The Importance of Addressing Gender Inequality

Gender inequality – the gap in the economic and social opportunities between men and women – is one of the biggest constraints to human progress. It limits one-half of the world’s population from achieving their full potential and thus holds back societies as a whole. Taking gender concerns into account is therefore a key element in the design and implementation of development and population programmes.

It is widely accepted that the most important reason to address gender inequality is to improve people’s lives. The fact that women are denied access to jobs, incomes, assets and decision-making processes that allow them to participate fully in society hinders their capacity to provide for themselves and their families, to develop as individuals and as citizens.

This translates into a significant reduction in the quality of their health and well-being, which also affects their children. Gender equality is thus essential to poverty alleviation, sustainable development and peace.

Gender gaps can be measured at the global, national and household level. The most commonly discussed is the pay gap, which measures differences in average hourly earnings between male and female workers. The chart below shows that, while the gap has shrunk in some countries, it remains large and persistent in most.

The gap in asset ownership is equally persistent. In most low and middle-income countries with available data, women are less likely than men to own land and other assets such as productive machinery and technology. This undermines their ability to cope with shocks such as natural disasters, climate change or ill health.

In addition to being a detriment to individual’s welfare, the lack of women’s financial independence is a constraint on a country’s economic and social progress. It prevents women from having enough savings to invest in small businesses or start their own enterprises, and it hampers the creation of a robust economic base to support intergenerational mobility.

Research suggests that empowering women can lead to higher economic growth and better overall development outcomes. It can help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and foster healthier and more educated children. It can also reduce poverty and hunger by boosting family food security and nutrition.

Despite their contributions to societies, women remain at a disadvantage in many aspects of life. In a number of countries, they have less access to education and training; are more vulnerable to disease; experience violence at work and at home; face discrimination when trying to find jobs; and have fewer rights to land ownership and inheritance.

These challenges are exacerbated in situations of conflict, fragility and vulnerability. This is why it is so important to invest in girls’ education and economic empowerment, which will result in a stronger foundation for sustainable development. It will enable girls and women to live free from gender-based violence, take control of their own lives and have the opportunity to develop their ambitions, interests and talents. It is only when we achieve gender equality that we can build a fairer and more prosperous future for everyone.