The recently released Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) sheds light on the prevailing biases against women in various aspects of society. Despite global movements advocating for women’s rights, the report reveals that there has been little progress in combating these biases.
Key Findings of the Report:
- Widespread Prejudice:
- Approximately 90% of people still hold at least one bias against women.
- The past decade has witnessed no improvement in the level of prejudice shown against women.
- Four Dimensions of Bias:
- UNDP tracked people’s attitudes towards women in four dimensions: political, educational, economic, and physical integrity.
- These dimensions encompass the various areas where biases against women persist.
Repercussions of Biased Gender Social Norms:
- Violation of Human Rights:
- Persistent biased gender social norms infringe upon human rights and hinder women from pursuing their own values and interests.
- By excluding women from decision-making processes, societies miss out on diverse perspectives, experiences, abilities, voices, and ideas.
- Political Participation:
- Biased gender social norms contribute to a lack of equality in political participation.
- Countries with greater bias exhibit lower representation of women in parliament.
- Indigenous women, migrant women, and women with disabilities face additional barriers, further limiting their political opportunities.
- Women’s underrepresentation in leadership positions, particularly in conflict-affected countries, hampers peace negotiations and conflict resolution.
- Economic Empowerment:
- Despite increased educational achievements among women, there is a lack of translation into better economic outcomes and opportunities.
- In the 59 countries where adult women are more educated than men, the average income gap remains at 39%.
- Biased gender social norms result in women spending significantly more time on domestic chores and care work compared to men.
- The undervaluation of women’s capabilities and rights contributes to gender-based inequalities in empowerment.
Consequences of Biased Gender Social Norms:
- Lack of Female Representation:
- Countries with higher bias in gender social norms have lower representation of women as heads of state or government and in parliaments.
- Globally, women hold just over a quarter of parliament seats, and the proportion of female heads of state or government has remained around 10% since 1995.
- Women’s representation in peace processes and conflict negotiations is alarmingly low, limiting their influence in shaping post-conflict societies.
- Income Disparity:
- The gender pay gap persists worldwide, regardless of women’s higher educational achievements.
- In countries with higher bias, the income gap between men and women is more pronounced.
- Biased gender social norms perpetuate gender-based inequalities in economic opportunities.
Important Points:
- Key Findings:
- Nearly 90% of people still hold at least one bias against women. 😔
- No improvement in prejudice against women in the past decade. 😔
- Biases persist in political, educational, economic, and physical integrity dimensions. 🌍
- Consequences of Biased Gender Social Norms:
- Violation of human rights and hindrance to women’s values and interests. ❌🙅♀️
- Exclusion of women from decision-making, leading to loss of diverse perspectives and ideas. 🗣️🚫
- Biases contribute to lack of equality in political participation. 🗳️⚖️
- Women’s underrepresentation in leadership positions in conflict-affected countries. 🕊️👩💼
- Limited representation of women in peace processes and negotiations. 🤝🚫
- Gender pay gap and unequal economic opportunities for women. 💰📉
- Overburdening of women with domestic chores and care work. 👩🍳🧹
- Consequences of Biased Gender Social Norms (Continued):
- Lower representation of women in parliaments and leadership positions. 🗣️👩⚖️
- Persistently low proportion of female heads of state or government. 👩⚖️🌍
- Income gap remains significant despite women’s higher education. 💸📚
- Biases perpetuate gender-based inequalities in economic empowerment. 🔄📉
Why In News
The recently released Gender Social Norms Index provides a comprehensive assessment of societal expectations surrounding gender roles and behavior. Its findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to challenge and reshape harmful gender norms, promoting greater gender equality and empowerment for all.
MCQs about The Impact of Gender Social Norms
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Which organization released the Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) report?
A. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
B. World Health Organization (WHO)
C. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
D. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
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In which dimensions did the UNDP track people’s attitudes towards women for the GSNI report?
A. Political, educational, economic, and physical integrity
B. Social, cultural, religious, and environmental
C. Historical, technological, psychological, and linguistic
D. Emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical
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What is one consequence of biased gender social norms ?
A. Violation of human rights and hindrance to women’s values and interests
B. Promotion of equality and empowerment of women
C. Enhanced economic opportunities for women worldwide
D. Reduction in women’s political representation and participation
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