GENDER EQUALITY
GENDER EQUALITY Everyone from former First Lady Michelle Obama to actress Emma Watson has spoken about gender equality in recent years. While these prominent voices have helped create awareness of the issue, more work needs to be done to reach a point where gender equality is simply the norm. What is Gender Equality? Gender equality is a state in which one’s gender does not determine one’s opportunities, freedoms, or importance. Gender parity – a measure of gender balance in a given situation – and gender equity – allocating resources and power evenly between men and women – are tools to achieve gender equality. According to the UN Development Programme Gender Inequality Index, there is no country where women have equal or greater freedoms and resources than men. While many nations surveyed have made progress towards equality, several have stagnated and a few notable cases, like Haiti, have actually seen backsliding. Data is not even available for all countries, shrouding ...