Over the past three decades, economic disparities between and within countries and regions have increased. The world's most rapidly growing economies, including those of Asia, Southern Africa and Latin America, have also seen rapid rises in inequality. Inequality itself threatens economic sustainability, fuelling unrest and conflict and undermining the stability, level playing field and consumer demand on which growth relies (Stiglitz, 2012). Export-oriented models of growth in many areas of industry and agriculture have contributed to the rising labour force participation of women, as discussed in the 1999 World Survey (A/54/227)."