90% OF PEOPLE ARE BIASED AGAINST WOMEN: UN STUDY
“The numbers show new clues to the invisible barriers women face in achieving equality despite decades of progress.”
— UN Development Programme statement
A UN study published ahead of International Women's Day finds a huge majority of the world population holding prejudice against women
9 OUT OF 10
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) studied 75 countries representing 80% of the world's population and found that 9 in 10 people - including women - hold such beliefs
ARE MEN BETTER LEADERS?
Prejudiced views include: men are better politicians and business leaders than women; going to university is more important for men than women; men should get preferential treatment in competitive job markets
IS WIFE-BEATING OKAY?
The UNDP statement called out one of the report's most chilling findings: 28% of people believe it is okay for a man to beat his wife
ANDORRA, THE BEST EXAMPLE
Countries with the lowest population of those with sexist beliefs were Andorra (27.01%), Sweden (30.01%), Netherlands (39.75%)
WORST: PAKISTAN
The percentage of those holding at least one bias was largest in Pakistan (99.81%). It was followed by Qatar and Nigeria (both at 99.73%)
US, BRITAIN ON PAR
France, Britain and the US each came in with similar scores, 56%, 54.6% and 57.31% of people respectively holding at least one sexist belief
SUGGESTION FROM INDIA
Indian activist Yogita Bhayana has written to UN seeking that March 20, 2020, the day when the convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case are scheduled to be hanged, be designated as Rape Prevention Day