There has been no progress over the past decade in reducing gender bias, “rooted” in societies despite women’s rights campaigns like #MeToo, the UN said on Monday.
Among both men and women, “social norms based on gender bias are widespread around the world: nearly 90% of the population has at least one gender bias” among seven reviewed by the United Nations Program for development (UNDP).
These “biases are widespread among both men and women, suggesting that they are deeply embedded and influence men and women to similar degrees,” the report continues.
Using data from the World Values Survey — an international project on changing values and beliefs around the world — in 80 countries covering 85% of the world’s population, UNDP has updated its Social Gender Norms Index (GSNI) which integrates political, economic, educational and physical integrity dimensions.
This index shows “no improvement in prejudice against women in a decade”, “despite significant global and local campaigns for women’s rights” like MeToo, notes the UNDP.
For example, almost half of the world’s population (49%) still believe that men make better political leaders than women, and only 27% believe that it is essential for democracy that women have the same rights as men.
Nearly half of the population (46%) believe that men have more right to a job and almost as much (43%) that men make better business leaders.
A quarter of the population also find it justifiable for a man to beat his wife, and 28% believe that university is more important for men.
Prejudices that constitute “barriers” for women and lead to “violations” of their rights.
“Without addressing these social gender norms, we will not achieve gender equality or the Sustainable Development Goals,” the report warns.
Indeed, this stagnation of prejudices occurs in a context of decline in human development in general, linked in particular to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Social norms that limit women’s rights are also detrimental to society as a whole, holding back progress in human development,” said Pedro Conceição, director of UNDP’s Human Development Report Office, in a statement.
“Everyone will win if women’s freedom and power are guaranteed,” he insisted.