International Women\’s Day is observed every year on March 8. The month is designated as Women’s History Month, which is dedicated to celebrating the contributions of women both historically and contemporarily. International Women’s Day also highlights the noteworthy contributions of women in the cultural, political, and socioeconomic domains. Striving for a world based on gender equality that is devoid of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, while fostering diversity and inclusivity, form the core fundamentals of Women’s Day.
To commemorate the occasion, let us take a look at five influential women economists:
Esther Duflo
Esther’s designation is Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics was given to Duflo, Abhijit Banerjee, and Michael Kremer in 2019 for their trial experiments to reduce poverty.
She is a co-founder of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, which teaches researchers to create and carry out experiments to better understand the most efficient development initiatives. The lab has offices across the world, including Paris and India.
Her research and efforts in India have produced significant insights into the causes and treatments of poverty. She oversees the Center for Economic and Policy Research\’s economic development programme.
Stephanie Kelton
American professor and Economist Stephanie A. Kelton is a strong advocate of Modern Monetary Theory. She holds academic positions at Stony Brook University and the New School for Social Research\’s Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis as a Senior Fellow. She previously held a faculty position at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She was also the advisor to Bernie Sanders\’ 2016 presidential campaign.
Gita Gopinath
Nowadays, Gita Gopinath is one of the most well-known female economists in the world. Since January 2022, she has been the International Monetary Fund\’s first economist to assume the role of Managing Director. She held the position of IMF chief economist from 2019 to 2022 previously.
Furthermore, she held positions as an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Commerce and as a professor at the Harvard econ department. Her research focuses on international finance and macroeconomics, and she examines a wide range of topics, including debt, emerging market crises, trade and investment, international financial crises, exchange rates, and international financial crises.
Rosie Rios
Rosie Rios is the CEO of Red River Associates, a company that provides advice on investment management. She was chosen by President Joe Biden to serve as Chair of America 250, the Congressional Commission charged with organising the United States\’ 250th anniversary in 2026. She oversaw 4,000 personnel and a $5 billion budget while serving as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States and as CEO of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the U.S. Mint, and Fort Knox. She also started and oversaw efforts to put a woman\’s image on American currency for the first time in more than a century. Rosie’s key areas of focus are real estate finance, economic development, and urban revitalization.
Christine Lagarde
Christine Lagarde is a French politician and lawyer who has served as President of the European Central Bank since 1 November 2019. From 2011 to 2019, she held the positions of Chair and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. Lagarde served in the French government in several top ministerial positions, most notably as Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Industry from 2007 to 2011. Each of those positions had never been held by a woman before.