The United Nations Women has released a new study on attitudes toward gender equality, noting that younger men continue to hold stereotypical views of women.
According to a post uploaded on Linkedin, the study spanned twenty countries and examines perspectives toward gender-based stereotypes. The study was done in collaboration with Unstereotype Alliance, a UN Women initiative that unites industry leaders, creatives and changemakers to end gender stereotypes.
The report was carried out in 20 countries with approximately 1000 interviews conducted. It revealed that discriminatory practices and norms continue to hinder the progress of women. However, it also revealed that 91 per cent of the respondents agreed that achieving gender equality is an essential part of ensuring their countries’ success.
The study also revealed that men and in particular younger men are more likely to hold stereotypical views of gender roles. 40 per cent of male respondents agreed that a man’s job is to earn money while a woman’s job is to look after the house and the family, compared to 31 per cent of female respondents.
In the regional analysis for Nigeria, most respondents see a significant gap in women’s access to quality education, basic healthcare and the opportunity to be elected into political offices.
“In terms of paid work, although 67% agree that having a paid job is the best way for a woman to be an independent person, 88% of respondents believe women should work less and devote more time to caring for their family. In addition, 54% agree that a man’s job is to earn money while a woman’s job is to look after the house and the family; and nearly 30% believe that when a mother works for pay, children suffer. Nearly 72% of respondents believe it is natural for men to earn more than women, as they should be the primary providers. Moreover, 40% of respondents agree that men should be paid more than women for the same job and that a woman should not earn more than her husband,” the report said.
22 per cent of Nigerian respondents agreed that women feel unsafe in public spaces. Half of the respondents, 45 per cent, disagreed that women should be free to refuse sex with a husband.
With regard to gender-based violence, 22 per cent further agreed that there are “acceptable circumstances” where someone can be allowed to hit their spouse or partner and 80 per cent think that women call attention to themselves based on how they dress.
The full report can be downloaded and read here.
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