2a. Economic, political and social factors explaining variation in gender inequality

Question 1

What is gender inequality?

Answer 1

The unequal treatment of individuals based on their gender - a situation in which women and men do not enjoy the same rights and opportunities across all sectors of society specifically because they are a man or woman.

Question 2

What is the GGGI

Answer 2

The Global Gender Gap Index, devised by the World Economic Forum, shows global patterns of gender inequality and is a score from 0-1 with the highest index score showing the least inequality etc.

Question 3

Give examples of GGGI of countries:

Answer 3

UK = 0.738
India = 0.645
Iceland = 0. 859 
Yemen = 0.514

Question 4

Name 7 examples of gender inequality: (FATWAVE)

Answer 4

1. Forced marriage
2. Access to education
3. Trafficking into forced labour, including sex slavery
4. Wage equality for similar work to men
5. Access to reproductive health services
6. Violence against women
7. Employment opportunities and political participation

Question 5

What 2 Millennium Development Goals were specifically targeted to women?

Answer 5

Number 3 = Promote gender inequality and to empower women
Number 5 = Improve maternal health
(Others eg. education closely linked)

Question 6

What factors do the WEF use to evaluate gender inequality?

Answer 6

• Economic
  Labour force participation, wage equality, earned income, managers
• Health
  Sex ratio at birth, healthy life expectancy
• Education
  Literacy rate, enrolment in primary/secondary/tertiary education)
• Political
  Women in Parliament, women in ministerial positions, years with female head of state

Question 7

What convention protect women’s rights?

Answer 7

Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

Question 8

Example of an NGO protecting women’s rights:

Answer 8

International Centre for Research on Women

Question 9

What has the UN established for women?

Answer 9

The Girl’s Education Initiative – UNICEF is the lead agency

Question 10

What are the economic, social, and political factors that explain variation in patterns of gender inequality?

Answer 10

• Educational opportunities
• Access to reproductive health services
• Employment opportunities

Question 11

Educational opportunities: How is education crucial in helping women?

Answer 11

• Reduce total fertility rate
• Reduce infant mortality rate
• Empower women
• Increase female contribution to economy
• Increase family health
• Decrease poverty

Question 12

Educational opportunities: In what areas are girls mainly excluded from education? + figures

Answer 12

Rural areas:
Sub-Saharan Africa – 30% female attendance 34% male attendance
South Asia – 47% female 56% male

Question 13

Educational opportunities: Name the factors leading to female inequality of education: (CHIPPENIIII)

Answer 13

1. Costs
2. Household obligations
3. Inadequate sanitation (lack of separate toilets)
4. Patriarchal system (female education may only be of benefit to family she marries in to)
5. Prevalence of child marriage
6. Early pregnancy
7. Negative classroom environment (corporal punishment against girls)
8. Differing levels of support for education by religions
9. Insufficient number of female teachers
10. Impact of girls being exploited for child labour
11. Inadequate legislation
12. Insufficient govt investment

Question 14

Access to reproductive health services: Name the factors that affect female reproductive health in LIDCs (SHELF GHS)

Answer 14

1. Sexual violence
2. High rates of young pregnancies
3. Early forced marriage
4. Lack of empowerment in family size
5. Forced sterilisation
6. Gender bias in education
7. Harmful traditional practices eg FGM
8. STDs eg HIV

Question 15

Access to reproductive health services: In developing countries what proportion of girls marry before 18?

Answer 15

One in three

Question 16

Access to reproductive health services: How many births a day are by girls under 18?

Answer 16

20,000 births

Question 17

What impacts do teenage pregnancies have on girls’ lives?

Answer 17

• Education ends
• Job prospects diminish
• Vulnerable to poverty
• Health decreases

Question 18

Give an example of an NGO trying to help women? + countries they help

Answer 18

Womankind
In Ethiopia they are training a govt official on laws and policies for women
In Nepal they are helping women fund their own businesses

Question 19

Employment opportunities: What is the Labour Force Participation Rate?

Answer 19

Index of equality used in the UNDP: the ratio of females to males within a country’s working population (aged 15 and over) that engages in the labour market

Question 20

Employment opportunities: Give examples of Labour Force Participation Rates x3

Answer 20

Malawi 1.042 = more female participation than male
Afghanistan 0.197 = awful
India 0.356 = awful

Question 21

Employment opportunities: Name the factors that affect employment opportunities (SCLDSGLS)

Answer 21

• Social norms; household income earnt by men and women do domestic chores
• Cultural beliefs
• Levels of governmental support for childcare
• Degrees to which equal opportunity is safeguarded by law
• Social acceptance of women as contributors to household income
• Gender based norms
• Levels of discrimination by employers
• Sectoral structure of the labour market