Over the past seven decades, fertility decline has become one of the most significant demographic transformations worldwide. The global total fertility rate (TFR)—defined as the average number of children a woman would bear if current age-specific fertility rates prevailed throughout her reproductive life—declined from approximately five births per woman in the early 1960s to around 2.3 births per woman in the early 2020s (United Nations, 2022; Ritchie, Spooner & Roser, 2023). Although the pace and timing of fertility decline have differed across regions, the overall direction has been remarkably consistent.

The topic of women and power roles in academia is an area of significant interest and concern in contemporary society. While strides have been made in promoting gender equality in higher education, academic institutions continue to encounter issues with representation and empowerment for women in various positions of authority and influence.

In economic literature, the effect of minimum wage on the labour market and its relevance as an anti-poverty, equality-enhancing policy tool, is a matter of vigorous debate. The focus of this policy brief is a hypothetical effect on poverty rates, particularly among women, following an increase in the minimum wage in Georgia.

Throughout history, societies have used socio-biological markers, such as gender and age, to assign social positions, prescribe gender and age-based roles, and distribute scarce resources. In the social sciences, scholars tended to look separately at how gender and age shaped the human experience, social roles, and resource allocation.

A world without poverty is the number one goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, poverty risks have been exacerbated globally in recent years, due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war on Ukraine. Researchers currently estimate that between 760 and 873 million people around the world will be living in extreme poverty in 2022.

Gender inequality has been a persistent (albeit steadily improving) problem for years. The COVID-induced crisis put women in a disproportionately disadvantaged position, jeopardizing decades of progress achieved towards equality between men and women.