Thought-Provoking Gender Inequality Statistics: 160+ Insights Across Regions

Imagine waking up in a world where your potential is determined by your gender—where opportunities are withheld, wages are unequal, and your contributions are undervalued. 

Now, consider this: it’s not fiction; it’s reality for billions of people worldwide.

Gender inequality isn’t just a concept—it’s a crisis shaping lives, limiting progress, and costing economies billions. But what do the gender inequality statistics really reveal?

Behind the bleak numbers lies a story of progress, resilience, and untapped potential. Which regions are defying the odds? Which nations are closing the gap? And how far do we still have to go to achieve true equality?

This isn’t just about data; it’s about a global movement for change. 

Let’s explore the eye-opening gender inequality statistics, the hidden costs of inequality, and the urgent steps needed to turn the tide. The answers will surprise you—and inspire you to act.

Key Gender Inequality Statistics & Facts (Editor’s Pick)

• The 2024 global gender gap score is 68.5%.
• Globally, 122 women aged 25-34 live in extreme poverty for every 100 men in the same age group.
• The global gender pay gap is 23%.
• 70% of the 1.7 million people struggling financially in retirement are women.
• 60% of Americans believe being a man helps get ahead in the US, while 50% think being a woman hurts one’s chances of success.
• Australia’s national gender pay gap is 12% ($238/week), meaning women must work 44 extra days/year to match men’s earnings.
• Italian women earned 2,300 euros less than men.
• Closing UK gender gaps in labor market participation, STEM, and wages could boost the economy by 2% or £55 billion by 2030.
• The UK has approximately 791,000 unemployed men and 695,000 unemployed women.
• Reducing gender inequality in Africa could boost the economy by $259 billion by 2043, exceeding current growth forecasts.
• South Korean women earned around 65% of what men earned.
• The 2024 average annual full-time salary was £40,035 for men and £34,000 for women, a £6,035 difference.
• Women comprise over 40% of the global workforce but hold only 1/3 of senior roles and less than 30% of STEM jobs.
• Women are 50% more likely to work in low-paying jobs and 20% more likely to remain stuck in them.
• In Eastern and Southern Africa, around 60% of girls are unlikely to be enrolled in secondary school.
• Women held nearly half of US cabinet-level positions, but only 10.6% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women.
•  Almost half, 46%, of women report feeling unsafe sometimes or often in their daily lives due to their gender. 
• About 81% of women in Great Britain believed more action is needed to address and openly discuss sexual misconduct.
• Globally, 750 million women and girls were married before 18, and at least 200 million underwent female genital mutilation.
• 66% of Americans believe women don’t have full equality in work, life, and politics.
• 70% of Australians consider gender equality personally important, with 76% of women and 62% of men sharing this view.
• Globally, 1 in 5 people believe men who stay home to care for children are less masculine.

Global Gender Inequality Facts & Statistics

1. The Global Gender Gap Index measures equality between men and women in health, education, economics, and politics. In the EU, Finland ranked highest in 2024 with a score of 0.87, followed by Sweden at 0.82. (source) 

2. Globally, 60% of men and 50% of women believe gender equality has gone far enough in their countries. Indonesia, Thailand, China, and India had the highest agreement rates, with over 75% of respondents concurring. (source) 

3. The 2024 global gender gap score is 68.5%. Compared to last year, the gap narrowed by 0.1 percentage points to 68.6% among 143 countries, and similarly among 101 countries tracked since 2006. (source)

4. Global labor-force participation parity has improved, reaching 65.7% among economies tracked since 2006 and 66.7% in the 2024 sample. However, regional progress varies significantly. (source) 

5. Globally, women hold 32% of managerial positions. The G20 countries with the lowest shares are Japan (13%) and South Korea (15%), due to traditional values, while Russia (46%) and the US (41%) have the highest shares. (source) 

6. In 32 countries, most women and men believe gender equality will be achieved in their lifetime, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia being the most optimistic. At the same time, Japan and South Korea were most pessimistic. (source) 

7. Iceland topped the 2024 gender equality rankings with a score of 0.94. (source) 

8. Globally, 122 women aged 25-34 live in extreme poverty for every 100 men in the same age group, rising to 127 in sub-Saharan Africa. (source) 

9. In various countries worldwide, discriminatory laws persist, including 18 countries where husbands can legally prevent wives from working, 39 countries with unequal inheritance rights for daughters and sons, and 49 countries lacking laws to protect women from domestic violence. (source) 

10. Globally, women do 2.6 times more unpaid care and domestic work than men. In Ethiopia, Mali, and Mauritius, women spend 22%, 20%, and 19% of their day on unpaid domestic work, compared to 8.7%, 2.5%, and 4.8% for men. (source) 

11. Globally, 63% of women aged 25-54 participate in the labor force, compared to 94% of men. The global gender pay gap is 23%. (source)

12. In 2024, the controlled gender pay gap showed women earned 1 cent less than men for the same job and qualifications. The uncontrolled gap was 0.83, meaning women earned 83 cents for every dollar earned by men. (source) 

13. As of 2024, 11 countries are led by women, but women have never held power in more than 17 countries at once. (source) 

14. Globally, 60% of survey respondents had no preference for their leader’s gender. Indonesia had the highest preference for a male leader (60+%), while South Africa had the highest preference for a female leader (1/3). (source) 

15. About 60% of men and women have no preference for their boss’s gender. However, women tend to prefer a female boss, while men tend to prefer a male boss. (source) 

16. Companies with high gender diversity on their executive teams (top 25%) were 21% more likely to have above-average profitability than those with low diversity (bottom 25%). (source) 

17. Women often work in lower-paying sectors and roles, such as retail assistants (63% women), while men dominate higher-paying positions like retail managers and directors. (source) 

18. 70% of the 1.7 million people struggling financially in retirement are women. (source) 

Gender Inequality Statistics By Region

Gender Inequality Statistics in the US

19. Northern America ranks 2nd with a 74.8% gender parity score, a +4.3 percentage point improvement since 2006. It led to economic participation but saw a slight decline in economic parity (76.3%). The region scores 100% in education, 96.9% in health, and 26% in political empowerment. (source)  

20. 60% of Americans believe being a man helps get ahead in the US, while 50% think being a woman hurts one’s chances of success. (source) 

21. The female-to-male earnings ratio in the US was 82.7%, which is down from the previous year. This means women earned approximately 82.7% of what men earned in the same position. (source) 

22. Median weekly earnings for full-time US workers were:

23. In 2023, Rhode Island had the highest women’s earnings ratio (89.05%), while Louisiana had the lowest (71.03%). (source) 

Gender Inequality Statistics in Australia

24. Women in Australia do over 9 hours of unpaid work and care more than men every week. Additionally, 26% of women who experienced sexual harassment said it happened at work, and almost a third of women aged 15-34 were diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety in 2021. Women also hold only 9% of CEO roles in the ASX300. (source) 

25. Australia’s gender pay gap has reached a record low of 12%. The country’s global ranking for gender equality has also improved, moving up to 26th place. Additionally, 60.4% of Australian women over 15 are employed, and there have been increases in women holding post-school qualifications and pursuing STEM education. Furthermore, 21% of employers now offer paid parental leave equally to women and men. (source) 

26. Australia’s national gender pay gap is 12% ($238/week), meaning women would need to work 44 extra days/year to match men’s earnings. (source) 

27. First Nations women in Australia have a median weekly income of $517.47, a 23.7% gap ($160.80) compared to non-Indigenous women and a 47.8% gap ($473.73) compared to men. (source) 

28. In Australia, 18% of respondents reported reduced work hours due to COVID-19, while 8% lost their job. Additionally, 31% of women and 24% of men experienced increased household work during the pandemic. (source) 

Gender Inequality Statistics in Europe

29. Poland’s gender equality index score rose from 52.4 in 2005 to 63.4 in 2024, remaining below the EU-28 average. (source)  

30. Europe leads the 2024 regional gender gap rankings, with 75% of its gap closed. The top 5 European economies (Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Germany) rank in the global top 10. (source) 

Europe made modest economic gains (+0.4 percentage points) and achieved near-perfect educational parity (99.5%), but health parity stagnated and political parity reached a regional high (36%).

31. In the European Union, the gender pay gap narrowed to 12.7% in 2022, down from 16.4% in 2012. (source)  

32. In the EU, men earn 13% more than women. Estonia had the largest gap (21%), while Luxembourg had the smallest, with women earning 0.7% more than men. (source)  

33. In 2023, Italian women earned 2,300 euros less than men, but the gender pay gap narrowed to 7.3% from 12.7% in 2016. (source) 

34. In Italy, women made up 42.9% of board members in listed companies in 2022, up from 17.8% in 2013, showing steady growth. (source) 

37. In Finland, the 2023 unemployment rate was 7.9% for men and 6.5% for women. Men had higher unemployment rates than women from 2013 to 2023, narrowing the gap to 0.5% in 2018. (source) 

38. In Latvia, 12.2% of women and 16.5% of men were early-stage entrepreneurs. The Netherlands has one of the most equal distributions of entrepreneurs by gender in Europe. (source) 

39. Finland’s 2023 unemployment rate was 7.9% for men, 1.4% higher than the 6.5% rate for women. (source) 

Gender Inequality Statistics in the UK

40. Closing UK gender gaps in labor market participation, STEM, and wages could boost the economy by 2% or £55 billion by 2030. (source) 

41. As of Q3 2024, the UK had approximately 791,000 unemployed men and 695,000 unemployed women. (source)

42. As of Q3 2024, the UK’s youth unemployment rate was 17.7% for men and 11.9% for women. (source)

43. In the third quarter of 2024, the UK had approximately 2.74 million self-employed men and around 1.6 million self-employed women. This indicates a significant gap between the number of self-employed men and women in the country. (source) 

44. In Q3 2023, the UK employment rate for men aged 16-64 was 77.6%, while for women it was 72.1%. (source)

Gender Inequality Statistics in Africa

45. The Middle East and North Africa ranked last with a 61.7% gender parity score but have improved by +3.9 percentage points since 2006. The region struggles with economic participation (43.1%) and political empowerment (11.7%) but has made progress in education (97.2%) and health (96.4%). (source) 

46. Women in Africa scored 50.3% inequality, slightly improving from 48% in 2019. (source)  

47. Reducing gender inequality in Africa could boost the economy by $259 billion by 2043, exceeding current growth forecasts. (source) 

48. Sub-Saharan Africa closed 68.2% of its gender gap as of 2023, with Namibia, South Africa, and Rwanda leading the way, while Chad had the lowest performance. (source) 

49. Women and girls collect water in 80% of households without on-premises access. In sub-Saharan Africa, they are primary water carriers in over 70% of households where water must be fetched. (source) 

50. Up to 30% of income inequality is due to within-household disparities, including between men and women. Women, especially single mothers, are more likely to live below 50% of the median income, with 43% of single-mother households in South Africa falling below this mark. (source) 

Gender Inequality Statistics in Asia

51. South Korea’s 2024 gender gap index score was 0.7, indicating a 30% gap. The country ranked 94th out of 146 countries surveyed. (source) 

52. South Korea’s 2024 gender gap index scores were: educational attainment (0.98), and health/survival (0.98), but significantly lower for political empowerment (0.22). (source) 

53. In South Asia, only 25% of women participate in the labor market, compared to 44% globally, and varying rates in other regions (48% in Central/Western Asia, 60% in East Asia, and 50% in Latin America/Caribbean). (source) 

54. In 2022, South Korean women earned around 65% of what men earned, showing a persistent gender pay gap despite recent improvements. (source) 

55. In 2023, around 1.35 million married women in South Korea left the workforce, citing parenting, marriage, and pregnancy/birth as the main reasons. (source) 

56. In 2023, South Korea’s employment rates were 71.3% for men and 54.1% for women. Although men’s employment rates were higher, women’s employment has steadily increased over the past decade. (source) 

Gender Inequality Statistics in Latin America

57. Latin America and the Caribbean rank 3rd with a 74.2% gender parity score, reducing its gap by 8.3 percentage points since 2006. The region’s economic parity score rose to 65.7% (+0.5 percentage points from 2023). It also made significant progress in Political Empowerment, scoring 34% and narrowing the gap by 22.4 percentage points since 2006. (source)  

58. Mexico’s 2023 gender gap index score was 0.77, indicating a 23% disparity. Despite this, Mexico has shown consistent improvement in gender equality since 2017. (source) 

59. In Mexico, the lowest economic participation rates were in April 2020 (61.34% men, and 34.98% women). The highest rates were in 2022 (76.84% men in July, 46.5% women in October). (source) 

60. Mexico’s unemployment rate among men decreased from 2.67% to 2.43% between Q4 2023 and Q1 2024, while women’s rate remained largely unchanged. (source) 

61. Mexico scored 0.49 in political empowerment in 2024, with a 51% gender gap. It ranked 14th globally in this category, its best ranking despite its worst score. (source) 

62. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 132 women aged 25-34 live in extreme poverty for every 100 men. Additionally, divorced women are twice as likely to be poor as divorced men, with 15.8% of poor women in the region being divorced. (source) 

63. In 2024, Nicaragua had the highest gender gap index in Latin America with 0.81 points, while Guatemala had the lowest score with 0.7 points, indicating Guatemalan women have 30% fewer opportunities than men. (source) 

64. Mexico ranked last in gender wage equality among 19 Latin American and Caribbean countries, scoring 0.52 out of 1, indicating significant disparity. (source) 

65. In 2024, Barbados had the highest gender pay gap index in Latin America and the Caribbean (0.87), while Guatemala had the lowest (0.45), indicating women’s income was only 45% of men’s. (source) 

66. A 2023 survey found Mexico has the largest gender-based wage gap in LATAM, scoring 0.5/1. Barbados ranked as the most gender-equal. Women in the region face higher unemployment (11.3% in 2021) and poverty rates, particularly in Mexico and Colombia. (source) 

Economic Inequality Statistics 

67. A strong majority, 59% of Americans, believe men have more opportunities than women for good-paying jobs with benefits. Additionally, 56% think white women have more economic opportunities than women of color, a view shared by 86% of Black women, but only slightly more than half of white women. (source) 

68. When women become single from partnered, their household income drops by 16.7%. For mothers transitioning to single-mother households, the decline is 20%. In contrast, men experience a negligible 0.2% drop. (source) 

69. In Italy, the 2023 gender salary gap was narrower for managers (6.1%) than for white-collar workers (almost 10%). (source) 

70. In Italy, male top managers earned 109,600 euros/year, while female top managers earned 103,300 euros/year, a 6,200 euro difference. This is the largest pay gap, surpassing the 3,250 euro gap for middle managers, and white- and blue-collar workers. (source) 

71. In Italy, women’s unemployment rate (8.4%) surpassed men’s (6.3%) in Q1 2024, though both rates have decreased recently. (source) 

72. Italy’s youth unemployment has decreased since 2021, but for women aged 15-24, the rate stabilized at 25% from Q2 2022, while men’s rate continued to drop below 20% by 2024, widening the gap. (source) 

73. Italian women believe men have it easier: 80% think men receive fair pay, 67% say women face more career difficulties, 70% believe men access politics and jobs more easily, and 60% think female entrepreneurs face more challenges. (source) 

74. Italy has a relatively small gender pay gap of 3.3%. Still, stereotypes persist: 20% of respondents believe women should prioritize household duties and having children, while only 6% think men alone should make family decisions. (source) 

75. The UK’s 2024 gender pay gap was 13.1% for all workers, 7% for full-time workers, and -3% for part-time workers, with a 13.2% decrease from the 1997 peak of 27.5%. (source) 

76. In the UK, the 2024 average annual full-time salary was £40,035 for men and £34,000 for women, a £6,035 difference. (source)

77. In the UK, the 2024 gender pay gap was highest in finance and insurance (29.8%) and lowest in accommodation and food services (2.1%). (source) 

78. In 2023, 11% of FTSE 100 companies had a female CEO, compared to 4% of FTSE 250 companies, with FTSE 100 companies having higher female representation among CEOs and executive directors. (source) 

79. In 2023/24, 40% of male employees and 39% of female employees received bonuses, with similar rates (44% and 43%) for large businesses (20,000+ employees). (source) 

80. In the UK, as of April 2024, men’s full-time median hourly earnings, excluding overtime, were £19.24, while women’s were £17.88. This translates to a gender pay gap of 7.0% among full-time employees, indicating that women earn about 93% of what men earn.  (source) 

81. In South Korea (2023), men worked an average of 164.4 hours/month, while women worked 148.2 hours/month. Although working hours had decreased over the past few decades, they saw an uptick in 2023. (source) 

82. In Belize, women experience food insecurity at a rate 10 percentage points higher than men, while in Peru, the difference is 8 percentage points. (source) 

83. Women make up over 40% of the global workforce but hold only 1/3 of senior roles and less than 30% of STEM jobs. (source) 

84. Globally, women do 76.2% of unpaid care work, spending 3.2 times more time on it than men. In Latin America, women spend 6.3-29.5 more hours/week on unpaid care work than men, totaling 8,417 million hours/week. (source) 

85. Chile had the highest share of female entrepreneurs among OECD countries in 2023-2024, with 30% of women starting their own businesses, followed by Colombia at 26%. Poland and Denmark had the lowest rates. (source) 

86. Women are 50% more likely to work in low-paying jobs and 20% more likely to remain stuck in them. (source) 

Educational Disparities in Numbers

87. In the US, 91.8% of women had a high school diploma or higher in 2022, up from 42.5% in 1960. (source) 

88. In 2022, 39% of US women had completed 4+ years of college, up from 3.8% in 1940. Similarly, 36.2% of US men had achieved this milestone, up from 5.5% in 1940. (source) 

89. Women’s representation in STEM and non-STEM workforces has increased since 2016, but women remain underrepresented in STEM (28.2%) compared to non-STEM (47.3%). The gap widens in leadership roles, with women holding 25% of non-STEM leadership positions and only 10% in STEM. (source)  

90. LinkedIn data shows that female talent in AI engineering has more than doubled since 2016. Women’s presence in AI is increasing in sectors like Technology, Information, and Media, with gradual progress towards gender parity in industries like Education and Manufacturing. (source) 

91. Despite progress, gender differences in skilling profiles persist. Women’s share of STEM skills increased from 24.4% to 27.1% since 2016. However, online learning data shows significant gender gaps in AI, programming, and cybersecurity courses (30-31% female participation), hindering efforts to close workforce gaps. (source) 

92. 15 million primary-school-age girls will never learn to read or write, compared to 10 million boys. In sub-Saharan Africa, 48.1% of adolescent girls are out of school, vs 43.6% of boys. (source) 

93. Women in Africa have made significant strides in social areas, scoring 98.3% inequality, with notable progress in education and healthcare. Girls even outnumber boys in graduation rates across primary, lower, and upper secondary levels. (source) 

94. In Latin America, despite progress in education, a 1% gender parity index gap in adult and youth literacy persists, meaning 1 in 100 women are less likely to be literate than men. This affects around 28.4% of women, leading to higher unemployment, lack of training, and limited education. (source) 

95. 67% of girls aged 11-21 think women have unequal opportunities. Girls make up 22% of A-level physics students and 9% of STEM apprentices. (source) 

96. In Eastern and Southern Africa, around 60% of girls are unlikely to be enrolled in secondary school. (source) 

97. Girls are 3 times less likely to attend school and have 5 times less access to phones than boys. 35% of South Asian women are illiterate. 46.5% of young women are not in education, employment, or training. (source) 

Political Representation Statistics

98. In 2023, women held nearly half of US cabinet-level positions, but only 10.6% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women. (source) 

99. In 2024, over 60 national elections will take place. Nearly half of tracked economies have had women in top office over the past 50 years. Gender parity in parliamentary representation has reached a record 33%, up from 18.8% in 2006. Latin America has shown consistent improvement. (source) 

100. A significant majority, 73% of US people, consider gender equality issues crucial when deciding who to vote for in state-level elections. However, opinions on this matter vary substantially across different demographics. Notably, 87% of Black and Latinx women prioritize women’s rights and well-being when voting, whereas only 68% of white men share this sentiment. (source) 

101. Almost two-thirds of US adults, 65%, believe the country would benefit from having more women in political office. Americans tend to think female politicians are better equipped to address gender equality. (source) 

Majorities across all demographics support having more women in office, but there are notable gender and racial differences, with 75% of women and 55% of men endorsing this idea.

102. In 2023, women held 22.1% of management positions in South Korea, up from 21.8% in 2022. The share of female managers has steadily increased in the country since 2008. (source) 

103. 42% of Australians want the government to reform laws to promote equality and end discrimination, while 31% advocate for regular reviews of progress towards gender equality. (source) 

104. 47% of Australians think the government should prioritize achieving equal pay for women and men to improve women’s economic opportunities and decision-making powers. (source) 

105. Women made up nearly 43% of board members in companies listed on the Italian Stock Exchange. (source) 

106. In the US, 88.9% of legal frameworks for gender equality are in place. The adolescent birth rate decreased to 13.5 per 1,000 in 2022. As of 2024, women hold 29.1% of parliamentary seats. (source) 

107. In Italy, 3.28 million men listened to political debates in 2023, compared to 2.45 million women. (source) 

108. As of 2024, women hold a significant number of seats in the Italian Parliament, with 202 female MPs making up around one-third of the total members. Breaking it down, there are 128 women in the Chamber of Deputies and 74 in the Senate. (source) 

109. As of August 2024, about 68% of women in Great Britain believed more efforts are needed to achieve gender equality, particularly concerning a gender balance in politics. (source) 

110. The proportion of female MPs in the UK parliament reached 41% in 2024, marking a 7% increase from 2019 and a significant 38% jump from 1979. This growth indicates progress toward gender equality in UK politics. (source) 

111. The percentage of women in senior leadership teams in UK policing increased from 29% in 2022 to 30% in 2023. (source) 

Gender-Based Violence Statistics

112. When asked about factors affecting gender equality in the US, participants frequently cited sexual harassment (74%), domestic violence (70%), equal opportunities in the workplace (70%), unequal pay (67%), and equal protection under the constitution (63%), among others. (source) 

Additionally, nearly two-thirds (65%) believe access to abortion is important to women’s rights, with notable variations in support across demographic groups, ranging from 84% among Black women to 58% among white men. 

113. Almost half, 46%, of women report feeling unsafe sometimes or often in their daily lives due to their gender. This feeling of unsafety is more pronounced among Black women, at 53%, and Latinx women, at 59%. Women commonly cited workplace harassment and discrimination, as well as abuse, as their experiences of discrimination. (source) 

114. 58% of Australians think the government should increase accountability for perpetrators of physical and sexual crimes against women, with 63% of women and 52% of men supporting this action. (source) 

115. 50% of Australians say they or someone they know feels at risk of assault or harassment. The most common places are public spaces (39% of women, 31% of men), online (21%), and at home (14%). (source) 

116. In Australia, younger women (18-24) are more likely to feel at risk of assault/harassment in public spaces (53%) than older women (25+, 36%). Women aged 45-59 are more likely to feel at risk at home (16%) than those aged 18-24 (11%). (source) 

117. About 81% of women in Great Britain believed more action is needed to address and openly discuss sexual misconduct, while 13% thought sufficient progress had been made. (source) 

118. Globally, 1 in 5 women and girls under 50 reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in a 12-month period, rising to 22.3% in sub-Saharan Africa. (source) 

119. Globally, 750 million women and girls were married before 18, and at least 200 million underwent female genital mutilation. In sub-Saharan Africa, 37% of women aged 20-24 were married or in a union before 18. (source) 

120. In 45 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, only 52% of married or partnered women aged 15-49 make their own decisions about sex, contraception, and health services. (source) 

121. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 21% of women and girls aged 15-49 reported experiencing physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner in the past year. (source) 

Cultural and Social Inequality in Numbers

122. In the US, 67% of working mothers with children under 18 reported feeling pressure to focus on home responsibilities, compared to 45% of working fathers. (source) 

123. In the US, women outnumber men, but the gap is narrowing. In 2010, there were 5.17 million more women, which is expected to decrease to 3 million by 2027. (source) 

124. 56% of US parents struggle to find affordable, quality childcare, and 48% report being late or absent from work due to childcare issues. (source) 

125. 39% of surveyed respondents believed immigrants face significant discrimination in the US, while 8% thought Black people face no discrimination. (source) 

126. Italians are divided on women’s rights: 50% say women haven’t achieved equal rights, while 49% believe enough progress has been made. Men (53%) and women (55%) hold differing views. (source) 

127. In a 2023 survey, 68% of respondents believed Japanese society favors men, while about 10% thought women receive preferential treatment. (source) 

128. A 2024 Swedish survey found that nearly 1/3 of respondents believed men are discriminated against due to gender equality. However, this view was more prevalent among men (40%+) than women (<20%). Overall, 60% of Swedes disagreed with the statement. (source) 

129. In a recent Japanese survey, 78% of respondents believed Japan should prioritize achieving gender equality, while only 6% thought it was unnecessary. (source) 

130. In Sweden, around 2/3 of respondents believe men must take action to support gender equality for women to achieve equality, and 1/2 agree they can take action to promote gender equality. (source) 

131. In a Japanese survey, 28% of men believed men and women are treated equally, compared to 15% of women. Overall, women perceived stronger gender inequality favoring men. (source) 

132. A 2023 Japanese survey found that 59% of respondents believed men are favored in the workplace, while only 2% thought women receive preferential treatment. (source) 

133. In a 2023 Japanese survey, 44% believed media representation was equally favorable for both genders. However, 38% thought men were portrayed favorably, while only 17% thought women’s portrayals were favorable. (source) 

134. A recent survey found that 66% of Americans believe women don’t have full equality in work, life, and politics. (source) 

Additionally, only 33% think it’s a good time to be a woman in America, with 59% believing men have more opportunities for good-paying jobs. Furthermore, 55% say women are only sometimes, rarely, or never treated with dignity and respect.

135. There’s a significant disparity in perceptions of gender equality. Only 52% of white men believe more work is needed, whereas 86% of Black women and 73% of the Latinx community share this view, highlighting a notable gap in awareness and understanding. (source) 

136. About 35% of Australians hold biases that underestimate women’s abilities to participate equally in economics, politics, and education. (source) 

137. 43% of young women in Australia (16-24) reject attitudes supporting gender inequality, compared to 20% of young men in the same age group. (source) 

138. In Australia, for couples families with young children (0-4 years), 90.6% of male partners were employed, compared to 69.5% of female partners. (source) 

139. 35.7% of Australian women say childcare is the main reason they can’t start or increase work hours, versus 7.3% of Australian men. (source) 

140. In Australia, among parents of children under 15, 67.6% of mothers and 39.5% of fathers say the top incentive to join or increase work is the option for part-time hours. (source) 

141. 70% of Australians consider gender equality personally important, with 76% of women and 62% of men sharing this view. Only 8% think it’s unimportant. (source) 

142. 59% of Australians think gender equality has improved over the past 25 years, 26% believe it’s unchanged, and 10% think it’s worsened. (source) 

143. 53% of Australians, and 60% of women, think the government should do more to promote gender equality. (source) 

144. 41% of Australians believe the main reason for gender inequality is the unequal sharing of unpaid care, domestic work, and parental responsibilities. Women (46%) are more likely to hold this view than men (34%). (source) 

145. In Australia, 66% find it unacceptable for women to always obey their partner, while 72% believe it’s acceptable for women to refuse sexual intercourse with their partner. (source) 

146. 75% of Australians consider whistling at or touching a woman without consent unacceptable. 60% also find sharing sexist jokes about women unacceptable, while 15% find it acceptable. (source) 

147. 11% of Australian women report having their freedom of movement restricted by family or a partner. This increases to 22% among women aged 18-24. (source)  

148. 62% of Australians consider it unacceptable to ask a woman about children during a job interview, while 75% find it unacceptable that women earn less than men for the same work. Women are more likely to find these statements unacceptable than men. (source) 

149. 95% of Italians believe achieving full equality in rights, treatment, and pay is important, with 41% considering closing the gender gap a top priority. (source) 

150. Half of Italians think a male or female manager makes no difference in a company’s financial success. However, 26% believe a female leader would treat women better, and most prefer female bosses for respecting women and sexual and ethnic minorities. (source)

151. Italy scored 89.2 in health and 60.8 in knowledge on the 2023 Gender Equality Index, which measures gender gaps in the EU on a scale of 0 (no equality) to 100 (full equality). (source) 

152. A survey of young Italians aged 13-23 found that 96% believe people in Italy face discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. (source) 

153. About 72% of women in Great Britain believed more efforts are needed to achieve gender equality regarding household responsibilities. (source) 

154. About 46% of women in Great Britain believed more action was needed to address equal pay regarding gender inequality, while 26% thought sufficient progress had been made. (source) 

155. In 2015, 303,000 women died from pregnancy-related causes worldwide, with sub-Saharan Africa having the highest maternal mortality ratio at 556 deaths per 100,000 live births. (source) 

156. Indoor air pollution caused 4.3 million deaths, with women and girls accounting for 60%. In sub-Saharan Africa, 85.7% of households use unclean fuels for cooking and heating, disproportionately harming women and children. (source) 

157. In sub-Saharan Africa, 56% of urban women and girls live in slum conditions, lacking access to basic necessities like clean water, sanitation, durable housing, or sufficient living space. (source) 

158. In Europe (2024), average life expectancy varied by region and gender: in Western Europe, men were expected to live 79 years, while women were expected to live 84 years. (source) 

159.  India’s gender ratio was 900 females per 1,000 males (2013-2015). Chhattisgarh had the highest ratio (961), and Haryana had the lowest (833). (source) 

160. In South Korea (Feb 2024), 35% of women and 23% of men reported experiencing gender discrimination in the past year. Women in their 20s were the most affected. (source) 

161. South Korean women’s median age for first marriage was 31.45, while men’s was 33.97. Both have reached all-time highs, continuing a steady increase in recent years. (source) 

162. As of 2023, Latin America/Caribbean is expected to achieve gender parity in 53 years, while East Asia/Pacific won’t reach it for 190 years. North America currently has the smallest gender gap worldwide. (source) 

163. Globally, 1 in 5 people believe men who stay home to care for children are less masculine. South Korea had the highest percentage holding this view (nearly 3/4), while Japan had the lowest (10%). (source) 

164. Norway leads Europe with 47.8% of board seats in the financial services industry held by women, followed closely by France at 47.2%. (source) 

Conclusion

The gender inequality statistics we’ve explored in this article paint a stark picture of the challenges still ahead, but they also highlight opportunities for transformative change.

While gaps in wages, education, and leadership remain, progress in some regions and sectors shows that a more equitable world is within reach. Closing the gender gap could unlock billions in global GDP, elevate millions out of poverty, and create societies where everyone, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to thrive.