Overview of Gender Inequality

Overview of Gender Inequality

• Gender inequality refers to discrimination based on sex or gender, privileging one gender over another.
• Disparities persist in multiple societal aspects despite historical progress.

Everyday Examples of Gender Inequality

• Wage Gap: Women earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar earned by men for comparable work, as reported by the UN.
• Education Disparity: In low-income countries, only 31% of girls are enrolled in secondary school, contrasting with a global average of 66%.
• Unpaid Labor: Women and girls contribute over 75% of all unpaid work globally, totaling around 12.5 billion hours daily, according to Oxfam.
• Homicide Rates: About 55% of female homicides are committed by acquaintances or intimate partners, translating to over five women or girls killed each hour by family members.
• Workplace Harassment: Women in male-dominated sectors, such as warehousing and construction, report higher rates of harassment.
• Healthcare Access: Women face significant mental health challenges, being three times more likely than men to encounter common mental health issues, eating disorders, and PTSD.

Root Causes of Gender Inequality

• Stereotypes: Gender roles are established early through family, media, education, and peer interactions, shaping interests and behaviors (e.g., boys as assertive and competitive; girls as nurturing).
• Cultural Norms: Norms are often patriarchal, dictating traditional expectations regarding marriage, family roles, and acceptable behavior.
• Biological Justifications: Certain ideologies are falsely supported by biological claims regarding gender roles.

Historic Milestones in the Fight for Gender Equality

• 1848: Seneca Falls Convention - The first women's rights convention, advocating for equal rights including suffrage.
• 1893: New Zealand becomes the first country to grant women the right to vote.
• 1920: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution secures women's voting rights in the United States.
• 1945: The UN Charter establishes gender equality as a fundamental human right.
• 1979: CEDAW is adopted, focusing on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
• 1995: The Beijing Declaration sets a comprehensive global agenda for gender equality.
• 2011: Establishment of UN Women to promote gender equality and empower women.
• 2017: The #MeToo Movement gains international recognition, addressing sexual harassment and assault.
• 2020: Finland forms a government coalition led by women, highlighting women's leadership, including the youngest prime minister, Sanna Marin.
• 2022: UK and Germany enact pay transparency laws, requiring disclosure of gender pay gaps in companies.

Overview of Gender Inequality

• Gender inequality refers to discrimination based on sex or gender, privileging one gender over another.
• Disparities persist in multiple societal aspects despite historical progress.

Everyday Examples of Gender Inequality

• Wage Gap: Women earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar earned by men for comparable work, as reported by the UN.
• Education Disparity: In low-income countries, only 31% of girls are enrolled in secondary school, contrasting with a global average of 66%.
• Unpaid Labor: Women and girls contribute over 75% of all unpaid work globally, totaling around 12.5 billion hours daily, according to Oxfam.
• Homicide Rates: About 55% of female homicides are committed by acquaintances or intimate partners, translating to over five women or girls killed each hour by family members.
• Workplace Harassment: Women in male-dominated sectors, such as warehousing and construction, report higher rates of harassment.
• Healthcare Access: Women face significant mental health challenges, being three times more likely than men to encounter common mental health issues, eating disorders, and PTSD.

Root Causes of Gender Inequality

• Stereotypes: Gender roles are established early through family, media, education, and peer interactions, shaping interests and behaviors (e.g., boys as assertive and competitive; girls as nurturing).
• Cultural Norms: Norms are often patriarchal, dictating traditional expectations regarding marriage, family roles, and acceptable behavior.
• Biological Justifications: Certain ideologies are falsely supported by biological claims regarding gender roles.

Historic Milestones in the Fight for Gender Equality

• 1848: Seneca Falls Convention - The first women's rights convention, advocating for equal rights including suffrage.
• 1893: New Zealand becomes the first country to grant women the right to vote.
• 1920: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution secures women's voting rights in the United States.
• 1945: The UN Charter establishes gender equality as a fundamental human right.
• 1979: CEDAW is adopted, focusing on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
• 1995: The Beijing Declaration sets a comprehensive global agenda for gender equality.
• 2011: Establishment of UN Women to promote gender equality and empower women.
• 2017: The #MeToo Movement gains international recognition, addressing sexual harassment and assault.
• 2020: Finland forms a government coalition led by women, highlighting women's leadership, including the youngest prime minister, Sanna Marin.
• 2022: UK and Germany enact pay transparency laws, requiring disclosure of gender pay gaps in companies.