How Gender Inequality Affects Everyone
Gender inequality affects everyone—men, women, children and communities—and is a root cause of poor economic and social development. It’s also a moral wrong. Gender equality is fundamental to achieving humanity’s full potential and promoting peace, economic growth and sustainable development.
Women are disproportionately affected by the challenges of inequality, including poverty and malnutrition, poor health outcomes and barriers to opportunity. But men are also impacted by these problems, including through discrimination and stigma. And the burden of inequality is greater for women and girls, who are at higher risk of mental health problems, especially PTSD and eating disorders.
A focus on gender issues can help break the cycle of poverty. Women have a better chance of breaking out of poverty when they are educated, healthy and in stable relationships. And addressing gender issues can lead to positive ramifications in the economy, such as when women participate more fully in the labor market, boost productivity and drive innovation.
Despite gains in some areas, significant gaps remain. Globally, women are more likely to live in poverty, and they shoulder 3
Gender inequality persists across every sector of the economy, from education to employment. In the workplace, the gender gap starts at the hiring stage and widens throughout careers as fewer women advance to leadership roles that command high salaries.
Gender gaps in education also impact career prospects, with girls still less likely to be enrolled in primary and secondary school than boys, and more prone to drop out due to lack of family support and barriers such as discrimination and violence (Albanesi and Kim, 2021). Education is key to overcoming these gender disparities, however, as it empowers women to challenge the beliefs and attitudes that perpetuate inequality and provides skills they can use to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.
A growing body of evidence shows that lowering gender inequality is beneficial for all. It reduces poverty, improves living standards and enhances economic growth. In addition, gender equality benefits societies as a whole, as shown by studies showing that countries with higher levels of female representation in parliament have lower rates of violent conflict and more equitable child welfare systems.
Policymakers must address these underlying causes of gender inequality to ensure progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Changing these patterns requires that policies address both women’s rights and men’s needs. In doing so, they need to incorporate a gender perspective that recognizes the disadvantages and costs that accrue to both women and men from patterns of inequality, and that promotes equitable relationships and interrelationships. That includes recognizing that men have rights and responsibilities with regard to their own health and those of their partners, and that these should be addressed alongside women’s health and empowerment goals. It also involves acknowledging that men can be disadvantaged by traditional gender roles and stereotypes, such as those related to caring for children or the elderly, and making sure that opportunities for these types of tasks are available for both women and men.