IEA-WE · Research

Building the evidence for change.

A comprehensive research programme examining gender disparities across the economics profession — and identifying effective strategies to promote women's participation and leadership in economics across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The research programme

Three approaches. One question: what changes?

The International Economic Association's Women in Leadership in Economics Initiative (IEA-WE) is leading a comprehensive research programme to advance gender inclusivity in the economics profession across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia.

01
Quantitative research · Evidence

Map the gap.

Six country studies examine women's representation and progression through the economics profession.

Explore the evidence →
02
Quantitative research · Interventions

Test what works.

Eleven intervention projects test practical strategies designed to reduce gender gaps in economics.

Explore the interventions →
03
Qualitative research

Understand the experience.

Interviews and focus groups explore the experiences and barriers behind the patterns in the data.

Explore the research →
6
Country evidence papers
11
Intervention projects testing what works
200+
In-depth interviews across the study countries
100+
Focus group discussions with students and faculty
01 · Quantitative research · Evidence

Mapping women's position in economics.

Six independent country studies examine women's representation and progression through the economics profession, from undergraduate education through senior faculty and research positions. Together, they provide comparable evidence on career trajectories, research, leadership, networks, and persistent gender gaps across Argentina, Colombia, Ghana, India, Mexico, and South Africa.

6 Evidence papers
Argentina

Examining the Situation of Women in the Economics Profession in Argentina

August 2025 · Authors
Mariana Viollaz , Mariana Marchionni , María Edo , Florencia Pinto

This paper documents the situation of women and gender gaps in the economics profession across academic tiers in Argentina. Drawing on administrative national and institutional databases, institutional microdata, and web-scraped information, it examines representation, career trajectories, academic performance, research opportunities, and participation in professional networks.

Read the full paper →
Colombia

Bridging the Gap: Gender Disparities in Colombia's Economics Profession

August 2025 · Author
Maria del Pilar López-Uribe

This report examines gender disparities in Colombia's economics profession using data from the National Higher Education Information System (SNIES). It covers representation from undergraduate through doctoral levels, graduation rates, faculty composition, leadership positions, professional networks, and research productivity.

Read the full paper →
Ghana

Evidence Papers on Women in Economics: A Case Study of Ghana

August 2025 · Authors
Abena Oduro & Gloria Afful-Mensah

Using administrative data from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and selected universities, alongside faculty records from RePEc, Google Scholar, and CVs, this study tracks women's representation in economics across education, research, and leadership. The findings highlight persistent gaps as women progress through postgraduate education and academic careers.

Read the full paper →
India

Women in Indian Economics Academia

August 2025 · Authors
Ambrish Dongre , Upasak Das & Karan Singhal

This report analyses the gender landscape in Indian Economics academia, documenting women's representation from undergraduate education through faculty positions. It examines differences across institutions, research visibility, conference participation, journal authorship, professional association membership, and representation in senior academic positions.

Read the full paper →
Mexico

Status of Women in Economics: Mexico

August 2025 · Author
Eva Olimpia Arceo-Gómez

This study examines the status of women in Economics in Mexico, tracing representation among students and researchers and across academic ranks. It finds persistent under-representation at the top of the research system and a stalled progression toward more balanced representation in student bodies, faculties, and academic production.

Read the full paper →
South Africa

Women in Economics in South Africa

August 2025 · Authors
Nicola Branson & Emma Whitelaw

This research examines gender imbalances across academic tiers in South Africa's economics profession. It considers women's representation among students, graduates, PhD candidates and senior academics, while highlighting the importance of continued support for women through the academic pipeline and into leadership.

Read the full paper →
From evidence → wider conversation

Bringing the evidence into the policy conversation.

The IEA-WE research programme has also been brought to a wider audience through VoxDev, highlighting evidence on women's status in the economics profession across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The article draws together insights from the evidence-based research and helps translate country-level findings into a broader conversation about gender, representation, and progression in economics.

This is part of IEA-WE's broader effort to ensure that the evidence generated through the research programme reaches policymakers and wider audiences beyond academia.

Read the VoxDev article →
02 · Quantitative research · Interventions

Testing what works.

Eleven intervention projects test practical strategies designed to reduce gender gaps in economics. The portfolio includes approaches such as mentorship, networks, role models, visibility, and curriculum-based interventions.

From diagnosis to action.

The intervention programme is designed around the evidence on where gender gaps emerge and the barriers women experience. The goal is not simply to identify whether an intervention changes beliefs, but whether it changes behaviour and outcomes.

01
Argentina

Hernán Ruffo

02
Brazil

Bruna Borges, Fernanda Estevan, Kelly Santos

03
China

Xianghong Shirley Wang

04
Colombia

Camila Galindo and Julia Seither

05
Ghana

Rebecca Nana Yaa Ayifah and Emmanuel Ayifah

06
India

Anahita Karandikar

07
India

Bharti Nandwani and Akanksha Aggarwal

08
Mexico

Joana Chapa, Stanislao Maldonado, and Elvira Naranjo

09
Mexico

Lucia Del Carpio, Emilio Gutierrez, Adrian Rubli

10
South Africa

Carike Claassen

11
South Africa

Janine Jantjies

03 · Qualitative research

Understanding experiences behind the numbers.

Quantitative evidence shows where women exit the pipeline. Qualitative research helps explain the obstacles women economists actually experience, in their own words. Researchers Argentina: Florencia Pizzo, Diego Bandieri, and Agustina Maddio Colombia: Sandra Balanta Cobo Ghana/India: Radhika Viswanathan Mexico: Diana Martinez South Africa: Michelle Groenewald

Monica Biradavolu Qualitative Research Lead · QualAnalytics

Led by Monica Biradavolu and QualAnalytics, the qualitative research programme examines women's experiences across Argentina, Colombia, Ghana, India, Mexico, and South Africa. The research combines in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with students and faculty.

The qualitative evidence complements the six country evidence papers by examining the experiences, barriers, and mechanisms behind the patterns observed in the quantitative data.

6
Countries covered by the qualitative study
200+
In-depth interviews across the study countries
100+
Focus group discussions with students and faculty
2026
Key findings to be presented at the IEA World Congress

Country-level research is progressing

Qualitative research has been conducted across Argentina, Colombia, Ghana, India, Mexico, and South Africa. Country reports are being finalised, with key findings from the qualitative research due to be presented at the IEA World Congress in 2026.