Bringing women into the labour force increases the productivity of both companies and cities. Various studies cite a number of reasons to support this conclusion. A 2015 McKinsey study estimated an additional 26 percent (or US$28 trillion) could be added to annual global GDP in 2025 if full gender equality was achieved, compared with the “business as usual” scenario. The most obvious cause is the economy simply loses out on the talents, ideas and abilities of half the population if women don’t participate in economic activity. Women can bring a different approach to challenges and tasks, and are often better suited to create and sell products to women, who in turn benefit from increased disposable income, generating a self-enforcing virtuous cycle.

Countries, cities and companies where women have claimed their fair share are more likely to maximise their talent pools and enable the free flow of ideas by avoiding exclusion based not only on gender, but also on religion,