Many cures have been proposed for the disparity of opportunity facing women in education and work, in the family, and in public office. During the 1960s, developmental theories held that economic growth alone, by “lifting all boats,” could go a long way toward alleviating problems that women face in poorer societies, including those of health and infant mortality, literacy and schooling, subsistence wages and insecurity. In the following decade, the role of the state in this process came to center stage, especially with the emphasis on international agreements, legislative initiatives, public policies, and structural reforms designed to strengthen women's rights and opportunities. We do not wish to understate the impact that these measures can have, as is illustrated by the effect of gender quotas on women's representation in parliaments. Nevertheless, the core thesis of this book is that cultural norms, values, and beliefs also shape the transition to gender equality. These include how far economic growth serves women's needs and priorities, and how far de jure rights, formal conventions, and legal treaties are implemented and translated into effective reforms.

Human development fuels more egalitarian attitudes toward women in virtually any society, although this process, particularly the pace of cultural change, is mediated by particular religious legacies, historical traditions, and institutional structures in each country. Many other factors can accelerate or retard these trends in a given society, including social movements, NGOs, and coalitional networks organized by feminists and by their opponents; intellectual developments conveyed by seminal theorists, the mass media, and academe; and the impact of the policy process, including government leaders, parliaments, and the courts.