About H.E.R.

The Hub for Equal Representation in the Economy is a research initiative that uses data-driven economic analysis and research to understand - and help close - persistent gender gaps in representation, pay, and opportunity.

Around the world, less than 50% of women are active participants in the labour market (ILO, 2022), and there are over 370 million women and girls living in extreme poverty (UN Women, 2025). Those that do work, globally earn 24 per cent less than men (Oxfam, 2026). Yet, the productivity of the average female worker is higher than that of the average male worker (Bandiera et al, 2023). Moreover, women are systematically underrepresented in positions of leadership (ILO, 2025) and carry over three-quarters of the world's unpaid care work, limiting the time and choices available to them in the labour market (UN Women, 2025). Therefore, increasing the representation and leadership of women in the labour market is both a matter of equity and efficiency.

Established in 2022, our work combines cutting-edge research with public engagement, informing policy action on gender equality in the workplace and inclusive growth. By translating rigorous evidence into accessible insights, the Hub aims to ensure that talent is not lost - and that economic opportunity is shaped by ability, not by gender or circumstance. Our work has been widely cited by policymakers, and covered in leading media vehicles. See our In the media section to see coverage.

The Hub's work is structured around two core pillars:

• Generating world leading research on gender inequality.
  At the Hub, we believe that knowledge should be the main driver of actions. Our approach combines testing innovative solutions and conducting rigorous analysis to provide robust evidence that informs policy decisions on driving gender equality at scale. Why do women's careers stagnate when children arrive, while men continue to thrive? What is the cost of excluding talented women from the labour market? These are some of the questions the Hub's researchers are addressing through a wide range of projects.
• Disrupting the pipeline in the economics profession.
  The Hub intends to serve as an agenda-setting platform for the representation of women (and minorities) in the field. By promoting and supporting access to leadership positions for women in the economics profession, alongside initiatives that seek to feed the pipeline, the Hub is committed to increasing representation and amplifying the future voices of gender research.

The Hub is currently funded by the Gates Foundation (with previous funds from Pivotal Ventures) and hosted by STICERD at LSE. It is co-directed by Professors Oriana Bandiera and Camille Landais.

Featured

Women in Leadership: Accelerating Development Outcomes Conference

Thursday 10 September 2026 - Friday 11 September 2026

Hosted by The Gender Department of The World Bank Group, the Gates Foundation, and LSE's Hub for Equal Representation in the Economy, this two-day international conference brings together leading researchers, policymakers and practitioners to examine what enables women to attain leadership positions and what impact women's leadership has on societies, institutions and economies.

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