In 1990, the US had the sixth highest female labor participation rate among 22 OECD countries. By 2010, its rank had fallen to 17th. We find that the expansion of "family-friendly" policies including parental leave and part-time work entitlements in other OECD countries explains 28-29% of the...

Social policy is often disparaged as being a burden on society, but this book attempts to show that well-designed social protection can be an asset that is critical for sustaining social development. It maintains that to fulfill that potential, however, social protection now needs to recognize...