May 13, 2027 - May 14, 2027
Rome, Italy
Mend the Gap in Economic Opportunities in Europe and Central Asia: Third Edition
The World Bank Group, together with EIEF and Research Lab for Gender Equality at Bocconi University is organizing the third edition of the workshop on “Mend the Gap in Economic Opportunities in Europe and Central Asia.”
The workshop will bring together researchers to present and discuss empirical research on barriers to women's economic opportunities and policies that promote access to better jobs, women's entrepreneurship, and business growth. Topics will include women's employment and earnings, entrepreneurship and access to finance, care responsibilities, technology and the future of work, and gender gaps in the workplace.
Building on the 2026 edition, the workshop will provide a forum for exchanging research findings and discussing their implications for policy.
We invite submissions of one-page extended abstracts including the research question, a brief description of the methodology, preliminary findings, author names and affiliations, and the contact email of the corresponding author.
We welcome empirical research on barriers to women's economic opportunities and on policies that expand access to good jobs and support women's entrepreneurship, with particular relevance to Europe and Central Asia. Topics include, but are not limited to:
- Women’s employment, earnings, and job quality
- Women's entrepreneurship, business performance, and access to finance
- Childcare, eldercare, and the care economy
- Technology, AI, and the future of women’s work
- Education, skilling, and school-to-work transitions for young women
- Gender gaps in firm behavior and workplace practices
Visit the Call for Papers: Mend the Gap in Economic Opportunities in ECA website for submission details.
- Justus Bamert, Brown University
- Lucero Burga, World Bank
- Sara Casella, EIEF
- Francesca Carta, Bank of Italy and MEF
- Fabrizio Core, LUISS
- Banu Demir, University of Oxford
- Anna Fruttero, World Bank
- Tomasz Gajderowicz, University of Warsaw
- Nancy Lozano, World Bank
- Martin Melecky, World Bank
- Franco Peracchi, EIEF
- Paola Profeta, Bocconi University
- Francesca Truffa, University of Michigan
