly in sectors such as care services and healthcare, can play an important role in advancing both gender equality and demographic policies. The strategic use of public procurement not only helps promote fair access to essential services but can also support workforce diversification and women’s economic inclusion, for example, as public service providers. Moreover, gender-sensitive public procurement can contribute to broader demographic goals by improving health outcomes, providing economic opportunities to various societal groups, and ensuring safety and citizens’ well-being, which are essential for sustainable population growth and social development (OECD, 2023[4]).
Clear and streamlined governance and co-ordination structures are also needed. This can ensure that all relevant ministries and institutions, including the national machinery for the advancement of women, are included as part of the policymaking process and that policy frameworks operate in a coherent way (OECD, 2023[4]) (OECD, 2023[32]). Developing an implementation plan for reforms can help establish clear roles and responsibilities for implementation. Failure to plan and coordinate effectively, and invest adequate public funds, risks further deepening labour shortages and increasing the strain on social programmes.
A diverse public sector workforce has enhanced potential to formulate effective policy responses that understand the origin and depth of issues, improve responsiveness of public actions, and support policy outcomes for diverse groups (OECD, 2023[4]). Given the high number of women working in the public sector, there is also an opportunity for it to lead the way in defining policy responses and act as a model for other sectors. For example, the public sector can show policy leadership when it comes to addressing labour market inequalities by addressing horizontal and vertical segregation (I.e. through pay transparency), offering flexible work to women and men, promoting women’s entrepreneurship and stopping workplace sexual harassment.