Results from GSNI 2020 study

Published: 21st Mar, 2020

Very few have absolute zero gender biases: Only 14 percent of women and 10 percent of men worldwide have no gender social norms biases. Overall, bias against gender equality is on the rise.
Majority have at least one clear bias: In areas such as politics, economic, education, intimate partner violence and women’s reproductive rights, 91 percent of men and 86 percent of women show at least one clear bias against gender equality.
Bias that men make better political leaders: About 50 percent of men and women interviewed across 75 countries say they think men make better political leaders than women.
Bias that men make better business leaders: More than 40 percent felt that men made better business executives.
Compromised physical integrity: Almost 30 percent of people agree it is justifiable for a man to beat his partner.
Men are relatively more biased: Women are skewed towards less bias against gender equality and women’s empowerment. 52 percent men have two to four gender social norm biases.

More than 50 percent of women are biased in the political arena.
Men present biases higher than 63 percent in both the political and economic dimensions, especially for the indicators, “Men make better political leaders than women do” and “Men should have more right to a job than women" (50 percent).
This coincides with the fact that professional women currently face a challenge in finding a partner that will support their career.

Bias against gender equality is increasing in some countries: There is evidence of backlash in attitudes among both men and women. According to GSNI2, the proportion of people with moderate and intense biases against gender equality grew over the last few years in 15 countries (out of 31).

The share of both women and men worldwide with moderate to intense gender biases grew from 57 percent to 60 percent for women and from 70 percent to 71 percent for men.
Survey show that younger men may be even less committed to equality than their elders.

Countries which made progress: Progress in the share of men with no gender social norms bias was largest in Chile, Australia, United States and Netherlands.

Share of women with no gender social norms bias increased the most in the Netherlands, Chile and Australia.

Countries which degressed: Share of men with no bias fell in Sweden, Germany, India and Mexico.

Other countries which showed a backlash include India, South Africa and Romania.

Positive correlation between biased social norms and gender inequality: Countries with higher social norms biases tend to have higher gender inequality.