Levels Of Gender Inequality Research Articles

Unveiling gender inequality in the US: Testing validity of a state-level measure of gender inequality and its relationship with feminist online collective action on Twitter.

The Gender Inequality Index is a country-level measure of gender inequality based on women's levels of reproductive health, social and political empowerment, and labor-market representation. In two studies, we tested the validity of the GII-S, a state-level measure of gender inequality in the USA. In Study 1, the GII-S was associated with objective and subjective measures of wellness among women, including life satisfaction, financial well-being, and perceptions of safety. GII-S was not associated with the Gini coefficient, a well-established measure of economic inequality, suggesting that gender and economic disparities represent distinct aspects of social inequality. Study 2 tested the link between GII-S scores and collective action-specifically, participation in the #MeToo movement promoting awareness of sexual harassment and violence against women. Analysis of geo-localized messages on the Twitter social media platform reveals that higher GII-S scores were associated with fewer tweets containing the #MeToo hashtag. Moreover, GII-S was associated with state-level political orientation: the more conservative a state, the higher its level of gender inequality. Results are discussed in terms of possible socio-cognitive processes underpinning the association between gender inequality and sensitivity to violence against women.

Cautious or marginalized? Perceptions of the riskiness of engaging in corruption and gender differences in corruptness

AbstractPrevious studies suggest that women are often perceived as less corrupt and more risk averse, possibly due to longstanding asymmetries in power and marginalization that reproduce certain gender stereotypes. However, much remains unclear regarding the origins of these perceptions. Why are some individuals and societies more prone to perceive women as less corrupt than men? We present the first cross‐country examination of these questions utilizing data from the latest wave of the World Values Survey, covering a total of 49 countries. Our results suggest that both perceived riskiness of corruption and attitude toward gender equality, in addition to the overall level of gender inequality in society, matter in explaining a stronger belief in gender differences in corruptness. However, the positive association between a higher perceived riskiness and the perception that women are less corrupt is mostly limited to societies with high levels of corruption and gender inequality.Related ArticlesCaillier, James. 2010. “Citizen Trust, Political Corruption, and Voting Behavior: Connecting the Dots.” Politics & Policy 38(5): 1015–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2010.00267.Malmberg, Fredrik G., and Henrik Serup Christensen. 2021. “Voting Women, Protesting Men: A Multilevel Analysis of Corruption, Gender, and Political Participation.” Politics & Policy 49(1): 126–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12393.Tusalem, Rollin F. 2022. “Does Gendered Representation in National Legislatures Promote Substantive Representation and Human Development? Evidence from the Developing World.” Politics & Policy 50(6): 1096–137. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12503.

When gender is more likely to predict pay via self‐enhancement values and working hours: The role of country's level of gender inequality

AbstractBuilding upon situational strength and biosocial constructionist theories, we test the indirect effect of gender on pay via self‐enhancement values (e.g. power and achievement) and working hours. We also examine the moderating role of country‐level inequality on that mediated link. The results of multilevel regressions with 16,352 respondents nested in 28 European countries support the hypotheses that men are more likely to prioritise self‐enhancement values, to work more hours than women and consequently receive higher earnings. The indirect effect of gender on pay via self‐enhancement values and working hours was stronger for gender‐equal countries. The link between gender and working hours was moderated by country‐level inequality. In gender‐equal countries, the differences in working hours for men and women were larger than in gender‐unequal countries. We discuss the implications of our findings for creating policies that promote gender equality in salary.

Couple disagreements and partnership stability in 10 European countries: Could differences in gender equality explain cross-national variations?

This article focuses on the association between couple disagreement and partnership stability. In particular, we explore the mediating role of macrostructural gender inequality on the effect of couple disagreements on partnership stability in a cross-national comparative perspective. We analyzed data from two waves of the Gender and Generations Survey (fielded between 2004 and 2011) to explore the varied effects of couple disagreements on thoughts about breaking up and on the dissolution of cohabiting unions. As we expected, the effect of disagreements on thoughts about dissolution was present in all of the countries, but its strength varied significantly. Surprisingly, only moderate effects were found on dissolution itself. The second step of our analysis showed that the strength of the link between disagreement and stability does not decrease systematically with the level of gender inequality in a given country. This means that an egalitarian environment does not play a mitigating role in the process of transforming conflict into a decision to divorce. Our findings support the argument of gender revolution theory that the unfinished and stalled transformation of gender roles increases rather than relieves the tensions in intimate lives.

Ambivalent sexism and violence toward women: A meta‐analysis

AbstractThe Ambivalent Sexism Theory suggests that there are two complementary types of sexism: hostile (subjectively negative attitude towards gender groups) and benevolent (subjectively positive attitude towards gender groups). In this meta‐analysis we analysed the relationship between ambivalent sexism and attitudes toward male‐to‐female violence or violent behaviour. Violence type, the context of violence, respondents’ gender, the countries’ level of gender inequality, and sample type were tested as moderators. The results showed that both hostile and benevolent sexism independently impact on attitudes toward violence and violent behaviour albeit to a different degree. Specifically, the relationship between hostile sexism and attitudes and behaviour is stronger than for the benevolent sexism. The type and context of violence moderate the relationship between hostile sexism and attitudes toward violence and violent behaviour. Only the country's gender inequality levels showed a moderation effect for benevolent sexism. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

How much of the female disadvantage in late-life cognition in India can be explained by education and gender inequality

In social environments characterized by high levels of gender inequality, women fare worse than men in human capital accumulation and health. We examine the association of gender inequality with female disadvantage in late-life cognitive function, using newly available data from Wave 1 (2017–2019) of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI), representative of the Indian population over the age of 45. We find a substantial female gap in cognition among mid-aged and older adults in India; early life socioeconomic conditions and education explain up to 74 percent of the female disadvantage in cognition, and model predictions suggest that it takes nine years of education on average to overcome this deficit. However, further contextualizing the environment, we find that the level of education at which differences in late-life cognition between women and men become negligible increases with the degree of gender inequality.

Gender effects in the battle of the sexes: A tale of two countries

In a setting where inequality is ingrained and largely unavoidable (battle of the sexes), we investigate whether subjects condition their behavior on the gender of their opponent. In order to identify the role of culture and gender norms, we run the experiment in two countries, Norway and India, characterised by very different levels of gender inequality. Our evidence is consistent with different patterns of gender effects in the two countries. In India, subjects appear to become more ‘hawkish’ when facing a woman. This occurs only for lower education subjects and is observed primarily in female participants. Highly educated Indian participants do not discriminate between male and female opponents. In Norway, the data hint at a gender effect that is the opposite of what observed in India: it is present only in highly educated male participants, and takes the form of subjects appearing to become more ‘hawkish’ when facing a man. Our evidence suggests that these gender effects may be due to subjects experiencing different levels of inequality aversion depending on the gender of their opponent, in a manner that is mediated by their culture and gender norms.

The Perception of Gender Equity: A Case of Iraq

Despite extensive research into women's leadership representation and roles, little is known about the role of women in Iraqi leadership and academics. Most of the literature on academic imperialism and the relegation of women to secondary roles in higher education is authored by Westernershus; thus, it may not accurately depict the level of gender inequality in academia. The aim of the current study is to explore the prospect of career progression for women in Iraq based on the insight presented by both male and female professionals. The study also sought to whether the interaction between lecturers and students was influenced by gender stereotypes and the inclusion of women in departmental administration. Hence, a quantitative research method was used, and data required to sufficiently address the research questions was collected using questionnaires. The sample population constituted of 59 male and female professionals and 114 students of both genders and across departments. The collected data was then analyzed on SPSS version 2.0. The research found that male employees had a better prospect of career progressions than their female counterparts; 57.6% of male professional participants strongly agreed that their prospect of career progression is high, while 50% strongly agreed to this prompt. Moreover, female lecturers reported that female students were freer with them than their male counterparts. Also, females felt less represented in departmental administration than their male counterparts. Although Iraq's academia has come a long way in bridging the gender inequality gaps, more still needs to be done for better female professionals' inclusion in leadership and administrative roles. The current study that future studies should be dedicated to finding the current challenges facing women academics.

Problems of gender inequality in Colombia at the present stage

The article presents a brief study of the problems of gender inequality in the Republic of Colombia. Data from a number of human rights organizations, the government of Colombia and organizations at the UN were used to conduct the study. Colombian women are experiencing difficulties in education, employment and self-sufficiency, the problems of domestic violence and domestic patriarchy remain urgent, which puts many women in an oppressed position. Due to the unstable domestic political situation, the issue of security is acute. The authors conclude that Colombia is a country with a fairly high, although not critical, level of gender inequality. Gender inequality is an important problem for Colombian governmental and non-governmental organizations, the difficulties of achieving it are recognized by the officials of the Republic. These organizations have developed a number of programs to combat gender inequality, the implementation of which is proceeding with varying success.

The Role of Public Authorities in Combating Gender-Based Violence

The objective of the research was to identify the factors that contribute to the increase in rates of gender-based violence and to clarify the role of the authorities in the fight against this problem. To achieve this objective, the following methods were used: statistical analysis, hypothetical-deductive model, factor analysis, generalization and analogy and correlation analysis. It was found that there is a negative relationship between the level of violence against women and the economic situation, the level of gender inequality, the level of development of social norms and the level of gender development (only for violence against women who are not intimate partners). A positive relationship between the level of gender development and the level of domestic violence was demonstrated. Factors that directly negatively affected rates of gender-based violence were identified: cultural, traditional, religious beliefs about the status of women in society; authorities' restrictions on the rights of individuals associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The authorities' tools to counter gender-based violence were identified. The perspective of further research is the identification of the social and legal aspects of this global phenomenon.

State, Commune and Gender Inequality Among Teachers in Rural and Small‐Town China, 1957–1979

AbstractStudies of Maoist China have suggested that workplace gender inequality was greater in rural areas than cities. One possible explanation is that this was a result of the different institutional arrangements that governed rural and urban spaces. Another alternative is that different ideologies were associated with different types of work irrespective of institutional context. This article examines this through an analysis of teachers in Guangdong and Jiangsu. Some teachers were employed by the state in the same way that urban workers were, while others were employed by village‐level administrations within communes. Levels of gender inequality were not majorly different between the two groups of teachers. In both groups there was a high degree of pay equality in comparison to other types of work. Other types of gender inequalities existed in teaching, but their effects were mitigated by the unintended consequences of structural changes in education during the Cultural Revolution.

Gender issue in modern education: Theory and practice

So far, gender inequality in education has been considered in the context of inequality in women’s access to technical specialties, the impact of education on the fertility rate and wages of women, the impact of religious, cultural, social-economic values on women’s education level. However, this concept does little to explain the gender imbalance and low quality of human capital in an environment where women have the opportunity to be educated in any field of knowledge through a feminization in the European countries. The research methodology is based on the correlation analysis of indicators of gender equality in education in Germany, France, Poland, and Ukraine for 1991-2018. The purpose of the study is to identify the trends and dynamics of gender changes in education, the level of gender inequality and establish the causes and effects of gender asymmetry in some European countries. To evaluate gender equality in education, we used the Gender Parity Index. The results of correlation analysis prove the presence of a direct connection between the level of fertility and the Gender Parity Index in the field of primary and higher education, while in the field of secondary education-reverse. Such tendencies are inherent in almost all countries of Europe. The analysis of indicators characterizing the level of education of women within the Eurozone countries shows the decisive role of the structure of the economy and the needs of the labor market in specialists with digital skills and mental abilities. The structure of the economy and the efficiency of various sectors ensure the reduction of gender inequality in education, contributing to overall economic growth and GDP per capita. Political institutions and national policies indirectly influence gender inequality in education by regulating the development of sectors of the economy with different levels of female employment. The proposed paradigm of gender inequality is based on the crucial role of skills, competencies, and abilities regardless of gender. The gender imbalance has been overcome in countries with a high level of women’s competence. Competence is a new paradigm in overcoming gender inequality.

Экономическая доступность сигарет и последствия эпидемии курения в регионах России

The paper addresses the effects of the tobacco epidemic in Russian regions, including the impact of cigarettes affordability on mortality attributed to tobacco. As a characteristic of such consequences, the authors consider the standardized mortality rates from lung cancer in the Russian regions. Regression analysis of the factors of regional lung cancer mortality reveal a high level of losses in the northern and eastern regions as well as significant gender differences. It indirectly shows the incompleteness of female tobacco epidemic in Russia — men are more active in quitting smoking, especially those from high-income and highly educated groups of urban population. Decomposition of regional differences shows the dominant role of the territorial factor: 72% of differences among men and 55% among women are due to what of eight federal districts they belong. Gender wage gap is also an important factor for men (more equity corresponds to lower losses from tobacco epidemic). We explain this by greater tolerance towards male smoking in regions with higher levels of gender inequality. For women, other factors turned out to be significant: about 25% of differences are explained by the risk of secondhand smoke and another 13% — by poor environmental situation. Despite high price that Russia pays for the consequences of mass smoking, the affordability of cigarettes by international standards remains high. At the same time, econometric modeling shows no significant effect of prices on tobacco mortality: most likely, in Russia, the threshold value after which an increase in price significantly reduces the future losses from smoking has not yet been reached. The research is conducted with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) under grant No. 19-29-07546 mk “The Impact of Human Capital on Current and Future Economic Growth in Russia”.

Understanding women’s well-being in Turkey

The results of empirical studies focusing on gender differences in subjective wellbeing based on either national or comparative international data are inconclusive. In Turkey, where levels of gender inequality are high, women tend to report higher levels of life satisfaction than men. This study investigates the relationship between factors related to women’s empowerment and life satisfaction for both ever-married and never-married women using the 2018 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS), which collected data on life satisfaction for the first time in a TDHS series. The results show that in addition to their material resources and living environment, factors related to women’s agency – i.e., education and participation in decisionmaking – are associated with women’s levels of life satisfaction.

Leaning In or All in the Family? Gender Equality, Dynastic Legacies, and Female Leaders

Until the second half of the twentieth century, it was relatively rare for women to become leaders of states. As gender equality has increased, so has the number of female leaders. In countries that have made the greatest strides toward gender equity women’s roles have evolved, including directly participating in political leadership. While the chances of a woman becoming head of state or government increase with overall gender equity, at the opposite end of the equality spectrum there are also a number of women who achieved the most powerful office in the nation, including Benazir Bhutto, Indira Gandhi, Corazon Aquino, and Aung San Suu Kyi, and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. What can explain how women rise to power in patriarchal societies with extreme gender inequity? This paper addresses the puzzle of female leaders in states with high levels of gender inequality, and considers how these women came to power. Specifically, we hypothesize that women in countries with less gender equality are more likely to come to power through dynastic legacies as the relatives of former leaders. These familial connections often allow women to connect to political legacies powerful enough to overcome society’s preference for men in positions of influence. In the most extreme cases, dynastic female leaders may actually be evidence of gender inequality as they are seen as little more than the extension of male relatives. This paper uses case studies and multi-country panel regression to investigate the relationship between gender inequality and dynastic female leadership.

Differences in quality of life and food insecurity between men and women living with HIV/AIDS in the state of Paraíba, Brazil.

A prevalence study was conducted to compare quality of life and food insecurity in men and women living with HIV/AIDS. The sample comprised 481 HIV-infected individuals undergoing antiretroviral therapy at a referral hospital in the State of Paraíba, Brazil. Food insecurity and quality of life were assessed using the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Scale and WHOQOL-HIV Bref, respectively. The results were presented as absolute and relative frequencies and gender differences were tested using the chi-squared test adopting a significance level of 0.05. The findings showed that 40.1% of the sample were women. A higher percentage of women than men had a low income and low education level (65.8% and 72.5%, respectively). Prevalence of food security was lower in women than in men (29.0% compared to 42.7%), and a higher percentage of women than men reported below average quality of life (54.9% compared to 44.4%). The findings reveal that, besides the usual difficulties faced by HIV-infected patients, this group showed a significant level of gender inequality. The management of HIV patient care should consider these important findings, promoting access to care and support services and gender equality so that women can live fairer and more equal lives.

Overcoming gender inequality in Ukraine: political, legal, social and educational dimensions

The issue of gender equality as an equal treatment of all, regardless of social or other circumstances, is important for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and the implementation of a number of international legal instruments to combat gender discrimination. The study aims to characterize the state of gender inequality in Ukraine and outline possible ways to overcome this phenomenon through the use of political, legal, socio-practical and educational measures. It is carried out using a systematic analysis of international and domestic indicators of gender inequality that constitute the methodological basis for establishing the level of gender inequality, as well as regulatory analysis of documents adopted by international and domestic organizations. The undertaken analysis demonstrates that Ukraine has an extensive legal framework designed to ensure equal rights and opportunities for men and women, address gender discrimination, and harmonize Ukrainian and international gender policies. At the same time, the gender equality indicators (Gender Inequality Index used by the UN; Gender Gap Index used by the World Economic Forum), the results of sociological research (World Values Survey; use of domestic work; leisure practices) evidence that the issues of gender inequality, gender asymmetry and gender stereotypes are unresolved and require the introduction of institutional mechanisms to ensure equality. Such mechanisms could include: legal expertise, gender quotas, gender budgeting, work with local communities and social service providers, ensuring gender sensitivity of services, including social ones, formation of gender-based competence, implementation of promotional work, introduction of gender approaches in educational institutions.

Sexual Relationships in Hispanic Countries: a Literature Review

Purpose of ReviewSexuality is a complex dimension for which culture seems to play an important role, particularly in countries that are more traditional. This review summarizes the knowledge about sexual relationships in Hispanic countries, considering sexual debut, attitudes, behaviors, and satisfaction.Recent FindingsIn line with the literature reviewed, the sexual double standard seems to be continuing to influence sexual relationships. Some countries show more open expressions of sexuality based on the level of gender inequality or sexualized context, and within countries, variables such as religious commitment, family characteristics, and access to resources may play important roles in sexuality.SummaryFuture research, policies, and interventions should consider these specific characteristics, including these forms of expression of sexuality, in the adjustment of cross-cultural and cross-national strategies.

Structural Context and the Role of Positive Deviance From Community Norms in Shaping Risk for Sexual Intimate Partner Violence in 32 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Community norms provide social scripts and pathways to accruing social capital that can alter a woman's risk of experiencing sexual intimate partner violence (IPV). These norms are in turn influenced by the structural environment in which they exist. Missing from the literature is an understanding of how an individual's departure from community norms-positive deviance-influences the risk of sexual IPV and how this effect may vary across structural environments. Demographic and Health Survey data from 32 low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) were stratified into six structural environments by two fundamental structural factors: level of gender inequality and prevalence of sexual IPV. To examine how transcending community norms shape the odds of reporting sexual IPV across environments, six identical multilevel models were fit including statistical deviation from 13 community norms as key covariates. Positive deviance from community norms is associated with both increased and decreased odds of reporting sexual IPV and the nature of these relationships vary by structural environment. Positive deviance had a greater effect on reporting sexual IPV in highly unequal societies. Positive deviance from fertility preferences and controlling behavior was associated with increased odds of sexual IPV across contexts. The accrual of social capital and differences in female autonomy across environments may be two ways positive deviance alters sexual IPV risk. A better understanding of how the salience of community norms varies by structural environment and how transcending these norms shapes the risk for sexual violence may help highlight pathways for interventions to change restrictive social norms and increase female empowerment without increasing the risk of sexual IPV.

A Cross-Country Comparison of Reasons for Condom Use during Menses: Associations with Age and Gender Inequality

Objectives: Despite evidence that menstrual bleeding is a risk factor for sexually transmissible infections, few studies have assessed the prevalence of, and reasons for, condom use during menses. The objectives of the present study were to examine (1) the prevalence of condom use during menses; (2) if condom use during menses varies depending on age and gender inequality of country of residence; and (3) whether age and gender inequality of country of residence interact with reasons for using, and not using, condoms during menses. Methods: A sample of 25,955 individuals from 146 countries, all reporting penile-vaginal intercourse in the past 3 months, was used. Condom use during menses over the previous 3 months, whether this varied by age and level of gender inequality in countries, and reasons for using and not using condoms during menses were assessed via a web-based questionnaire. Results: Age and gender inequality of country of residence were significant predictors of condom use during menses, with those in the younger, high gender-equality group significantly the most likely, and those in the older, low gender-equality group, the least likely to use condoms during bleeding. The three most reported reasons were “for contraception,” “I use condoms even when I don’t have my period,” and “protecting your partner from your blood.” Reported reasons for using and not using condoms during menses showed significant associations with age and with level of gender inequality. Conclusion: Findings highlight that globally sexually transmitted infection/HIV education programs need to promote consistent condom use across the menstrual cycle.