E/2010/27 E/CN.6/2010/11 vulnerable employment, limited job stability and lack of social protection. Gender wage gaps and occupational segregation persist, and women are overrepresented in part-time work. The application of the principle of equal pay for work of equal value is critical for the promotion of decent work for women. A range of measures have enhanced women’s access to and participation in the labour market, including employment acts that promote equal opportunities for women, strengthened labour standards, guaranteed social security, tax credits to encourage women’s employment, allowances for childcare, work programmes and increased resources for job training. 4. In many countries, the increased participation of women in the labour market has not been accompanied by increased participation of men in unpaid work. Women, in particular those in developing countries, have to spend too many hours on domestic work, preventing them from participating in societal or development activities. Macrolevel policies continue to neglect the existing inequalities in the gender distribution of paid and unpaid work, to the detriment of women. Primary areas of policy intervention have focused on reducing the burden of unpaid work, including through the reconciliation of work and family responsibilities, the provision of services and investment in public infrastructure. Time-use surveys undertaken in a number of countries have shown how women and men allocate their time between paid and unpaid work. The value and cost of unpaid work should be recognized and valued by all stakeholders, including government and the private sector. 5. A large number of women remain concentrated in the informal sector. In times of crisis, women’s participation in the labour market tends to increase, particularly in very precarious, poorly paid jobs with deteriorating conditions, in order to compensate for the impact of men’s unemployment on the household. Such jobs are often not covered by labour legislation or social protection. Efforts are therefore necessary to guarantee social protection to women in both the formal and informal sectors. 6. Due to the existence of gender inequalities in the intra-household distribution of resources, an increase in women’s income is not sufficient for their empowerment. A holistic approach to women’s empowerment, which focuses on economic, social and political dimensions, is needed. While microcredit continues to be an important tool for poverty reduction in many countries, it should not be considered a panacea for women’s economic empowerment. Women need access to formal financial services, including credit, savings and insurance. Access to education, training, technology and markets are also needed for women’s economic empowerment. Particular attention should be paid to matching women’s fields of specialization with labour market needs, including by means of vocational training, particularly in non-traditional skills, and training in new technologies. 7. Access to land and housing is vital to women’s livelihood and economic independence. Gender inequality in access to land, for example, continues to prevail due to discriminatory inheritance laws and traditional norms and practices. Land reform efforts can be instrumental in guaranteeing women’s right to land, and gender-sensitive land registration processes should be expanded. Even when women are legally entitled to land, however, they often cede it to their male relatives as land is traditionally transferred through 10-30576 47