There has been no progress in the level of bias against women over the previous ten years, with nearly nine out of ten men and women still believing such prejudices globally, according to a new UN report released on Monday (June 12, 2023). UN Development Programme (UNDP) in its most recent Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) says , "Half of people worldwide still believe men make better political leaders than women, and more than 40% believe men make better business executives than women." Also Read: 9 countries inc. Bangladesh release first national estimates of illicit financial flows with UN support “Social norms that impair women’s rights are detrimental to society more broadly, dampening the expansion of human development,” said Pedro Conceição, head of UNDP’s Human Development Report Office. A staggering 25 per cent of people believe it is justified for a man to beat his wife, according to the report, reflecting the latest data from the World Values Survey. The report said that these biases are to blame for the obstacles women encounter, which have taken the form of the denial of women's rights in many regions of the world, the growth of movements opposing gender equality, and an increase in human rights abuses in some countries. The stark underrepresentation of women in leadership positions is another example of bias in action. Since 1995, the percentage of women serving as heads of State or governments has generally hovered around 10%, and in the job market, they make up less than one-third of executive posts. The report also sheds light on a broken link between women’s progress in education and economic empowerment. Also Read: A child or youth died once every 4.4 seconds in 2021: UN report Women are more skilled and educated than ever before, yet even in the 59 countries where women are now more educated than men, the average gender income gap remains a 39 per cent in favour of men. “Lack of progress on gender social norms is unfolding against a human development crisis,”  Conceição said, noting that the global Human Development Index (HDI) declined in 2020 for the first time on record and again the following year. “Everyone stands to gain from ensuring freedom and agency for women,” he added. The UNDP report emphasized that governments have a crucial role in shifting gender social norms, from adopting parental leave policies, that have changed perceptions around care work responsibilities, to labour market reforms that have led to a change in beliefs around women in the workforce. “An important place to start is recognizing the economic value of unpaid care work,” said Raquel Lagunas, Director of UNDP’s gender team. The report emphasized that despite the continued prevalence of bias against women, the data shows change can happen. Also Read: Rights groups slam severe Taliban restrictions on Afghan women as ‘crime against humanity’ An increase in the share of people with no bias in any indicator was evident in 27 of the 38 countries surveyed. The report authors said that to drive change towards greater gender equality, the focus needs to be on expanding human development through investment, insurance, and innovation. This includes investing in laws and policy measures that promote women’s equality in political participation, scaling up insurance mechanisms, such as strengthening social protection and care systems, and encouraging innovative interventions that could be particularly effective in challenging harmful social norms, patriarchal attitudes, and gender stereotypes. For example, combatting online hate speech and gender disinformation can help to shift pervasive gender norms towards greater acceptance and equality, according to the report. The report recommended directly addressing social norms through education to change people’s views, policies and legal changes that recognize the rights of women in all spheres of life, and more representation in decision-making and political processes. Read more: 90% of countries see decline in human development

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said investing in women uplifts all people, communities, and countries. "Let us work together – across governments, the private sector and civil society – to build a more inclusive, just, and prosperous world for women, girls, men, and boys everywhere," he said. The UN Chief made the call in a message marking International Women’s Day today. Women’s exclusion from the digital world has shaved an estimated $1 trillion from the GDP of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade — a loss that could grow to $1.5 trillion by 2025 without action, he said. Also Read: DigitALL: Role of tech in promoting gender equality highlighted this Women’s Day "On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the achievements of women and girls across all walks of life, in all corners of the world," Guterres said. But they also recognize the enormous obstacles they face — from structural injustices, marginalization, and violence, to cascading crises that affect them first and worst, to the denial of their personal autonomy and rights over their bodies and lives, he said. Gender-based discrimination harms everyone – women, girls, men, and boys, said the UN chief, adding that "International Women’s Day is a call to action." Action needed to stand with women who are demanding their fundamental rights at great personal cost, he said, adding that action is also required to strengthen protection against sexual exploitation and abuse. "And action to accelerate women’s full participation and leadership. This year’s theme stresses the need for technology and innovation to advance gender equality," Guterres said. Technology can expand pathways to education and opportunities for women and girls. But it can also be used to amplify abuse and hatred. "Today, women make up under a third of the workforce in science, technology, engineering, and maths," Guterres said. And when women are under-represented in developing new technologies, discrimination may be baked in from the start. "That is why we must close the digital divide and increase the representation of women and girls in science and technology," said the UN chief.  

A legal notice has been issued to the government asking it to take necessary steps to ensure equal rights to inherit property for Hindu and Buddhist women.