MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th June, 2023) Gender biases across the globe remain just as strong as they were a decade ago despite all the efforts made with regard to women rights and gender equality, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said.
"The latest Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) report has revealed no improvement in biases against women in a decade, with almost 9 out of 10 men and women worldwide still holding such biases today," the UNDP said in a report released on Sunday.
The statistics show that 50% of global population still prefer men as political leaders, with the share of women as heads of state or government remaining around 10% since 1995. Moreover, 40% of people believe men are better business managers than women, the agency said, adding that the latter occupied less than a third of managerial positions in the labor market.
In addition, about a quarter of people around the world believe a husband has the full right to beat his wife, the report said.
The agency also argued that there was no direct connection between women's level of education and their financial prosperity, as men still earn 39% more then women in the 58 countries where the latter are more educated.
"Social norms that impair women's rights are also detrimental to society more broadly, dampening the expansion of human development. In fact, lack of progress on gender social norms is unfolding against a human development crisis: the global Human Development Index (HDI) declined in 2020 for the first time on record � and again the following year. Everyone stands to gain from ensuring freedom and agency for women," Pedro Conceicao, head of UNDP's Human Development Report Office, said in the statement.
The UNDP urged countries across the world to address gender prejudices through educational programs, policies and laws, as well as promote public awareness of the issue.
