Abstract
Gender equality attitudes are vital for societal development and well-being. While progress has been celebrated, our analysis addresses two crucially neglected factors in previous research: the overrepresentation of Western societies and global demographic shifts favoring non-Western societies. Utilizing data from the World Values Survey and European Values Study spanning 1991 to 2022 across 100+ countries (representing up to 90 percent of the global population), we question whether increased global living standards have translated into improved gender equality attitudes. Our findings reveal a stark divergence in attitudes between Western and non-Western societies. This divergence not only challenges the notion of uniform global progress in gender equality but also highlights a disconcerting trend: the world population as a whole has failed to significantly increase its support for gender equality over the last three decades. We attribute this concerning trend to demographic patterns; countries with low gender equality support exhibit higher fertility rates and younger average ages of childbirth, perpetuating low support for gender equality. Moreover, within countries, women with low gender equality support often have higher fertility rates and younger ages of birth, thus slowing national-level changes. We conclude with implications for policy-makers and call for a closer examination of demographic influences in understanding global gender equality attitudes.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Published - 2 Dec 2023 |
Event | Hong Kong Sociological Association 24th Annual Conference: Population Changes and Social Inequalities - Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Duration: 2 Dec 2023 → 2 Dec 2023 |
Conference
Conference | Hong Kong Sociological Association 24th Annual Conference: Population Changes and Social Inequalities |
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Country/Territory | Hong Kong |
Period | 2/12/23 → 2/12/23 |