how to stop gender discrimination essay

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Essay on Gender Discrimination

• Updated on  
• Jul 14, 2022

One of the challenges present in today’s society is gender discrimination. Gender discrimination is when someone is treated unequally based on their gender. Gender discrimination is not just present in the workplace but in schools, colleges and communities as well. As per the Civil Rights Act of 1964,  gender discrimination is illegal in India. This is also an important and common essay topic in schools and competitive exams such as IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , UPSC , etc. Let’s explore some samples of essay on gender discrimination and tips for writing an impactful essay.

Tips for Writing an Impactful Essay

If you want to write a scoring and deep impact essay, here are some tips for writing a perfect informative essay:

• The most important and first step is to write an introduction and background information about and related to the topic
• Then you are also required to use the formal style of writing and avoid using slang language
• To make an essay more impactful, write dates, quotations, and names to provide a better understanding
• You can use jargon wherever it is necessary as it sometimes makes an essay complicated
• To make an essay more creative, you can also add information in bulleted points wherever possible
• Always remember to add a conclusion where you need to summarise crucial points
• Once you are done read through the lines and check spelling and grammar mistakes before submission

Essay on Gender Discrimination in 200 Words

One of the important aspects of a democratic society is the elimination of gender discrimination. The root cause of this vigorous disease is the stereotypical society itself. When a child is born, the discrimination begins; if the child is male, he is given a car, bat and ball with blue, and red colour clothes, whereas when a child is female, she is given barbie dolls with pink clothes. We all are raised with a mentality that boys are good at sports and messy, but girls are not good at sports and are well organised. This discriminatory mentality has a deeper impact when girls are told not to work while boys are allowed to do much work. This categorising males and females into different categories discriminating based on gender are known as gender discrimination. Further, this discriminatory behaviour in society leads to hatred, injustice and much more. This gender discrimination is evident in every woman’s life at the workplace, in educational institutions, in sports, etc., where young girls and women are deprived of their rights and undervalued. This major issue prevailing in society can be solved only by providing equality to women and giving them all rights as given to men.

Essay on Gender Discrimination in 300 Words 

Gender Discrimination, as the term signifies, is discrimination or discriminatory behaviour based on gender. The stereotypical mindset of people in the past has led to the discrimination that women face today. According to Kahle Wolfe, in 2015, women earned 83% of the income paid to men by working the same hours. Almost all women are not only discriminated against based on their salaries but also on their looks.

Further, most women are allowed to follow a certain dress code depending upon the work field and the dress women wear also decides their future career.

This dominant male society teaches males that women are weak and innocent. Thus women are mostly victims and are targeted in crimes. For example, In a large portion of the globe, women are blamed for rapes despite being victims because of their clothes. This society also portrays women as weaker and not eligible enough to take a stand for themselves, leading to the major destruction of women’s personalities as men are taught to let women down. This mindset of people nowadays is a major social justice issue leading to gender discrimination in society.

Further, gender-based discrimination is evident across the globe in a plethora of things, including sports, education, health and law. Every 1 out of 3 women in the world is abused in various forms at some point in their lives by men. This social evil is present in most parts of the world; in India, women are burnt to death if they are incapable of affording financial requirements; in Egypt, women are killed by society if they are sensed doing something unclean in or out of their families, whereas in South Africa baby girls are abandoned or killed as they are considered as burden for the family. Thus gender discrimination can be only eliminated from society by educating people about giving equal rights and respect to every gender.

Top Universities for Gender Studies Abroad

UK, Canada and USA are the top three countries to study gender studies abroad. Here’s the list of top universities you can consider if you planning to pursue gender studies course abroad: 

We hope this blog has helped you in structuring a terrific essay on gender discrimination. Planning to ace your IELTS, get expert tips from coaches at Leverage Live by Leverage Edu .

Sonal is a creative, enthusiastic writer and editor who has worked extensively for the Study Abroad domain. She splits her time between shooting fun insta reels and learning new tools for content marketing. If she is missing from her desk, you can find her with a group of people cracking silly jokes or petting neighbourhood dogs.

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15 strategies helping to close the gender gap around the world

The time it will take to close the gender gap grew by 36 years in just 12 months, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021. Image:  UNSPLASH/LinkedIn Sales Solutions

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Kayleigh Bateman

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Gender Inequality is affecting economies, industries and global issues

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, gender inequality.

Listen to the article

• Gender equality has suffered since the pandemic began.
• It will now take an estimated 135.6 years to close the worldwide gender gap between men and women.
• However, progress is being made in areas including science and politics.
• Improving paternity policies and representation of women will help.

There is still a huge amount of work to do to achieve gender equality around the world.

The time it will take to close the gender gap grew by 36 years in just 12 months , according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021 . This means it will now take an estimated 135.6 years for men and women to reach parity, according to the report, which assesses areas including economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and political empowerment.

Nevertheless, there are significant pockets of progress.

This selection of archive articles highlights how and where that progress has been made, and offers some strategies to help us keep addressing the imbalance.

1. Understanding the problem

Recognizing a problem is often seen as an important part of solving it. These 2015-20 data visualizations from UN Women show how women are represented in different professions around the world .

2. Invest in policies to help women back into the workplace

Women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic , with more leaving the workforce and taking on unpaid caregiving or domestic duties. Governments will need to invest in specific policies to change this, for example by improving care leave or providing more preschools.

3. More female role models

Diversity is good for business. More female role models and mentors can ensure greater representation, according to digital transparency firm Everledger.

4. Aim for the snowball effect

Companies with more women in leadership roles hire more women right across the board , according to data from LinkedIn. Being aware of unconscious bias and building strong internal pipelines for promotion will improve hiring rates for women in leadership positions.

5. Consider quotas

Rwanda has made significant progress in getting more women into politics. It boasts the highest share of women in parliament in the world , according to statistics from the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Quotas have been key to this, and are used in many electoral systems that have more women as legislators and MPs.

6. Design tools for “unbanked” women in developing countries

Without access to a formal bank account, women are often left without insurance, credit facilities or loans. New technology and products should be designed with these women in mind so that more low-income women are included in financial systems.

7. Review paternity leave policies

Some countries are taking great leaps on paternity leave . However, several wealthy nations are still failing to provide adequate government-supported leave , according to the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF.

8. Understand more about what motivates women

One explanation of the gender pay gap is that women tend to be less competitive than men in workplace settings. However, new research suggests that women are likely to be more competitive if they can share their winnings as they are often team players. More research in this field could help inform thinking about how best to close the gender pay gap.

The World Economic Forum has been measuring gender gaps since 2006 in the annual Global Gender Gap Report .

The Global Gender Gap Report tracks progress towards closing gender gaps on a national level. To turn these insights into concrete action and national progress, we have developed the Gender Parity Accelerator model for public private collaboration.

These accelerators have been convened in twelve countries across three regions. Accelerators are established in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico and Panama in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean, Egypt and Jordan in the Middle East and North Africa, and Japan and Kazakhstan in Asia.

All Country Accelerators, along with Knowledge Partner countries demonstrating global leadership in closing gender gaps, are part of a wider ecosystem, the Global Learning Network, that facilitates exchange of insights and experiences through the Forum’s platform.

Have you read?

In these countries CEOs and ministers are working together in a three-year time frame on policies that help to further close the economic gender gaps in their countries. This includes extended parental leave, subsidized childcare and making recruitment, retention and promotion practices more gender inclusive.

If you are a business in one of the Gender Parity Accelerator countries you can join the local membership base.

If you are a business or government in a country where we currently do not have a Gender Parity Accelerator you can reach out to us to explore opportunities for setting one up.

9. Recognize the value that women provide in supporting colleagues

Women’s extra efforts to support colleagues are being overlooked , according to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2021 report. Women often intervene to manage the wellbeing or inclusion of fellow workers. But this work is rarely noticed or rewarded.

10. Don’t always play safe

The pandemic has caused companies to default to hiring male CEOs , according to global research. Firms have tended to opt for leaders with a proven track record, or experience as a CEO – a trend that favours men. Being mindful of this will help ensure the progress made pre-pandemic is not reversed.

11. Address the gender gap at all levels in scientific fields

Efforts need to be made at government, academic and corporate levels to address the gender imbalance in scientific fields, says UNESCO. One example of this is to check that AI systems are not biased against women candidates for technical roles. Some technology companies are already taking a lead in this area.

12. Tackling the patent gender gap

The share of female inventors named in Patent Cooperation Treaty applications filed in 2020 was just 16%, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization. Mentoring and advising less-experienced female inventors so they can identify patent-worthy ideas will help address the imbalance and propel more women into leadership positions.

13. The need for more legal rights for women

Women around the world only have three-quarters of the legal rights of men , on average, according to the World Bank. And fewer than half of the world’s countries have equal pay. A legal environment that encourages women’s economic inclusion will help make progress in many areas, including narrowing the gender pay gap.

14. Monitor violence against women

Violence against women and girls is “still so deeply embedded in cultures around the world that it is almost invisible”, according to a UN human rights expert. And the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020 found that between a fifth and nearly half of women globally suffer physical or sexual abuse from their male partners. The UN expert is calling for countries to set up prevention bodies and to monitor the violence , rather than leaving this work to human rights or women’s groups.

15. Make diversity a priority for start-ups

Start-ups with a diverse workforce report almost 20% higher innovation revenues , or proceeds from recently launched products and services, according to the Boston Consulting Group. However, a separate report highlights that few start-ups are actively trying to increase diversity within their leadership teams.

Two ways to make the COVID-19 recovery more inclusive for women

Why ignoring women is costing financial services money, this is why financial inclusion is vital for better equality in europe and central asia, don't miss any update on this topic.

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License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Gender Inequality Essay

500+ words essay on gender inequality.

For many years, the dominant gender has been men while women were the minority. It was mostly because men earned the money and women looked after the house and children. Similarly, they didn’t have any rights as well. However, as time passed by, things started changing slowly. Nonetheless, they are far from perfect. Gender inequality remains a serious issue in today’s time. Thus, this gender inequality essay will highlight its impact and how we can fight against it.

  About Gender Inequality Essay

Gender inequality refers to the unequal and biased treatment of individuals on the basis of their gender. This inequality happens because of socially constructed gender roles. It happens when an individual of a specific gender is given different or disadvantageous treatment in comparison to a person of the other gender in the same circumstance.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Impact of Gender Inequality

The biggest problem we’re facing is that a lot of people still see gender inequality as a women’s issue. However, by gender, we refer to all genders including male, female, transgender and others.

When we empower all genders especially the marginalized ones, they can lead their lives freely. Moreover, gender inequality results in not letting people speak their minds. Ultimately, it hampers their future and compromises it.

History is proof that fighting gender inequality has resulted in stable and safe societies. Due to gender inequality, we have a gender pay gap. Similarly, it also exposes certain genders to violence and discrimination.

In addition, they also get objectified and receive socioeconomic inequality. All of this ultimately results in severe anxiety, depression and even low self-esteem. Therefore, we must all recognize that gender inequality harms genders of all kinds. We must work collectively to stop these long-lasting consequences and this gender inequality essay will tell you how.

How to Fight Gender Inequality

Gender inequality is an old-age issue that won’t resolve within a few days. Similarly, achieving the goal of equality is also not going to be an easy one. We must start by breaking it down and allow it time to go away.

Firstly, we must focus on eradicating this problem through education. In other words, we must teach our young ones to counter gender stereotypes from their childhood.

Similarly, it is essential to ensure that they hold on to the very same beliefs till they turn old. We must show them how sports are not gender-biased.

Further, we must promote equality in the fields of labour. For instance, some people believe that women cannot do certain jobs like men. However, that is not the case. We can also get celebrities on board to promote and implant the idea of equality in people’s brains.

All in all, humanity needs men and women to continue. Thus, inequality will get us nowhere. To conclude the gender inequality essay, we need to get rid of the old-age traditions and mentality. We must teach everyone, especially the boys all about equality and respect. It requires quite a lot of work but it is possible. We can work together and achieve equal respect and opportunities for all genders alike.

FAQ of Gender Inequality Essay

Question 1: What is gender inequality?

Answer 1: Gender inequality refers to the unequal and biased treatment of individuals on the basis of their gender. This inequality happens because of socially constructed gender roles. It happens when an individual of a specific gender is given different or disadvantageous treatment in comparison to a person of the other gender in the same circumstance.

Question 2: How does gender inequality impact us?

Answer 2:  The gender inequality essay tells us that gender inequality impacts us badly. It takes away opportunities from deserving people. Moreover, it results in discriminatory behaviour towards people of a certain gender. Finally, it also puts people of a certain gender in dangerous situations.

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Preventing Gender Bias

• Posted November 29, 2018
• By Leah Shafer

Despite gains in gender equality, ingrained biases about males and females still exist — and can have grave consequences. Stubborn beliefs cultivated from an early age such as “girls are bad at math,” “girls are better at cooking,” or “boys don’t cry,” pave the way to sobering statistics about the number of female leaders in business and politics, and disturbing truths about the frequency of sexual harassment.

By talking about gender biases early, parents can blaze a trail toward equity long before girls and boys are engaging in romantic relationships, choosing college majors, or entering the workforce. Here, we provide tips for parents to deconstruct gender stereotypes and prevent bias . These strategies come from developmental psychologist Richard Weissbourd and Leaning Out: Teen Girls and Leadership Biases , a report from Making Caring Common at the Harvard Graduate School of Education .

To Create a Bias-Free Home

• Check your own biases. Be mindful of the language you use, the way you treat people of different genders, and even the perspectives you hold on your own abilities and traits.
• Have open discussions at home about the way chores are divided up. Set expectations that both kids and adults are expected to have a turn at everything: cooking, cleaning, yardwork, and taking out the trash.
• Ask children for their feedback about these family practices. Do they think boys and girls are being held to the same expectations? Are parents dividing work up equally — and if not, do kids understand why?
• Provide children of both genders with books and movies that feature nontraditional gender roles. Talk about female politicians, athletes, and scientists, and male teachers, dancers, and homemakers.
• Encourage kids to try all types of extracurricular activities, and talk about why they might feel more comfortable in some pastimes than in others. Help them distinguish whether they enjoy an activity because they’re surrounded by people like them, or because of the activity itself.

To Teach Kids about Gender Bias

• Show children how biases and gender expectations have changed over time. Share times when you felt you were treated unfairly. Invite them to interview a grandparent or older person of a different generation. Ask kids to think: Has our country changed its expectations of men and women? What challenges do women still face today?
• Talk to kids about the stereotypes they encounter at school, on television, or while shopping. When you both see or hear something degrading, ask kids to interpret it. Do they find it harmful? Unsurprising? Explain to kids how stereotypes can be so ingrained in our society that we don’t always notice them.
• Explain the importance of listening to and appreciating both genders as matter of basic decency. Ask kids to think about what might be challenging about being a person of another gender, or a person who is transgender. Work on developing empathy. “Perhaps nothing more commonly erodes children’s capacity to care and to lead efforts to promote equality and justice than the biases they hold and confront in others,” write the authors of Leaning Out.

Tips for Boys, Specifically

• Intervene immediately when you hear boys making demeaning comments about girls. Explain why some common words and phrases used to describe girls are offensive.
• Help boys understand that it is their responsibility to stand up for girls and counteract stereotypes, and brainstorm strategies for them to use when they hear a friend make a degrading comment.
• Encourage boys to talk about their feelings and worries, and praise them for expressing empathy and care.

Tips for Girls, Specifically

• Make it clear to girls that they can and should be leaders — in the classroom, in clubs and sports, and in their careers. Offer opportunities for them to practice public speaking, give and receive feedback, make decisions for themselves, and collaborate with diverse groups.
• Talk to girls about what worries or scares them about being a leader, and discuss strategies for dealing with disapproval or criticism.
• Familiarize girls with female leaders in politics, business, and STEM fields.
• Support girls’ involvement in activities that can build their confidence. Ensure that they have multiple sources of self-worth that don’t involve their physical appearance. Remind them that they deserve respect from those around them.

Additional Resources

• Making Caring Common’s full report on teen girls and leadership bias.
• Strategies for educators on reducing and preventing gender bias.
• Advice for parents on reducing and preventing misogyny and sexual harassment.
• Teaching Tolerance's lessons on female identity and gender expectations.
• Teaching Tolerance's lessons on exploring gender bias.

Part of a special series about preventing sexual harassment at school.  Read the whole series .

Illustration by Wilhelmina Peragine

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Take action: 10 ways you can help end violence against women

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During the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence , UN Women stands united with survivors, activists, decision-makers, global citizens, and the UN system. Together, we are spotlighting the urgent need for robust funding, essential services, and financing of prevention initiatives and data collection that shape better-informed responses to gender-based violence.

Ending violence against women is everyone’s business. Here are ten ways you can make a difference, safely and impactfully.

1. Listen to and believe survivors

When a woman shares her story of violence, she takes the first step to breaking the cycle of abuse.

It is on all of us to give her the safe space she needs to speak up and be heard.

It is important to remember that when discussing cases of sexual violence, a victim’s sobriety, clothes, and sexuality are irrelevant.

The perpetrator is the sole reason for assault and must bear the responsibility alone. Call out victim-blaming and counter the idea that it is on women to avoid situations that might be seen as “dangerous” by traditional standards.

Survivors of violence are speaking out more than ever before, and everyone has a role to play to ensure they can have justice.

Do not say, “Why didn’t she leave?”

Do say: “We hear you. We believe you. We stand with you.”

2. Teach the next generation and learn from them

The examples we set for the younger generation shape the way they think about gender, respect, and human rights. Start conversations about gender roles early on, and challenge the traditional features and characteristics assigned to men and women. Point out the stereotypes that children constantly encounter, whether in the media, on the street, or at school, and let them know that it is OK to be different. Encourage a culture of acceptance.

Talk about consent, bodily autonomy, and accountability in an age-appropriate way to boys and girls. For example, discuss the importance of a clear “yes” from all involved, the fact your body is yours and you make choices over what happens to it, and of how we must always take responsibility for our actions. It is important to also listen to what children have to say about their experience of the world. By empowering young advocates with information and educating them about women’s rights, we can build a better future for all.

3. Call for responses and services fit for purpose

Services for survivors are essential services.

This means that shelters, helplines, counseling, and all support for survivors of gender-based violence need to be available for those in need.

Every year, the 16 Days of Activism campaign calls for united, global action to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

This year the United Nations, together with our partners, are demanding increased investments to end violence against women and girls.

Join us in calling on governments to bridge funding gaps to address violence against women and girls , invest in prevention initiatives, ensure essential services for survivors of violence are maintained, implement prevention measures, and invest in collecting the data necessary to adapt and improve life-saving services for women and girls.

4. Understand consent

Freely given clear consent is mandatory, every time.

Rather than listening for a “no”, make sure there is a clear “yes”, from all involved. Adopt clear consent in your life and talk about it.

Phrases like “she was asking for it” or “boys will be boys” attempt to blur the lines around sexual consent, placing blame on victims, and excusing perpetrators from the crimes they have committed.

While those that use these lines may have fuzzy understandings of consent, the definition is crystal clear. When it comes to consent, there are no blurred lines.

Learn more about consent .

5. Learn the signs of abuse and how you can help

There are many forms of abuse and all of them can have serious physical and emotional effects. If you’re concerned about a friend who may be experiencing violence or feels unsafe around someone, review these signs and learn about the ways to help them find safety and support.

If you think someone is abusing you, help is available . You are not alone. If you’d like to talk with a trained advocate at a helpline, we compiled this list of resources around the world .

6. Start a conversation

Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that’s been perpetuated for decades. 

It is pervasive, but it is not inevitable, unless we stay silent. 

Show your solidarity with survivors and where you stand in the fight for women’s rights by oranging your social media profile for the 16 Days of Activism – you can download banners for Facebook and Twitter here . 

On Instagram, you can use UN Women’s face filter to spread the word and encourage your community to do the same. 

Use #orangetheworld, #16Days, and #GenerationEquality to start your own conversation about gender-based violence, or share some of the content from our social media package .

7. Stand against rape culture

Rape culture is the social environment that allows sexual violence to be normalized and justified, fueled by the persistent gender inequalities and attitudes about gender and sexuality. Naming it is the first step to dismantling rape culture.

Every day we have the opportunity to examine our behaviours and beliefs for biases that permit rape culture to continue. Think about how you define masculinity and femininity, and how your own biases and stereotypes influence you.

From the attitudes we have about gender identities to the policies we support in our communities, we can all take action to stand against rape culture.

Learn more ways to stand against rape culture .

8. Fund women’s organizations

Donate to local organizations that empower women, amplify their voices, support survivors, and promote acceptance of all gender identities and sexualities. 

UN Women works with women’s organizations everywhere to end violence against women, assist survivors, and secure equal rights for women and girls everywhere. Donate now . 

Find out more about how women ’ s organizations prevent violence against women and girls.

9. Hold each other accountable

Violence can take many forms, including sexual harassment in the workplace and in public spaces.

Take a stand by calling it out when you see it: catcalling, inappropriate sexual comments, and sexist jokes are never okay.

Create a safer environment for everyone by challenging your peers to reflect on their own behaviour and speaking up when someone crosses the line, or by enlisting the help of others if you don’t feel safe.

As always, listen to survivors and make sure they have the support they need.

10. Know the data and demand more of it

To effectively combat gender-based violence, we need to understand the issue.  

Relevant data collection is key to implementing successful prevention measures and providing survivors with the right support. 

Gaps in gender sensitive data collection have become more glaring than ever. Call on your government to invest in the collection of data on gender-based violence.

Find out at how UN Women works to bring about a radical shift in how gender statistics are used, created and promoted .

Originally published on Medium.com/@UN_Women .

• Ending violence against women and girls

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10 Tips to Fight Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination is alive and well. Here are 10 ways to fight it.

Every organization—and that means the men and women who run companies—must do more to ensure that women have an equal opportunity to lead.

Yes, we have come a long way since 1964, when gender discrimination became unlawful, but we still have a long way to go.

Below I offer 10 ways organizations can increase gender equality from the top down.

1. Get Women on Boards

Greater representation of women on boards of directors is critical. Boards with at least one woman are likely to crush the competition, according to a Business Insider article. Diversity matters!

Having women on boards can also call attention to the elephant in the room at many companies—that there is a boys’ club at the top or at least in certain silos. Power makes it easier to speak up, regardless of gender.

In addition, the presence of women on the board sends a powerful message to executive women and customers that the company “gets it.”

Finally,  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and most state laws do not apply to board positions, where there is no employment status. Therefore, employers can do what they generally cannot do for senior leadership positions—that is, take gender into consideration when filling board positions or even reserve a board position for a woman.

2. Educate Senior Leadership

Both the board of directors and the senior leadership team must understand the legal issues associated with gender discrimination (see sidebar).

Training should also emphasize the business benefits of gender equality, including the talent imperative, connection with and access to customers, diversity of ideas, and supplier diversity. Where there is gender diversity among senior leadership, companies outperform their competitors.

3. Hire and Promote

To increase gender (and other) diversity of the applicant pool, work to:

• Ensure that the minimum job requirements are not so high that they exclude women simply because this group has been denied opportunities in leadership until relatively recently. This does not mean lowering standards but rather assessing them more realistically.
• Increase the diversity of the applicant pool through general and targeted recruiting. Word-of-mouth is not enough.
• Distribute applications to hiring managers without names. Consciously protect yourself from your unconscious bias, which brings us to …

4. Fight Biases

The use of diverse hiring teams that have received appropriate training should help to ensure that neither conscious nor unconscious gender bias plays a part in decision-making. Particular attention should be paid to avoiding:

•     “ Like-me” bias , or hiring managers’ preference for candidates who resemble them. Note that hiring based on whether someone would be a “good fit” can mask unlawful “like-me” bias.
•     Double standards. What’s considered commendably assertive in a man should not be considered unacceptably aggressive in a woman.
•     Gender stereotyping . Guard against impermissible assumptions about women who have or are perceived likely to have children.
•     Discrimination against men . Employers can focus on differences in experiences, perspectives, contacts and styles. However, absent a remedial purpose, narrowly defined, employers generally cannot consider gender in hiring decisions, even when the goal is laudably to increase diversity.

5. Evaluate Work Assignments

Critically evaluate your organization’s work assignment systems to ensure that the work is being distributed fairly and equitably and not based on personal relationships.

The importance of the assignment process cannot be overemphasized. It often determines who has the experience and the connections to rise to the top based on merit. Plum assignments:

• Increase necessary experience.
• Grant exposure to the senior leadership team and sometimes the board.
• Help forge customer/client relationships and the personal return on investment that goes with it.

6. Show Them the Money

We have a gender gap when it comes to pay. It is shrinking, but it is still there.

There are fair questions about whether the gap is solely due to gender. Taking time off to raise a family, whether you are male or female, may play a role.

Let’s assume the gap is 10 percent. (I believe it is higher.) How many men would say “no big deal” to a 10 percent reduction in salary? I know I wouldn’t.

Gender gaps in compensation not only can be attacked in litigation but also can result in less engagement by talented women. So assess and correct areas where gaps cannot credibly be explained; consider conducting the analysis initially under privilege so that plaintiffs’ lawyers cannot take advantage of your good efforts.

7. Practice Social Inclusion

Social inclusion is a big part of business inclusion. In fact, I bristle at the term “social inclusion” because I think it diminishes its importance.

Everyone should make a conscious effort to ensure that social inclusion is, well, inclusive.

For example, there are women who drink and men who don’t. But if the focal point of social inclusion is the local bar after work, more women than men may be excluded either because of caregiver responsibilities or because they want to avoid what they fear they may see.

Also remember that social media is a form of social inclusion and, therefore, business inclusion. Think of the message that is sent if a leader invites his male reports, but not his female reports, to connect with him on LinkedIn.

8. Help with Work/Life Management

Helping employees with the management of work and personal responsibilities is particularly important to those who are primary caregivers, whether they are involved in elder care, child care or both. While more men are (thankfully) leaning in at home, women still are more likely to have heavier burdens in this area.

To help employees manage work and personal commitments:

• Consider whether the number of work hours you demand allows for a personal life. Individuals with heavy caregiver responsibilities may not accept “unreasonable” hours.
• Focus primarily on the bottom line, not face time. It should not matter whether someone finishes a report between 5 and 7 p.m. or 10 p.m. and midnight. What matters is that the report is stellar and on time.
• Be more receptive to telecommuting, at least sometimes for some positions. Yes, on that work-at-home day, personal and work responsibilities may rotate as the focus. But that may be necessary given the long hours every other day.
• Consider offering support for child care and elder care.

9. Evaluate the Evaluators

In my experience, the evaluation process often benefits men as a result of unconscious bias. We need to evaluate the evaluators!

Again, look for “like-me” bias: “He does things the way I do things, so his method is better than others.”

Also look for weak praise (“nice” rather than “strong client relations skills”), code words (“lack of commitment” for women who are juggling work and family commitments), and double standards and criticisms that focus on the woman as opposed to her performance.

10. Include Men

Sandberg states that there is not enough male talent to serve an organization’s leadership needs. Conversely, we cannot solve the issue of gender bias by having only women focus on it. Men have valuable input, too, that must be considered.

Further, it is unfair to place the burden on women only. Women in senior management positions who are asked to focus heavily on women’s initiatives may not have the time they need to focus on their customers.

Of course, to get men involved we must do more than enlighten and invite them. We must support them, too.

Jonathan A. Segal is a contributing editor of HR Magazine and a partner at  Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Jonathan_HR_law

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This Is How Everyday Sexism Could Stop You From Getting That Promotion

By Jessica Nordell and Yaryna Serkez Oct. 14, 2021

By Jessica Nordell Graphics by Yaryna Serkez

Jessica Nordell is a science and culture journalist. Yaryna Serkez is a writer and a graphics editor for Opinion.

When the computer scientist and mathematician Lenore Blum announced her resignation from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018, the community was jolted. A distinguished professor, she’d helped found the Association for Women in Mathematics, and made seminal contributions to the field. But she said she found herself steadily marginalized from a center she’d help create — blocked from important decisions, dismissed and ignored. She explained at the time : “Subtle biases and microaggressions pile up, few of which on their own rise to the level of ‘let’s take action,’ but are insidious nonetheless.”

It’s an experience many women can relate to. But how much does everyday sexism at work matter? Most would agree that outright discrimination when it comes to hiring and advancement is a bad thing, but what about the small indignities that women experience day after day? The expectation that they be unfailingly helpful ; the golf rounds and networking opportunities they’re not invited to ; the siphoning off of credit for their work by others; unfair performance reviews that penalize them for the same behavior that’s applauded in men; the “ manterrupting ”?

When I was researching my book “The End of Bias: A Beginning” I wanted to understand the collective impact of these less visible forms of bias, but data were hard to come by. Bias doesn’t happen once or twice; it happens day after day, week after week. To explore the aggregate impact of routine gender bias over time, I teamed up with Kenny Joseph, a computer science professor at the University at Buffalo, and a graduate student there, Yuhao Du, to create a computer simulation of a workplace. We call our simulated workplace “NormCorp.” Here’s how it works.

NormCorp is a simple company. Employees do projects, either alone or in pairs. These succeed or fail, which affects a score we call “promotability.” Twice a year, employees go through performance reviews, and the top scorers at each level are promoted to the next level.

NormCorp employees are affected by the kinds of gender bias that are endemic in the workplace. Women’s successful solo projects are valued slightly less than men’s , and their successful joint projects with men accrue them less credit . They are also penalized slightly more when they fail . Occasional “stretch” projects have outsize rewards, but as in the real world, women’s potential is underrecognized compared with men’s, so they must have a greater record of past successes to be assigned these projects. A fraction of women point out the unfairness and are then penalized for the perception that they are “self-promoting.” And as the proportion of women decreases, those that are left face more stereotyping .

We simulated 10 years of promotion cycles happening at NormCorp based on these rules, and here is how women’s representation changed over time.

Simulation of Normcorp promotions over 10 years, with female performance undervalued by 3 percent

Simulation results over time

These biases have all been demonstrated across various professional fields. One working paper study of over 500,000 physician referrals showed that women surgeons receive fewer referrals after successful outcomes than male surgeons. Women economists are less likely to receive tenure the more they co-author papers with men. An analysis at a large company found that women’s, as well as minority men’s, performance was effectively “discounted” compared with that of white men.

And women are penalized for straying from “feminine” personality traits. An analysis of real-world workplace performance evaluations found that more than three-quarters of women’s critical evaluations contained negative comments about their personalities, compared with 2 percent of men’s. If a woman whose contributions are overlooked speaks up, she may be labeled a self-promoter, and consequently face further obstacles to success . She may also become less motivated and committed to the organization . The American Bar Association found that 70 percent of women lawyers of color considered leaving or had left the legal profession entirely, citing being undervalued at work and facing barriers to advancement.

Our model does not take into account women, such as Lenore Blum, who quit their jobs after experiencing an unmanageable amount of bias. But it visualizes how these penalties add up over time for women who stay, so that by the time you reach more senior levels of management, there are fewer women left to promote. These factors not only prevent women from reaching the top ranks in their company but for those who do, it also makes the career path longer and more demanding.

Small change, big difference

Even a tiny increase in the amount of gender bias could lead to dramatic underrepresentation of women in leadership roles over time..

Women’s performance is valued 3 percent less

Women’s performance is valued 5 percent less

Half as many women at level 7 and

only 2 percent of women at C-suite.

Half as many women at level 7 and only 2 percent of women at C-suite.

Women’s performance is valued 3% less

Women’s performance is valued 5% less

When we dig into the trajectory of individual people in our simulation, stories begin to emerge. With just 3 percent bias, one employee — let’s call her Jenelle — starts in an entry-level position, and makes it to the executive level, but it takes her 17 performance review cycles (eight and a half years) to get there, and she needs 208 successful projects to make it. “William” starts at the same level but he gets to executive level much faster — after only eight performance reviews and half Jenelle’s successes at the time she becomes an executive.

Our model shows how large organizational disparities can emerge from many small, even unintentional biases happening frequently over a long period of time. Laws are often designed to address large events that happen infrequently and can be easily attributed to a single actor—for example, overt sexual harassment by a manager — or “pattern and practice” problems, such as discriminatory policies. But women’s progress is hindered even without one egregious incident, or an official policy that is discriminatory.

Women’s path to success might be longer and more demanding

Career paths for employees that reached level 7 by the end of the simulation..

successful projects

“William”

started at the entry-level and reached level 7 in 4 years.

It took “Jenelle”

8.5 years to get

to the same level.

Entry level

1 year of promotions

started at the entry-

level and reached level 7 in 4 years.

8.5 years to get to the same level.

It took “Jenelle” 8.5 years to get to the same level.

Gender bias takes on different dimensions depending on other intersecting aspects of a person’s identity, such as race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and more. Another American Bar Association study found that white women and men of color face similar hurdles to being seen as competent, but women of color face more than either group.

Backlash, too, plays out differently for women of different racial groups, points out Erika Hall, an Emory University management professor. A survey of hundreds of women scientists she helped conduct found that Asian American women reported the highest amount of backlash for self-promotion and assertive behavior. An experimental study by the social psychologist Robert Livingston and colleagues, meanwhile, found that white women are more penalized for demonstrating dominant behavior than Black women. Our model does not account for the important variations in bias that women of different races experience.

So what’s to be done? Diversity trainings are common in companies, educational institutions and health care settings, but these may not have much effect when it comes to employees’ career advancement. The sociologists Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev found that after mandatory diversity trainings, the likelihood that women and men of color became managers either stayed the same or decreased , possibly because of backlash. Some anti-bias trainings have been shown to change behavior, but any approach needs to be evaluated, as psychologist Betsy Levy Paluck has said, “on the level of rigorous testing of medical interventions.”

We also explored a paradox. Research shows that in many fields, a greater proportion of men correlates with more bias against women . At the same time, in fields or organizations where women make up the majority, men can still experience a “glass escalator,” being fast-tracked to senior leadership roles. School superintendents, who work in the women-dominated field of education but are more likely to be men, are one example. To make sense of this, we conceptualized bias at work as a combination of both organizational biases that can be influenced by organizational makeup and larger societal biases.

What we found was that if societal biases are strong compared with those in the organization, a powerful but brief intervention may have only a short-term impact. In our simulation, we tested this by introducing quotas — requiring that the majority of promotions go to women — in the context of low, moderate, or no societal bias. We made the quotas time-limited, as real world efforts to combat bias often take the form of short-term interventions.

Our quotas changed the number of women at upper levels of the corporate hierarchy in the short term, and in turn decreased the gender biases against women rising through the company ranks. But when societal biases were still a persistent force, disparities eventually returned, and the impact of the intervention was short-lived.

Quotas may not be enough

In the presence of societal biases, the effect of a short-term program of quotas disappears over time..

Societal bias has moderate effect

100% of executives

Quotas are introduced. 70% of all promotions go to women.

Majority of executives are men

YEARS OF PROMOTIONS

Societal bias has no effect

Equal representation

representation

What works? Having managers directly mentor and sponsor women improves their chance to rise. Insisting on fair, transparent and objective criteria for promotions and assignments is essential, so that decisions are not ambiguous and subjective, and goal posts aren’t shifting and unwritten. But the effect of standardizing criteria, too, can be limited, because decision-makers can always override these decisions and choose their favored candidates.

Ultimately, I found in my research for the book, the mindset of leaders plays an enormous role. Interventions make a difference, but only if leaders commit to them. One law firm I profiled achieved 50 percent women equity partners through a series of dramatic moves, from overhauling and standardizing promotion criteria, to active sponsorship of women, to a zero-tolerance policy for biased behavior. In this case, the chief executive understood that bias was blocking the company from capturing all the available talent. Leaders who believe that the elimination of bias is essential to the functioning of the organization are more likely to take the kind of active, aggressive, and long-term steps needed to root out bias wherever it may creep into decision making.

Gender Discrimination 101: Meaning, Examples, Ways to Take Action

Every day around the world, gender discrimination impacts girls, women, and anyone who doesn’t fit into society’s idea of what a “man” and “woman” should be. Discrimination threatens a person’s access to career opportunities, good healthcare, housing, justice, safety and much more. In this article, we’ll explore the basics of gender discrimination, including what it means, what it can look like and how you can take action to end it.

Gender discrimination is the unjust and unequal treatment of individuals and groups based on gender. It primarily affects girls and women, but because it’s based on restrictive gender norms and prejudices, it hurts everyone. The gender pay gap, job segregation and gender-based violence are just a few examples of gender discrimination. 

What is gender discrimination?

Gender discrimination is the act of giving unequal rights, treatment and opportunities to a person or a group based on their gender. Anyone can be the target of gender discrimination, but girls and women are primarily affected. As the “inferior sex,” the needs and interests of girls and women have been systematically oppressed and dismissed for centuries. Entrenched prejudices, restrictive gender norms and institutionalized discrimination have led to widespread gender inequality.

Gender discrimination impacts every area of society. According to the UN, there are 122 women aged 25-34 living in extreme poverty, compared to every 100 men from the same age group. In power and leadership, there are wide gaps. The next generation of women will spend, on average, 2.3 more hours every day on unpaid work and domestic work compared to men. On a global level, women hold only 26.7% of seats in parliament, 35.5% in local government and 28.2% in management positions. Without increased investments and commitment to gender equality, it could take the world about 300 years to achieve gender parity.

Do you think good information on gender discrimination and how to combat it is easy to find and understand? 

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What can gender discrimination look like?

Gender discrimination is a multifaceted system of oppression touching every area of society. Here are seven examples of what it can look like:

Paying someone less because of their gender 

Around the world, women are paid less than men for doing comparable work. In the United States, the gender pay gap has changed very little even as the problem gets increased attention. According to Pew Research, women earned about 80% as much as men in 2002, while in 2022, they earned 82% . That same year, the World Bank found that out of 178 countries, just 95 protect equal pay for equal work. Gender discrimination also factors into how certain types of work are undervalued. Returning to the United States as an example, research from the Economic Policy Institute found that 2.2 million domestic workers are underpaid, three times as likely to live in poverty than other workers and unprotected by labor laws. 90.2% of those domestic workers were women, specifically Black, Hispanic, or Asian American and Pacific Islander women.

Segregating types of work based on gender

The prevalence of women in underpaid and unprotected domestic work is an example of gendered job segregation. Job segregation leads to male domination in fields like engineering and construction, while women tend to fill jobs in domestic work, nursing, teaching and other “feminine” careers. Employers rarely say they only want men or women applying to certain jobs, but discrimination takes many forms. In a report on the “glass ceilings” women encounter in business, the International Labour Organization describes how gender bias , which affects how women and men are viewed, leads to men getting more responsibility and promotions over women. This applies even when men and women have similar skills and experience. According to the Center for American Progress, when a marginalized group – like women – is overrepresented in a job field, it leads to reduced wages and worse working conditions for everyone in that field.

Purposely misgendering someone

Cisgender women and girls aren’t the only people affected by gender discrimination. Trans people, which includes trans women, trans men, non-binary people and others, are often targeted. Intentional misgendering is just one form of discrimination. What does it mean? Misgendering is when a person uses the wrong pronoun for someone, e.g. calling someone “she” when they use “he/him” pronouns. When someone is repeatedly corrected and still insists on using the wrong pronoun, that’s discrimination. Whether or not misgendering breaks a law depends on where you live. In Canada, the Ontario Human Rights Code added protection for gender identity and expression in 2012. The law now recognizes misgendering as a form of discrimination, especially in areas covered by the Code, like employment, housing and educational services.

Discriminating against someone for becoming pregnant

According to global data from 2021, 38 out of 190 economies don’t protect women from being fired for being pregnant. Even in places that do provide legal remedies, the discrimination continues, but it’s more subtle. The United States has three federal laws that protect job applicants and employees, but in a 2019 New York Times article, journalists found that some of the country’s biggest companies were engaging in discrimination. Pregnant women were passed over for promotions and raises, and fired when they complained. In jobs that included physical labor, like lifting heavy boxes, pregnant women were not given reasonable accommodations like rest or extra water. Because pregnancy primarily impacts women, pregnancy discrimination is a form of gender discrimination that limits job opportunities, access to justice and so on.

Sexually harassing someone in the workplace

Everyone deserves a safe workplace free from discrimination. Unfortunately, work is often a place where people’s rights are threatened. According to a global analysis, almost 23% of people experience physical, psychological or sexual violence and harassment at work. Women are more likely to share their experiences than men and more likely to report sexual harassment, but regardless of a person’s gender, harassment in the workplace is discrimination. Because many people never report the harassment they’ve faced, the true numbers are likely much higher. Protections vary by country, but in the United States, harassment can include requests for sexual favors, making unwanted sexual remarks and making unwelcome sexual advances. The law also defines harassment as “offensive remarks about a person’s sex.” It doesn’t need to be overtly sexual. Sexual harassment can involve anyone, including two people of the same gender.

Ending gender discrimination is critical to achieving gender equality. Check out this article on what gender equality is.

Limiting educational opportunities because of gender

Whether or not someone gets a good education has a huge impact on the rest of their life. According to the World Bank, every extra year of schooling results in a 9% increase in hourly earnings , while it also improves economic growth, innovation and social cohesion. Girls have historically been restricted from educational opportunities, but while there’s been significant progress, the gap isn’t closed yet. UNICEF estimates that about 129 million girls aren’t in school. Strict gender norms about girls, motherhood, and work factor into why many girls aren’t educated, but conflict, poor hygiene and sanitation at schools, and poverty are responsible, too. Discrimination isn’t always intentional, but when girls and women are the ones primarily not getting an education, it still counts.

Inflicting violence based on gender 

Gender-based violence is the most deadly form of gender discrimination. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women around the world experience physical and/or sexual violence, usually inflicted by an intimate partner. The intentional murder of women and girls, known as “femicide,” is prevalent globally. 2022 marked the highest number of total intentional femicides. Transgender and gender-nonconforming people are also targeted. In 2023, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation reported yet another year of disproportionate killings of trans people . Most victims were young people of color, specifically Black trans women. Accurate numbers are hard to come by as killings are underreported. Misgendering by police and the media also makes it hard to identify victims.

How can you take action against gender discrimination?

Gender discrimination may feel embedded in society, but we can take action against it. Here are three ways:

Create safe spaces where people can talk about gender discrimination

It’s difficult to get a full picture of gender discrimination because talking about it is still so stigmatized. In some places, talking about topics like workplace harassment, sexual assault and intimate partner violence can put people’s jobs and even physical safety in jeopardy. One of the best things you can do is create and protect spaces where it’s safe to talk about discrimination. These spaces empower people to share their stories, support each other, collaborate and build networks that make real change in their communities. Spaces like survivor groups, internet safety classes, self-defense classes and so on can be good forums.

Support women’s organizations

Many governments are working to improve gender equality, but their current efforts aren’t enough. There are many NGOs around the world addressing poverty, children’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights and other issues that connect to gender discrimination. You can support these organizations by donating money, volunteering your time, sharing campaigns or applying for jobs. If you’re interested in establishing your own NGO focused on gender discrimination, here’s our article on how to start an NGO .

Increase leadership and economic opportunities for women

The gap between male and female leadership, economic and political opportunities is still quite wide. You can take action by focusing your efforts on things that empower girls and women, such as education, healthcare, mentorship and training, childcare, workplace protections and so on. When women are empowered, everyone benefits, including men, families and children. To learn more about women’s empowerment, check out this list of eight classes available online.

Need more ideas on how to stop gender discrimination? Check out our article here.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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• v.54(Suppl 2); 2019 Dec

Gender discrimination in the United States: Experiences of women

Gillian k. steelfisher.

1 Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston Massachusetts

Mary G. Findling

Sara n. bleich, logan s. casey, robert j. blendon, john m. benson, justin m. sayde, carolyn miller.

2 Research, Evaluation, and Learning Unit, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton New Jersey

Associated Data

To examine reported experiences of gender discrimination and harassment among US women.

Data Source and Study Design

Data come from a nationally representative, probability‐based telephone survey of 1596 women, conducted January‐April 2017.

We calculated the percentages of women reporting gender discrimination and harassment in several domains, including health care. We used logistic regression to examine variation in experiences among women by race/ethnicity and sexual orientation/gender identity.

Principal Findings

Sizable fractions of women experience discrimination and harassment, including discrimination in health care (18 percent), equal pay/promotions (41 percent), and higher education (20 percent). In adjusted models, Native American, black, and Latina women had higher odds than white women of reporting gender discrimination in several domains, including health care. Latinas’ odds of health care avoidance versus whites was (OR [95% CI]) 3.69 (1.59, 8.58), while blacks’ odds of discrimination in health care visits versus whites was 2.00 [1.06, 3.74]. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) women had higher odds of reporting sexual harassment (2.16 [1.06, 4.40]) and violence (2.71 [1.43, 5.16]) against themselves or female family members than non‐LGBTQ women.

Conclusions

Results suggest that discrimination and harassment are widely experienced by women across multiple domains of their lives, particularly those who are a racial/ethnic minority or LGBTQ. Further policy and programmatic efforts beyond current legal protections for women are needed to meaningfully reduce these negative experiences, as they impact women's health care and their lives overall.

1. INTRODUCTION

The prominence of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have heightened public awareness of discrimination, sexual assault, and harassment against women in the United States. 1 While this is an important step in bringing visibility to these issues, these movements were popularized largely by anecdotal experiences of celebrities, with an emphasis on the impact for their careers. In order to identify appropriate policies that address discrimination for the larger public and to support related health outcomes, it is critical to examine and document experiences of discrimination among a broader swath of women and across a broader spectrum of life domains, including health. It is particularly important to examine the experience of women at risk for multiple types of discrimination, including racial/ethnic minority women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) women.

Evidence about the negative health effects of gender discrimination is grounded in a strong body of literature, showing that the gender‐based discrimination and harassment that women experience in the workplace affect their physical and mental health, as well as their economic opportunities. 2 , 3 , 4 Such discrimination and harassment further contribute to gender inequalities in health. 5 , 6 Research has also shown there is gender‐based discrimination against women in health care interactions and gender bias in medicine, which can have negative health impacts. 7 , 8 , 9

Evidence about the health impact of gender discrimination is supported indirectly by literature documenting the relationship between racial/ethnic discrimination and negative health outcomes. 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 These studies suggest that the experience of discrimination—be it institutional (eg, health care) or interpersonal (eg, microaggressions)—increases the body's stress response over time, and that discrimination is linked to a range of poor health‐related behaviors, mental health outcomes, and physical health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and mortality. 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 Experiencing gender discrimination may negatively impact women's health through parallel mechanisms, that is, through both psychological and physiological stress responses and health behaviors that lead to worse health outcomes. 15 , 16 Research in the field also suggests that women who are racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately exposed to discrimination and are also more likely to experience health effects of discrimination. 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 Similarly, women who identify as LGBTQ are at higher risk for experiencing discrimination than their non‐LGBTQ counterparts. 20 , 21

While older studies document gender discrimination in discrete areas of women's lives (eg, the workplace), increasing evidence about the health risks of discrimination suggests an updated examination across a broader range of areas is warranted. 2 , 6 , 14 , 22 The purpose of this specific study is twofold: (a) to document the prevalence of gender discrimination against women across multiple institutional and interpersonal domains, including health care, education, employment, housing, political participation, police and the criminal justice system, slurs, microaggressions, harassment, and violence; and (b) to examine the variation in discrimination experiences of racial/ethnic minority women and LGBTQ women. This study brings a public health perspective to the complexity and pervasiveness of discrimination in the United States today alongside complementary articles in this issue of Health Services Research . It was conducted as part of a larger survey fielded in 2017 to understand nationally representative experiences of discrimination against several different groups in America today, including blacks, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, women, and LGBTQ people.

2.1. Study design and sample

Data were obtained from a nationally representative, probability‐based telephone (cell and landline) survey of US adults, conducted from January 26 to April 9, 2017. The survey was jointly designed by Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and National Public Radio. SSRS administered the survey. Because Harvard researchers were not directly involved in data collection and de‐identified datasets were used for analysis, the study was determined to be “not human subjects research” by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Office of Human Research Administration.

The full survey sample included 3453 US adults aged 18 years and older, and this paper examines the subsample of 1596 US women. The completion rate for this survey was 74 percent among respondents who answered initial demographic screening questions, with a 10 percent overall response rate, calculated based on the American Association for Public Opinion Research's (AAPOR) RR3 formula. 23 Because data from this study were drawn from a probability sample and used the best available sampling and weighting practices in polling methods (eg, 68 percent of interviews were conducted by cell phone, and 32 percent were conducted via landline), they are expected to provide accurate results consistent with surveys with higher response rates 24 , 25 and are therefore reliably generalizable to the broader population of US women, within a margin of error of ± 4.6 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence interval. See Benson, Ben‐Porath, and Casey (2019) for a further description of the survey methodology. 26

2.2. Survey instrument

Polling questions were developed using AAPOR best practices for survey research, after conducting a review of available survey questions on discrimination. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 10 , 11 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 27 The questionnaire was reviewed by external experts for bias, balance, and comprehension, and it was pretested in the field before it was conducted among the full sample. 26 The poll asked about women's experiences of discrimination, including harassment. We conceptualized gender discrimination as differential or unfair treatment of individuals based on their self‐identification as a woman/female. We include discrimination that is “institutional,” meaning propagated by social institutions (based on laws, policies, institutions, and related behavior of individuals who work in or control these laws, policies, or institution) or “interpersonal,” meaning propagated by individuals (based on beliefs, words, and behavior). 11 , 27 , 28 We analyzed 17 questions from the survey, covering six interpersonal and six institutional areas of discrimination that women may face (question wording in Appendix S1 ). Institutional areas included employment, education, health care, housing, political participation, and police and courts. Interpersonal areas included gender‐based slurs, microaggressions, sexual harassment, being threatened or nonsexually harassed, and violence. We also examined two areas in which concerns about discrimination might prevent women from taking potentially needed action: seeking health or police services. We examined discrimination in domains previously demonstrated to be associated with health (eg, health care interactions), 8 , 9 as well as domains outside health services research (eg, police interactions), to capture a wide range of possible discriminatory experiences across women's lives. Questions were only asked among a random half sample of respondents in order to maximize the number of questions (and thus dimensions of discrimination considered) while limiting the survey length and time burden for any individual respondent. Questions were only asked of relevant subgroups (eg, questions about college only asked among women who had ever applied to or attended college). Questions about harassment, violence, and avoiding institutions for fear of discrimination were asked about yourself or family members because of the sensitive nature of the topic and prior literature demonstrating that vicariously experiencing stress (eg, through discrimination experienced by family members) can directly and adversely affect individuals. 29

2.3. Statistical analyses

We first calculated the prevalence of all women who reported that they had ever experienced gender discrimination in each of the domains. Second, we generated bivariate statistics to assess whether women in racial/ethnic minority groups or women in a sexual and/or gender minority (LGBTQ) were more likely to experience gender discrimination. For race/ethnicity, women self‐identified with one of the following mutually exclusive groups: white (reference group); Hispanic or Latina; black; Asian; American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native American; or Other. If respondents identified as Latina and another race, interviewers asked if they identified more with being Hispanic/Latina (coded as Latina) or more with the other race (coded as the other race). For sexual orientation and/or gender identity, women were classified as LGBTQ if they identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer, or if they identified as transgender or genderqueer/gender nonconforming. Women were classified as non‐LGBTQ if they self‐identified as heterosexual/straight and female gender, and did not identify as transgender or genderqueer/gender nonconforming. Using pairwise t tests of differences in proportions, we made uncontrolled comparisons of the percentage of women reporting discrimination between racial/ethnic minority and white women, as well as between LGBTQ and non‐LGBTQ women. Differences achieving statistical significance at P  < .05 are discussed in the results.

To give further consideration as to whether race/ethnicity or LGBTQ status is a driver of these associations, we then conducted logistic regression models to assess whether reporting discrimination remained significantly associated with race/ethnicity or sexual orientation/gender identity after controlling for the following possible confounders: age (18‐29, 30‐49, 50‐64, 65+); self‐reported household income (<$25 000, $25 000‐<$50 000, $50 000‐<$75 000, $75 000+), education (less than college degree or college graduate), and, for health care questions only, current health insurance status (uninsured, Medicaid insured, non‐Medicaid insured). Finally, we examined whether each sociodemographic variable was significantly associated with experiencing discrimination across domains in order to consider other possible drivers of gender discrimination.

To compensate for known biases in telephone surveys (eg, nonresponse bias) and variations in probability of selection within and across households, sample data were weighted by household size and composition, cell phone/landline use, and demographics (age, education, race/ethnicity, and Census region) to reflect the true population distribution of women in the country. Other techniques, including random‐digit dialing, replicate subsamples, and random selection of a respondent within a household, were used to ensure that the sample is representative. All analyses were conducted using STATA version 15.0 (StataCorp), and all tests accounted for the variance introduced by weighted data.

Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of this nationally representative sample of women are displayed in Table ​ Table1. 1 . A majority were white (65 percent), 15 percent were Hispanic/Latina, 13 percent were black, 6 percent were Asian, and 1 percent were Native American. About nine in ten women (89 percent) identified as non‐LGBTQ, 7 percent identified as LGBTQ, and 4 percent refused to answer sexual orientation/gender identity questions.

Weighted characteristics of a nationally representative sample of women in the United States, overall and by race/ethnicity and sexual orientation/gender identity a

Sizeable fractions reported personally experiencing institutional discrimination across all domains of life examined. For example, about one in five women (18 percent) reported gender‐based discrimination when going to a doctor or health clinic, while more than four in 10 (41 percent) reported such discrimination in obtaining equal pay or being considered for promotions, and 31 percent reported discrimination in applying for jobs. Approximately one‐fifth experienced discrimination in applying to or while attending college (20 percent), and a similar fraction experienced discrimination trying to rent a room/apartment or buy a house (16 percent) or in interacting with the police (15 percent).

Sizable fractions of women reported experiencing interpersonal discrimination personally or within their family: 37 percent reported that they or female family members have experienced sexual harassment, and 29 percent said they or female family members have been threatened or nonsexually harassed. More than a fifth (21 percent) said they or family members experienced violence because they are women.

Concerns that they would experience discrimination also prevented some women from taking action to protect themselves: 9 percent reported that they have avoided the doctor or seeking health care for themselves or their family, and the same percentage (9 percent) reported that they have avoided calling the police or other authority figures, even when in need.

Looking at uncontrolled comparisons across racial/ethnic groups, black, Native American, and Hispanic/Latina women were more likely to report discrimination than white women in several domains (Table ​ (Table2). 2 ). In particular, Native American women were dramatically more likely to than white women to report sexual harassment (62 vs 42 percent, P  < .03), threats or nonsexual harassment (58 vs 31 percent, P  < .01), and gender‐based violence (58 vs 21 percent, P  < .01) against themselves or a female family member. They were also more likely to avoid health care because of concerns about gender‐based discrimination or poor treatment (27 vs 7 percent, P  < .02). Asian women, and in a few cases Hispanic/Latina women, were less likely to report discrimination than white women in some domains.

Differences in percent of women reporting gender discrimination, by race/ethnicity and sexual orientation/gender identity a

There were also differences between LGBTQ and non‐LGBTQ women's experiences of discrimination and harassment. LGBTQ women were more likely than non‐LGBTQ women to report gender discrimination when it comes to being paid equally or considered for promotions (61 vs 40 percent, P  < .01). When it comes to interpersonal discrimination against themselves or female family members, they were more likely to report sexual harassment (65 vs 36 percent, P  < .01), being threatened or nonsexually harassed (48 vs. 28 percent, P  < .01), and experiencing violence (42 vs 20 percent, P  < .01).

After we controlled for potential sociodemographic confounders in logistic regression models, many of the racial/ethnic and sexual orientation/gender identity differences persisted, and six emerged (see Tables ​ Tables3 3 and ​ and4 4 for detailed results). Notably, the odds of Native American women reporting discrimination were significantly higher than white women across nine domains, while the odds of Latina and black women were higher than whites in two and three domains, respectively. Notably, Asian women had lower odds than whites for reporting discrimination in seven domains, and all racial/ethnic minority women had lower odds of reporting sexual harassment compared to white women (Table ​ (Table4 4 ).

Odds of reporting personal experiences of gender discrimination across institutional domains among a nationally representative sample of US women

Abbreviations: CI, Confidence Interval; OR, Odds Ratio.

Odds of reporting interpersonal experiences of gender discrimination across domains among a nationally representative sample of US women

As in uncontrolled comparisons, adjusted models showed that LGBTQ women had higher odds of reporting gender discrimination in obtaining equal pay and promotions, sexual harassment, and violence compared to their non‐LGBTQ counterparts.

Several additional sociodemographic characteristics in the models were associated with discrimination. In both health care domains, uninsured women also had significantly higher odds of reporting gender discrimination than women with non‐Medicaid insurance. College‐educated women had significantly higher odds of reporting discrimination across both health care domains and all interpersonal domains compared to women without a college education. Women ages 18‐29 had significantly higher odds of reporting discrimination in most interpersonal domains compared to women 30 and over.

4. DISCUSSION

This study presents strong evidence that US women report widespread discrimination and harassment. This continuing evidence of reported systemic institutional and interpersonal discrimination against women suggests that additional policies and programs are needed to eliminate discrimination at the population level beyond legal protections already in place (eg, through the 19th amendment and Title IX ) and, subsequently, address negative health consequences associated with these experiences. Several findings are particularly relevant to consideration for those working to develop, implement, and evaluate policies addressing gender discrimination in the United States.

First, results confirm that many women experience interpersonal and institutional gender discrimination not only within the workplace, but also across a wide spectrum of other domains, including health care, higher education, housing, and the legal system. Our findings raise a host of concerns not only about gender discrimination within these individual domains, but also across them. While it is beyond the scope of our results to promote specific policies or practices to end gender discrimination in the United States, these results make clear that future work needs to consider the interrelated experiences of discrimination across multiple facets of women's lives.

Second, findings related to the experiences of gender discrimination within the health care arena suggest focused attention is needed here. It is alarming that one in five women report discrimination in their clinical experience and one in ten report avoiding care. It may be important to develop policies specific to the complexities of medical decision making, with recognition that gender inequalities in the underlying clinical evidence base may play a role in how decision making occurs in the clinical setting. 30 Further, given that both Latina and black women report higher odds of gender discrimination in health care, policies may need to account for the needs of these groups of women particularly. 9

Third, the evidence points to persistent experiences of gender discrimination and harassment against women in racial/ethnic minorities even outside health care. Our findings of discrimination and harassment among Native American women in particular were striking, as a majority reported personally experiencing gender discrimination in obtaining equal pay or promotions and that they or female family members had experienced both sexual and nonsexual harassment, as well as violence. These results are consistent with other findings of high incidence of violence, sexual violence, abuse, and assault against Native American women. They are especially troubling given further evidence that the high prevalence of historical and current trauma that Native American women experience has resulted in substantially worse health outcomes. 31 , 32 Findings are also consistent with prior evidence that Native American women avoid health care systems they do not perceive as culturally safe. 32 These findings raise important concerns about relevant gender discrimination policy for Native American women specifically, as well as broader considerations of policy support for women who are at risk of multiple and compounded types of discrimination based on their race/ethnicity and gender.

Fourth, we note that women who identified as LGBTQ were more likely to experience gender discrimination in work and more likely to experience (directly or through family) interpersonal discrimination including sexual harassment and violence. This adds to existing evidence that LGBTQ women experience high rates of sexual violence 33 and provides additional evidence about the experience of discrimination across multiple dimensions of their lives. Policies to guard against anti‐LGBTQ discrimination may need to consider the multiple and potentially compounded types of discrimination that LGBTQ women specifically face in these arenas.

Notably, our findings of greater reported interpersonal discrimination among college‐educated women are consistent with other literature showing positive associations between socioeconomic status and reported discrimination among racial/ethnic minorities. 27 , 34 However, it is unclear whether this relationship is driven by unequal exposures (eg, greater contact with institutions where women may experience discrimination/harassment) or differential reporting (eg, higher likelihood of recognizing and/or self‐reporting discrimination/harassment).

4.1. Limitations

Our results should be interpreted considering several limitations. First, although we assessed perspectives across a broad range of settings, we only examined a subset of types of discrimination and harassment that women may experience, and thus, we cannot speak to the full scope of discrimination. Second, we assessed whether women have or have not experienced any types of discrimination, without regard to timing or severity. This limits the ability to detect current levels experienced and instead focuses on lifetime experiences. However, lifetime experiences remain valid measures of discrimination, as discriminatory experiences may have long‐term effects on behavior or health. 3 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 Third, we note that many forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment and violence, are often under‐reported—particularly on surveys administered by an interviewer, such as in this study. 35 Prior research has also found that women are often reluctant to label offensive experiences as “harassment.” 22 To overcome the challenge of sensitive topic areas, we asked whether “you or someone in your family who is also female” had experienced gendered harassment or violence. Nonetheless, respondents may have not been comfortable answering these questions over the phone and also may have interpreted questions differently based on varying backgrounds and expectations. Women may also face multiple types of discrimination simultaneously based on intersecting parts of their social identities (eg, based on both gender and race). 17 It is not always possible for women to disentangle the reasons they face discrimination, so restricting analyses to only gender‐based discrimination may result in underreporting of discrimination by some respondents, and this may be different across women of different racial/ethnic or LGBTQ identities. Questions about discrimination based on race/ethnicity and LGBTQ identity are examined separately in other articles in this issue. Fourth, nonresponse bias is a concern in public opinion surveys, though evidence suggests that low response rates do not bias results if the survey sample is representative of the study population. 24 , 25 Recent research has shown that such surveys, when based on probability samples and weighted using US Census parameters, yield accurate estimates in most cases when compared with both objective measures and higher response surveys. 24 , 25 , 36 , 37 For instance, a recent study showed that across fourteen different demographic and personal characteristics, the average difference between government estimates from high‐response rate surveys and a Pew Research Center poll with a response rate similar to this poll was 3 percentage points. 24 However, it is still possible that some selection bias may remain that is related to the experiences being measured. Finally, we note that this survey was conducted before the viral October 2017 #MeToo movement, catalyzed by 80 women accusing film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment and abuse. 38 This movement may have increased the salience of issues and increased subsequent self‐reported sexual harassment, so results from this study may be considered lower bound estimates of self‐reported gender‐based sexual harassment. 1 , 39

Despite these limitations, this study design was strengthened by its probability sampling design and by the breadth of questions asked on gender discrimination across institutions and interpersonally. It allowed us to examine reported experiences of gender discrimination and harassment among women. Most of the limitations suggest that our findings may underreport the experiences of discrimination and harassment, and thus, our results can be considered a lower bound estimate of gender discrimination and harassment in the United States today. We may also underreport the added burden of discrimination against women who are racial/ethnic minorities or LGBTQ. In the end, our findings further support the need for policy and programmatic efforts beyond current legal protections for women to reduce gender discrimination and harassment in order to improve women's health and well‐being.

5. CONCLUSIONS

Far beyond isolated cases, women report experiencing widespread discrimination across many areas of their lives with public, private, or governmental institutions—including in health care, the workplace, and higher education, as well as in personal interactions through gender slurs, microaggressions, and harassment. Women's experiences of discrimination vary widely by racial/ethnic background, LGBTQ identity, and other sociodemographic factors, with Native American women experiencing particularly high rates of gender discrimination and harassment across multiple areas of their lives. Evidence here amplifies findings from other papers in this journal issue on the multidimensional nature of gender discrimination in the United States, which impact women's health care and their lives overall. Major institutional changes in policy and programs should address these issues on a larger scale to combat systematic gender discrimination in the United States in all its facets.

Supporting information

Acknowledgments.

Joint Acknowledgment/Disclosure Statement : This work was supported by Grant #73713 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Dr. SteelFisher's husband has done work for Eli Lilly in the past five years and has minority ownership in a company that does work for Eli Lilly. Some readers may wish to know all healthcare‐related financial relationships of the authors.

SteelFisher GK, Findling MG, Bleich SN, et al. Gender discrimination in the United States: Experiences of women . Health Serv Res . 2019; 54 :1442–1453. 10.1111/1475-6773.13217 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

Essay on Gender Discrimination

Students are often asked to write an essay on Gender Discrimination in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Gender Discrimination

Understanding gender discrimination.

Gender discrimination refers to the unjust treatment of individuals based on their gender. It occurs when people are treated less favorably because they are male or female.

Forms of Gender Discrimination

This discrimination can take many forms. It can be seen in the workplace with unequal pay or opportunities. In schools, it may manifest as biased treatment or stereotyping.

Effects of Gender Discrimination

The effects of gender discrimination are harmful. It can lead to a lack of self-esteem, depression, and reduced opportunities for those affected.

Combating Gender Discrimination

To combat gender discrimination, we need to promote equality, challenge stereotypes, and encourage respect for all genders.

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250 Words Essay on Gender Discrimination

Introduction.

Gender discrimination, also known as sex discrimination, involves treating an individual unfavorably due to their gender. It is a pervasive issue that transcends geographical boundaries and socio-economic contexts, affecting individuals and societies at large.

Manifestations of Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination manifests in diverse ways, including disparities in education, employment, and healthcare. Women, for instance, often experience wage gaps, occupational segregation, and limited access to education. On the other hand, men may encounter bias in child custody cases or in sectors traditionally dominated by women.

The Impact of Gender Discrimination

The impact of gender discrimination is far-reaching. It stifles economic growth, hampers social progress, and undermines human rights. Gender discrimination can also perpetuate harmful stereotypes, leading to a cycle of inequality that can span generations.

Addressing Gender Discrimination

Addressing gender discrimination requires a multi-faceted approach. Legal frameworks should be implemented and enforced to protect individuals against discrimination. Additionally, educational campaigns can help challenge harmful stereotypes and promote gender equality.

In conclusion, gender discrimination is a pressing issue that demands our collective attention and action. By promoting gender equality, we can create more inclusive societies that value and respect the rights of all individuals, regardless of their gender.

500 Words Essay on Gender Discrimination

Introduction: understanding gender discrimination.

Gender discrimination, a pervasive societal issue, refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It manifests in various areas of life, from employment and education to health care and personal relationships. This essay delves into the roots of gender discrimination, its implications, and potential solutions.

The Roots of Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination originates from deep-seated cultural norms and stereotypes. Societies often have preconceived notions about the roles and behaviors appropriate for different genders. These stereotypes, perpetuated through generations, contribute to the discrimination faced by those who do not conform.

For instance, women are often expected to be nurturing, emotional, and submissive, while men are perceived as strong, rational, and dominant. Such binary perceptions not only limit individual potential but also create an environment ripe for discrimination.

Implications of Gender Discrimination

The implications of gender discrimination are far-reaching and multifaceted. In the workplace, it often results in unequal pay and limited opportunities for advancement. According to the World Economic Forum, it could take another 257 years to close the economic gender gap at the current pace of change.

In education, gender discrimination can lead to unequal access to education and resources. Girls, particularly in developing countries, are often denied education due to societal norms favoring boys’ education.

In healthcare, women often face discrimination, leading to inadequate healthcare services. For instance, women’s pain is often taken less seriously than men’s, leading to misdiagnosis or under-treatment.

Addressing gender discrimination requires a multi-pronged approach. Firstly, legal measures should be implemented to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all genders. This includes laws against gender-based violence, policies for equal pay, and regulations ensuring equal access to education and healthcare.

Secondly, societal attitudes and stereotypes need to be challenged. This can be achieved through education and awareness campaigns that promote gender equality and challenge harmful stereotypes.

Finally, representation matters. Ensuring diverse representation in all areas of society, from politics to media, can challenge the status quo and promote a more balanced perception of gender roles.

Conclusion: Towards a Gender-Equal Society

Gender discrimination is a deeply ingrained societal issue with far-reaching implications. It is rooted in traditional gender roles and stereotypes, which limit individual potential and perpetuate inequality. Addressing this issue requires legal measures, societal change, and diverse representation. As we strive towards a more gender-equal society, it is crucial to challenge our perceptions and strive for equal rights and opportunities for all, regardless of gender.

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7 Solutions To Gender Discrimination & Inequality

Solutions To Gender Discrimination: Discrimination is defined as the act of rating a person or thing favorably or negatively based on their membership in a group, class, or category rather than their individual worth. It is simply described as refusing an individual or group admittance to a social service or institution based on specific characteristics. Gender discrimination is when people are treated unfairly because of their gender. This might involve giving a specific gender special treatment or marginalizing someone due to their gender identification.

Gender discrimination takes many forms, including unequal pay, sexual harassment, and limited or denied access to rights such as education and healthcare. Girls and women suffer the most detrimental repercussions of rigid gender norms and roles: they are more likely to be constrained in their freedom and movement, to be subjected to global levels of abuse and harassment, and to have fewer alternatives in how they conduct their lives. Both boys and men are impacted.

As a result of negative assumptions about what it means to be a man, boys and men are driven to act in severely limited ways. Boys who are socialized to have negative masculinities contribute to the unfairness and discrimination loop. When people are denied the freedom to choose their own path in life because of their gender, they are unable to attain their full potential.

Stopping gender discrimination on an individual level necessitates personal contemplation and a determination to change. There’s a lot we can do to make the world more gender-equal. The first step is to understand the core causes of gender disparity and to challenge prejudice when we see it.

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Table of Contents

Forms Of Gender Discrimination

1. Catcalling, sexual harassment : Harassment and catcalling on the street are two examples of how women’s freedom to move about their surroundings is constrained. The acceptability of harassment, as well as bystanders’ and authorities’ inactivity, perpetuates inequality and restricts women’s freedom.

2. Stereotypes about men and women at school and at work : Stereotypes are social expectations about how people should behave depending on their gender. Girls should, for example, stay at home and assist with housework and childcare, dress modestly, and refrain from going out late at night.

Gender stereotypes are frequently used to assess people. Due to the perceived male character of science and technology disciplines and leadership roles, these prejudices may sometimes flow over into school and work, where girls are less likely to be encouraged to pursue them.

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3. Poor representation and objectification : When a person is regarded as a commodity or an item without respect for their personality or dignity, this is known as objectification. It is typical in the media for women to be photoshopped and airbrushed, resulting in a greater focus and importance being placed on their exterior looks over their other abilities.

This has an impact on a girl’s body image, self-esteem, and, ultimately, the value she places on herself. Girls, on the other hand, are frequently misrepresented in entertainment and the media, reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes and conventional roles. Objectification must be exposed, and young women must be encouraged to tell their own stories, ones that represent their strength, potential, and variety.

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Solutions to Gender discrimination

1. Ensure that everyone has equitable access to education : Although there has been substantial progress in education equality, disparities still exist. According to the Global Gender Gap Report for 2020, 88 percent of girls and 91 percent of boys obtained primary education.

According to the 2021 estimate, closing the gap completely will take a little over 14 years at present rates of improvement. This is encouraging news, but the research also notes that quality varies depending on characteristics such as poverty and race.

2. Women should be given more influence in the workplace: In most businesses, males hold more high-level jobs than women. In many locations, the gender pay gap continues and connects with race and ethnicity. Offering paid leave and childcare, supporting more women in top jobs, and revising compensation are all ways to combat gender discrimination.

It’s also worth remembering that the Covid-19 epidemic had a significant impact on female equality in the workplace. Women quit their employment at a higher rate than males, owing to the fact that women are responsible for more childcare. According to Oxfam International, women lost around 64 million jobs (5 percent of all women’s occupations), while males lost 3.9 percent of their jobs.

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3. Strengthen legal safeguards : Gender discrimination has the potential to be fatal since it frequently leads to sexual harassment and assault. Domestic violence is very prevalent. According to the WHO, one-third of women aged 15 to 49 had been victims of physical and/or sexual violence in a relationship. The World Bank looked into if domestic violence laws is effective in 2021. They came to the conclusion that, while not the sole approach for protecting women, it is critical.

These rules must be implemented and strengthened as needed, particularly since the epidemic has caused an upsurge in violence. Economic inclusion legislation is also required. According to Women, Business, and the Law 2021, women in 190 economies have just 34% of the legal rights that men enjoy.

4. Prioritize reproductive rights : Sexuality and reproductive rights are often infringed. 218 million women in low-income countries desired to avoid pregnancy in 2019 but did not utilize a modern contraceptive method. 127 million of these women give birth each year, with the majority of them remaining unreported. Lack of reproductive care has a particularly negative impact on young people, making it considerably more difficult for them to obtain an education and pursue professional prospects.

Universal health coverage is an essential measure for protecting rights. Protecting reproductive rights also entails obtaining information on groups who have been historically marginalized, such as trans persons.

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5. Better medical treatment provision : Women, on average, receive inferior medical treatment than males. Many factors contribute to this, including the fact that more women live in poverty (and hence cannot afford better healthcare), medical practitioners may be biased towards women, and gender disparities exist in medical research.

Training medical professionals on gender prejudice (including racial bias and bias against trans people), improving research techniques and data gathering, and encouraging women, trans people, and non-binary persons to take leadership roles in health organizations are all examples of ways to improve healthcare. Poverty reduction and economic empowerment can also lead to improved health outcomes.

6. Better political representation : One of the most significant gender inequalities is in political representation. Only 26 women were Heads of State or Heads of Government in 24 nations as of September 2021. Women make up just 36% of the members in local deliberative organizations, according to statistics from 133 nations. Only two countries have hit the 50 percent mark. At this rate, achieving gender equality in the top positions of authority will take another 130 years.

Better political representation may be achieved by removing the intersectional hurdles that prevent women from entering politics, such as a lack of financing, increased domestic duties, and cultural/social prejudices. More political education can also aid women’s empowerment.

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7. Make the most disadvantaged people a priority : Gender discrimination has different effects on different people. Income level, color, ethnicity, and sexuality all create significant hurdles to safety, employment, reproductive rights, political representation, and other issues.

Gender discrimination will not be eradicated by a “ trickle-down ” approach that concentrates resources on more privileged groups. Prioritization should be given to those who are most marginalized and at danger.

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What Individuals Should do to Encourage Gender Equality

a. Don’t be afraid to speak out about your own personal experiences : It’s crucial to speak up about your personal discrimination experiences if you’re comfortable doing so. This might include calling attention to sexist statements made by friends or classmates, as well as reporting harassment on public transportation. It’s crucial to keep in mind that criticizing others might have negative consequences. People may respond negatively or aggressively when their beliefs are challenged, so if your instincts warn you that a situation is too dangerous, put your personal safety first.

When prejudice occurs, the best course of action is to notify an authority person, such as a member of the public transportation crew, or, if applicable, your instructor or supervisor. The more people are made aware of the problems, the more likely they are to intervene and contribute to the solution.

b. Discrimination in the media and advertising should be called out: If you come across articles that represent women and girls in a reductive or unjust way, write to advertisers, marketers, and media outlets.

Are there any gender prejudices in your school textbooks? Is there an advertisement in your city that objectifies women? Do women have fewer speaking roles in films you’ve seen? Find out who is to blame and write to them to express your concerns. You may also vote with your feet. Don’t promote entertainment that degrades women and girls and fails to reflect their genuine strength, potential, talent, and diversity.

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c. Encourage other activists : Joining forces with others is a fantastic approach to have a significant impact in the fight for gender equality. Local campaign organizations should be sought out. Join or found gender equality and female leadership societies at your school or institution.

There is power in numbers; the more people who speak up about a problem, the more likely they are to be heard. Aiding initiatives by other disadvantaged groups in raising their prominence is an important aspect of eradicating prejudice.

Girls from minority or indigenous communities, for example, may face both racism and sexism, while LGBTIQ+ people may face homophobia. Become their supporters and offer your support to their initiatives.

d. It’s fine not to speak out against prejudice every time you see it: As previously said, pointing out prejudice may be risky at times. It is not your only responsibility to make the world a better place. We’re all a part of the same thing. Gender disparity will not be eliminated by just altering how we interact with others and insisting that others do the same. Only if the institutions that impact our lives alter will we see lasting change.

Don’t be discouraged by these significant challenges; each modest accomplishment is a step closer to our common objective. Caring for ourselves allows us to continue to campaign for gender equality, so make sure you’re taking care of yourself.

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Gender imbalance is no exception to the rule that there is no such thing as a problem without a solution. It can, without a doubt, be solved and minimized. NGOs and activists, in addition to the government, play a major role in public education.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.

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Gender Discrimination Essay

Essay on gender discrimination:.

Gender inequality is a significant problem in modern culture. When someone is treated differently because of their gender, it is known as gender discrimination. Following the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , discrimination based on gender is outlawed in India. Here are a few sample essays on ‘gender discrimination’.

100 Words Essay On Gender Discrimination

Inequality between the sexes has been a significant societal problem in India for ages. Even in the 21st century, many places in India see the birth of a baby girl as something to be unhappy about. Gender inequality is one of the main reasons for India's enormous population since boys and girls are not provided the same opportunities. In some places, girls are barred from going to school. Inequality between the sexes has a negative impact not only on social conditions but also on economic conditions. Inequality between the sexes is reprehensible, and we must do all that is in our power to eradicate this problem of gender discrimination.

200 Words Essay On Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination refers to the unequal treatment of individuals based on their gender. This can manifest in a variety of ways, including in the workplace, in education, and in society more broadly.

In the workplace, women may be paid less than men for doing the same job, may be passed over for promotions, and may face harassment or discrimination from their colleagues or supervisors. This can lead to a lack of representation of women in leadership positions and a lack of economic security for women.

In education, girls may face discrimination in the form of lack of access to education, or may be encouraged to pursue certain subjects or careers that are traditionally seen as "female" rather than given the opportunity to pursue their own interests. This can limit their future opportunities and earnings potential.

Discrimination also happens in society, sometimes it's subtle, and sometimes it's overt. Women may be expected to conform to certain societal norms and stereotypes, such as being caretakers and homemakers, rather than being encouraged to pursue their own goals and aspirations. This can limit their ability to fully participate in society and contribute to a culture that values men over women.

Gender discrimination is a serious issue that affects individuals, families, and society as a whole. It is important for all of us to be aware of the ways in which discrimination can manifest and to actively work to dismantle discrimination in all its forms. This can include educating ourselves and others, supporting women-led initiatives, and advocating for policy changes that promote equality for all.

500 Words Essay On Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination in the workplace.

Gender discrimination in the workplace is a prevalent issue that affects both men and women, but women are disproportionately affected. Women often face discrimination in the form of unequal pay, lack of promotions, and harassment.

One high-profile example of gender discrimination in the workplace is the case of Ellen Pao, the former CEO of Reddit. Pao filed a lawsuit against her former employer, venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, for discrimination and retaliation. Pao alleged that she was passed over for promotions and subjected to harassment because of her gender. Although Pao ultimately lost the lawsuit, her case brought attention to the issue of gender discrimination in Silicon Valley and the tech industry more broadly.

Gender Discrimination In Education

Gender discrimination in education is another pervasive issue that affects both men and women. Girls, in particular, are often discouraged from pursuing certain subjects or careers that are traditionally seen as "male."

One example of this is the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) . Despite making up half of the workforce, women are underrepresented in STEM fields. According to studies, women make up just 28% of the science and engineering workforce.

This underrepresentation can be attributed to a variety of factors, including discrimination and bias in the education system and in the workplace. For example, girls may be encouraged to pursue "feminine" subjects like literature or art rather than maths or science. They may also face discrimination and harassment from their male peers and teachers. In some areas of India, most girls are not allowed to seek an education as their parents only see them as a ‘burden’ that is to be married off as soon as she is of the age.

Gender Discrimination in Society

Gender discrimination also occurs in society more broadly, where women are often expected to conform to certain societal norms and stereotypes. For example, women are often expected to be caretakers and homemakers rather than pursuing their own goals and aspirations.

One example of this is the "mommy tax," which refers to the financial penalties that mothers often face as a result of taking time off work to care for their children. According to studies, mothers are paid less than fathers and non-parents, and are more likely to live in poverty.

Another example is the "glass ceiling," which refers to the invisible barrier that prevents women from reaching the highest levels of leadership in their organisations. This can be attributed to a variety of factors, including discrimination and bias in the workplace.

Gender discrimination is a serious issue that affects individuals, families, and society as a whole. It is important for all of us to be aware of the ways in which discrimination can manifest and to actively work to dismantle discrimination in all its forms. This can include educating ourselves and others, supporting women-led initiatives, and advocating for policy changes that promote equality for all. It's important to call out discrimination when we see it and not to be complacent in order to achieve a fair and equal society for all.

Explore Career Options (By Industry)

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Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

Bio Medical Engineer

The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

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Data Analyst

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Geothermal Engineer

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Database Architect

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Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

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Underwriter

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Finance Executive

Product manager.

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Operations Manager

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Stock Analyst

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A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

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Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

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Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

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Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

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An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

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A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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Stop Gender Discrimination Essay – 500 Words

Table of Contents

Introduction

Gender discrimination is a pervasive issue that continues to undermine social justice and equality across the globe. To truly achieve gender equality, it is essential to take proactive steps to end gender discrimination. This essay explores strategies and actions that can be taken at various levels, including individual, societal, and governmental, to put an end to gender discrimination.

Promote Education and Awareness

Education is a powerful tool for challenging and dismantling gender stereotypes and discrimination. To end gender discrimination, we must:

Promote Gender-Neutral Education:  Schools and educational institutions should adopt gender-neutral curricula that challenge traditional gender roles and stereotypes. This includes teaching about the achievements and contributions of women throughout history.

Raise Awareness:  Conduct awareness campaigns to inform people about the negative impacts of gender discrimination on individuals and society as a whole.

Legislation and Policy Changes

Governments play a crucial role in ending gender discrimination by enacting and enforcing legislation that promotes gender equality:

Equal Pay Laws:  Implement and enforce laws that guarantee equal pay for equal work. Address pay disparities and promote transparency in salary structures.

Anti-Discrimination Laws:  Strengthen anti-discrimination laws that protect individuals from gender-based discrimination in employment, education, and public services.

Gender Quotas:  Consider the implementation of gender quotas in political and corporate leadership positions to promote gender balance and representation.

Promote Women’s Empowerment

Empowering women is a key element in ending gender discrimination:

Economic Empowerment:  Provide training, access to financial resources, and support for women entrepreneurs and professionals. This can help close the gender pay gap and reduce economic disparities.

Political Participation:  Encourage women’s participation in politics by removing barriers, providing support for female candidates, and ensuring fair representation in legislative bodies.

Challenge Gender Stereotypes

Challenging and changing societal attitudes and norms is crucial in ending gender discrimination:

Media and Popular Culture:  Encourage media outlets to portray diverse and empowered female characters and challenge harmful gender stereotypes. Promote responsible media representation.

Promote Gender-Neutral Parenting:  Encourage parents to raise their children without imposing strict gender roles and expectations. Children should be free to explore their interests and talents without constraints.

Support Victims of Gender Discrimination

Creating a supportive environment for victims of gender discrimination is essential:

Legal Support:  Provide legal aid and support for victims to seek justice and compensation when they experience discrimination, harassment, or violence.

Mental Health Services:  Offer mental health services and counseling for individuals who have experienced discrimination, as they may suffer from psychological trauma.

Corporate Responsibility

Businesses and organizations have a role to play in ending gender discrimination:

Equal Opportunities:  Implement policies that ensure equal opportunities for all employees regardless of gender. This includes mentorship programs and diversity training.

Transparency:  Publish gender pay gap data and promote transparency in hiring, promotion, and compensation practices.

Ending gender discrimination is not only a moral imperative but also a necessary step toward creating a more equitable and just society. Achieving gender equality requires concerted efforts at multiple levels of society, from individuals challenging their own biases to governments enacting and enforcing laws that protect against discrimination. By promoting education, challenging stereotypes, and supporting the empowerment of women, we can work together to eradicate gender discrimination and create a world where every individual, regardless of their gender, has an equal opportunity to thrive.

Oxford University Press's Academic Insights for the Thinking World

How do you solve a problem like gender inequality?

Women's Property Rights Under CEDAW

• By José E. Alvarez
• April 19 th 2024

For most women’s rights advocates, the answer is obvious: adopt a human rights framework. At the global level this means using the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), ratified by 189 countries, which requires all states parties to themselves respect gender equality, protect against gender discrimination by others, and fulfill those human rights needs (e.g., right to adequate housing) that stand in the way. Women’s Property Rights Under CEDAW addresses those parts of CEDAW that protect, inter alia , women’s equal rights to access land, financial credit, social benefits, inheritance, and all forms of family property. While CEDAW has been subject to many critiques, my co-authored book defends it against criticisms that it privileges the experiences of Western women, fails to address salient issues (such as violence as discrimination), or marginalizes women’s rights. The book also rejects concerns that the CEDAW Committee’s property jurisprudence advances a “neo-liberal” agenda in favor of commodification, privatization, business deregulation, and economic globalization. The Committee’s outputs demonstrate how the Convention has evolved to incorporate domestic violence and nuanced positions on the male/female “binary,” the public/private divide, and the nature and causes of discrimination, subordination, and marginalization. There is a reason that CEDAW is specifically cited as a justification for progressive new laws around the world as well as in hundreds of national judicial opinions that use the treaty or the Committee’s jurisprudence to interpret existing laws and even national constitutions .

Nonetheless, the limitations that CEDAW shares with other global human rights institutions—from UN bureaucratic and fiscal constraints to a weak “managerial” approach to securing state compliance increasingly manipulated by rights-disrespecting states—encourages those seeking gender justice to seek alternatives or complements. The UN’s Development Agenda —specifically Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”—is one of them. Whereas CEDAW relies on a legal binding treaty under which states are obligated to implement at the national level equal rights of women, the SDGs’ 17 pledges are a political, aspirational effort, originating in hortatory General Assembly resolutions. They reflect a results-oriented model for international development for all—and not merely developing states—that set specific policy priorities, help steer action and resources, and use bench-marking backed by data. States’ progress towards achieving gender equality under SDG 5 is measured by nine targets and 14 indicators. This includes, under target 5.1 (to “end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere”), progress towards achieving indicator 5.1.1 which calls for the adoption of “legal frameworks . . . to promote, enforce, and monitor equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex.” SDG targets and indicators, subject to periodic review since the SDGs were originally adopted in 2015, are intended to inspire new development thinking. While the SDGs have been criticized for lacking references to human rights, that might be the point.

For governments now caught in bottom-up populist or top-down authoritarian backlashes against human rights, the SDGs offer an appeal not to abstract dignitarian values but to the need to tackle structural obstacles like poverty, hunger, and gender inequality because these hinder economic growth.  The SDGs appeal not only to “rule of law” states long accustomed to rights discourse at the domestic and international levels, but to governments—nearly all of them—that want to attract international financial institutions and market actors. They may particularly appeal to governments leery of “Western-centric” human rights or inclined to resist legally binding instruments that impose “sovereignty costs.” To be sure, the SDGs are not value free. Those who praise the SDGs see them as embodying Amartya Sen’s “human capabilities” approach grounded in the need to equalize life’s chances, satisfy basic needs, and level the playing field while paying greatest interest to those with the greatest need. Some may see them as yet the latest attempt to blue-wash the UN’s (and international financial institutions’) “ civilizing mission ,” notwithstanding the pretense of “universal” goals. Feminist critics of SDG 5 may emphasize what SDG targets/indicators fail to measure—namely enjoyment of LGBTQ rights, cyber or economic violence, women’s roles in peace-making and conflict, or the root causes of discrimination and violence against women. Those focusing on property rights might point out that while one SDG 5 indicator seeks data on the proportion of women who have rights to agricultural land, there are no requirements to measure many other kinds of property addressed under CEDAW, such as access to financial services, inheritance, or natural resources. The downside to the nostrum that “what gets measured gets done” is that under the SDGs what is not measured may get ignored.

Notwithstanding the SDGs’ weaknesses as yet another flawed attempt to impose global governance by indicators , advocates for gender equality searching for complements to CEDAW might consider their many other strengths:

(1) The SDGs encourage the collection of gender disaggregated data essential for naming gendered equality gaps and for measuring progress to resolve them.

(2) Many of the indicators (like 5.1.1 above) directly relate to lawyers’ efforts for law reform.

(3) The SDGs’ specificity may be useful for determining whether states are in fact taking “all appropriate measures” to combat discrimination against women as required by CEDAW’s Article 2; they may provide signposts that concretize states’ “due diligence.”

(4) The SDGs supply some useful data not typically demanded under CEDAW (such as, under 5.c.1, the level of governments’ resource allocations devoted to advancing gender equality).

(5) They embrace an integrative approach (suggested by the 54 gender-specific indicators apart from those included in SDG 5) that link gender equality to all the other development goals such as the alleviation of poverty, hunger, and environmental degradation.

(6) They provide more specific rationales for educating governments and the public about why gender equality is necessary to, for example, better address the disproportionate gendered effects of climate change.

(7) By calling attention to the costs of gender inequality to individuals, groups of women, to societies, and to the world—and to the resources needed to redress them—the SDGs demonstrate that advancing gender equality in all its dimensions is not free and that states facing massive sums of debt need help to achieve it.

All of these suggest another formidable benefit: the interconnectivity of the SDGs may enable gender equality activists to bridge silo-ed domains within governments and among international organizations and NGOs. They may help convince those who foolishly think that women’s equality is not their problem.

Featured image by Pawel Czerwinski via Unsplash .

José E. Alvarez is the Herbert and Rose Rubin Professor of International Law at NYU School of Law and the faculty director of its US-Asia Law Institute. He has taught at George Washington, Michigan, and Columbia law schools (where he was the Hamilton Fish Professor of International Law). A former President of the American Society of International Law and co-editor-in-chief of the American Journal of International Law, Professor Alvarez is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Institut de Droit International, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences

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