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A Class That Turned Around Kids' Assumptions of Gender Roles!

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A list of sources about girls rights to education and other issues.

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Why Gender-Specific Toys Are Bad For Kids

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Girl toys vs boy toys: The experiment - BBC Stories

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Sparkle Unicorns And Fart Ninjas: What Parents Can Do About Gendered Toys

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Toys are more pink and blue than ever before, experts say. But before you ban the sparkle unicorns and foam-dart blasters, consider other ways to help kids expand their play possibilities.

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What is Gender Discrimination in the Workplace?

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What is Gender Discrimination in the Workplace?

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How to use this guide

Important note (Updated Aug. 18, 2022): Unfortunately, at this time we are unable to accept new applications for our Free Legal Advice & Counseling program due to current volume. Please check back here soon for updates on our services.

Content warning: This guide contains information and examples of discrimination based on gender identity, perceived gender identity, and sexual orientation that may be triggering for you, because instances of discrimination can be traumatic. Please be aware of your emotional and mental needs while reading.

How to use this guide: The purpose of this Know Your Rights Guide is to help you understand your rights and options if you have experienced gender discrimination at work. This guide is not official legal advice. Laws frequently change and can be interpreted in different ways, so we cannot guarantee that all of the information in this Guide is accurate as it applies to your specific situation.

My hope is that no woman has to go through what I went through in the mine. Hanna Hurst, former ERA client
Read Hanna's Story

Definitions & Examples

Workplace gender discrimination comes in many different forms, but generally it means that an employee or a job applicant is treated differently or less favorably because of their sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Even though the words "sex" and "gender" have different meanings, laws against discrimination at work often use them interchangeably.

Sometimes workers experience discrimination because of their gender and something else, like their race or ethnicity. For example, a woman of color may experience discrimination in the workplace differently from a white female co-worker. She may be harassed, paid less, evaluated more harshly, or passed over for promotion because of the combination of her gender and her race.
Some examples of treatment that could be gender discrimination include:

not being hired, or being given a lower-paying position because of your gender identity or sexual orientation (for example, when an employer refuses to hire women, or only hires women for certain jobs)

being held to different or higher standards, or being evaluated more harshly, because of your gender identity, or because you don't act or present yourself in a way that conforms to traditional ideas of femininity or masculinity
For example, if a worker who identifies as a woman receives a negative performance evaluation that criticizes her for being too "aggressive" (while men who behave the same way are praised for showing "leadership"), or if she wears her hair short and is told she needs to be more "presentable," she may be experiencing discrimination based on gender stereotypes, which is a form of gender discrimination.

being paid less than a person of a different gender or sexual orientation who is similarly or less qualified than you, or who has similar (or fewer) job duties than you
If you think you are being paid less than someone of a different gender identity to do the same job or substantially similar work, check out our Equal Pay Know Your Rights Guide.

being denied a promotion, pay raise, or training opportunity that is given to people of another gender identity or sexual orientation who are equally or less qualified or eligible as you

being written up or disciplined for something that other employees of a different gender do all the time but never get punished for

being insulted, called derogatory names or slurs because of your gender identity, or hearing hostile remarks about people of a certain gender identity or sexual orientation.

being intentionally or repeatedly called by a name or referred to as a different gender that you don't identify with - such as when a transgender man is called by his dead name, or referred to as "Miss"

being subject to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature (If you think you've experienced sexual or gender-based harassment, please see our Sexual Harassment Know Your Rights Guide.)

being rejected for a job, forced out on leave, or given fewer assignments because you're pregnant

Not all gender discrimination is intentional or explicit. It could still count as discrimination if your employer does something that ends up excluding or harming workers of a particular gender identity without intending to. Oftentimes, a certain practice or policy - say, a hiring test or requirement - does not say anything about gender, and may not have been put in place for the purpose of keeping women, trans, or nonbinary people out of certain jobs, but ends up having that effect. This kind of practice or policy could still be considered discriminatory, and if you've been denied a job-related opportunity, paid less, or were fired as a result of it, you might have a discrimination claim.

For workplace gender discrimination to be considered illegal, it has to involve treatment that negatively affects the "terms or conditions" of your employment. Terms or conditions of employment are all the responsibilities, rules, and benefits of a job. Most of the time, they are set by an employer or negotiated by a worker and the employer at the time of hire. In unionized workplaces, they are negotiated and agreed on as part of the "collective bargaining" process. "Terms and conditions" include but are not limited to things like your job responsibilities, work hours, dress code, vacation and sick days, starting salary, and performance evaluation standards.

What are the laws?

Federal law (all states)

Generally, these federal laws apply only to employers with 15 or more employees, but your state might have better laws that cover smaller employers.

Gender discrimination is illegal. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against you based on your sex, race, color, religion, or national origin. As of June 2020, a Supreme Court ruling extended this protection to also cover gender identity and sexual orientation. It is also illegal for employers of 15 or more people to use any of the above categories as a basis for paying you less, firing, not hiring, or discriminating against you in terms of working conditions or "privileges of employment."
Title VII applies to employers. It is designed to make employers accountable for providing work opportunities without discrimination. So this civil rights law does not give you a right to sue an individual person - unless that individual is your employer. For example, if you are discriminated at work by a customer, that would not be covered by Title VII.

Retaliation is also illegal. Title VII also makes it illegal for an employer to retaliate against or punish you for reporting or opposing gender discrimination, or participating in an investigation or legal action related to discrimination. Examples of retaliation in the workplace include being fired or demoted, receiving a pay cut or a reduction in your hours, being forced to take leave, or being reassigned to an undesirable job, shift, or location. Retaliation can also be subtle, build up, or get worse over time. Examples include being iced out by coworkers, no longer being invited to meetings, or being left off communications you were formerly on.

California
Many states have laws against discrimination that provide stronger protections and cover more workers and employers than Title VII. In California, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA):

Applies to employers of five or more employees, not just to those with 15 or more, like Title VII;

Makes it illegal to discriminate against someone not only based on sex, but also based on gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, among other things.

It's important for me to be an advocate for my son, to be an advocate for myself, to be able to stand up for the both of us. I think it's important for women to know they have a voice that needs to be heard. Candice Branner, ERA essential worker client
Read Candice's Story

What are my rights?
You have the right to:
1. Work in a safe, discrimination-free environment. Your employer is required by law to provide a safe working environment that is not "hostile" to you based on your sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

2. Talk about or speak out against gender discrimination at work, whether it's happening to you or to someone else. You can talk about discrimination that's happening at work with whoever you want, including your coworkers and your supervisor. You also have the right to tell your employer that you believe a company policy, practice, or manager is discriminatory or engaging in discrimination. It is illegal for your employer to retaliate against or punish you for talking with coworkers about discrimination. Retaliation includes being fired, demoted, cutting your pay, switching your shifts or duties, or any other action that has a negative effect on you. If your employer retaliates, you could consider taking legal action.

3. Report the discriminatory behavior or policy to HR or your boss. Report to HR, your boss, or someone else at your company who has power. We highly recommend submitting the complaint or report in writing (by e-mail or letter) and making copies so you have proof later if you need it.

4. File a grievance. If you are a member of a union, your contract (known as the "collective bargaining agreement" or CBA) generally covers the "terms and conditions" of work. If you believe you're being treated unfairly or your employer isn't following the contract, talk to your union rep about filing a grievance.

5. Picket or protest against discrimination. When you get together with one or more of your co-workers to raise concerns about your pay or working conditions, you're engaging in what's "concerted activity," which is legally protected by the National Labor Relations Act.

6. Make a copy of your personnel file. You can request to see your personnel file, which could contain performance evaluations, your employment and pay history, and other useful information that could be used as evidence if you decide to take legal action. Your HR department or union representative should have information about how to get your personnel file for review.

7. File a complaint or charge of discrimination with a government agency, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or your state's Fair Employment Practices Agency - for example, in California, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). You also have the right to tell your employer that you plan to file a charge, and they cannot retaliate against you for doing so.

Note: There are strict deadlines when filing charges with government agencies, called "statutes of limitations." The deadline to file one with the EEOC is either 180 or 300 days from the "last act" of discrimination, depending on which state you're in. For more information, see the What Can I Do? section below.)

8. Sue / file a lawsuit against your employer for discrimination.

Note: This is only an option if you already filed a charge with the EEOC or your state's FEPA (see #7 above), and they gave you a "Right-to-Sue" Notice. Be aware that there are strict deadlines about how many days you have after you receive that Notice to file a lawsuit in court.

9. Testify as a witness or participate in an investigation by the EEOC or other government agency. Your employer can't keep you from providing evidence, testifying at a hearing, or communicating with a government agency that is looking into discrimination at your workplace. Even if the investigation eventually finds that there was no discrimination, your participation is still a protected right, meaning your employer can't retaliate against you for cooperating.

If you are fired or retaliated against/punished for doing any of the above, it is illegal, and you could take legal action against your employer or former employer. Retaliation includes being demoted, cutting your pay, switching your shifts or duties, or any other action that has a negative effect on you.

What can I do?

If you or someone you know is experiencing or experienced gender discrimination at work, here are some actions you can take. Note: It is normal to be worried about reporting discrimination or taking other action to make the discrimination stop. Do what is right for you. These are just examples of options you could consider.

1. Review your employers' policies. Most employers give you an Employment Manual or Handbook when you start. Review this to find out what policies might be in place to protect you. Look for policies about discrimination. Find out what your company's complaint procedure is, and pay close attention to deadlines. If there is no information about how to report or complain about discrimination, see if there is a phone number for HR (Human Resources).
2. Write everything down.

Write down in detail what happened and when it occurred, including anything you said or did, and any witnesses or people that may have been involved in the decisions, policies, or incidents. Include every example of discrimination you can remember. As new things happen, write them down to avoid forgetting details.

Keep notes about conversations or meetings you had related to the discrimination, including with HR, your supervisor, or the person making the discriminatory decisions or comments. Record the time, date, and place of the meeting, and who was there. If you're comfortable doing so, ask any witnesses to write down what they heard or saw. Keep these written accounts at home, on a personal email account, or in another safe place not related to your work.
Tip: Others may read these written records at some point if you pursue legal action, so try to stay as objective as possible when writing down what happened.

If there are any relevant emails or messages, save and gather them in one place, at home, on a personal email account, or in another safe place not related to your work. Save all emails and messages you send to the person doing the discriminating, and those that you send to others about the discrimination.

Keep copies of any complaints you filed with your company, and any responses.

Keep copies of any other documents related to the discrimination, and any responses.

If you think your employer has retaliated against you, keep written notes of every action that has happened, when, where, and any witnesses.

3. Report concerns or complaints about discrimination to Human Resources (HR) or your boss. This is also known as filing an internal complaint. We understand it's not always possible to feel safe or comfortable at work after talking to your supervisor or coworkers about discrimination you're experiencing. But we recommend reporting to someone at work who is in a position of authority to either stop the discriminatory behavior or change the practice that is affecting you.

We recommend putting your complaint or concerns in writing, whether it's by email or letter. Be sure to keep copies of what you write - and any written responses you get back from your employer - in a safe place outside of work, at home or on a personal email account.

If you report verbally (in person or on the phone), we recommend taking notes about the conversation and then sending a follow-up email or letter confirming what happened during the conversation. For example:
Dear [name of Supervisor or Human Resources Staff],
I'm writing to confirm that we met today, [date], to discuss the fact that I am being treated unfairly and believe that I'm experiencing gender discrimination at work because of [the way you're being treated or an employer policy that's negatively affecting you]. As we discussed, the [unfair treatment/ discriminatory behavior] has included [description of what's been happening], and [began / has been affecting me since] [date]. You told me [description of employer's response, including any promises or commitments made]. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me about this issue. [Your name]"

Note: Filing a complaint internally does not extend the deadline for filing a legal action if you decide to do so later.

4. Go to your union. If you have a union, you could talk to your union rep and ask about the grievance process under your collective bargaining agreement. If that agreement covers discrimination issues, you may be able to get the problem addressed that way.

Important: Even if you file a grievance through your union about discrimination, you still must file a complaint with a government agency before you file a lawsuit in federal or state court Please see number 10 for more about deadlines.

5. File a discrimination complaint with a government agency. If you think you may eventually want to file a lawsuit in federal or state court, you must first file a formal complaint of discrimination with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or with your state's fair employment agency. (Learn more about filing a complaint in California.)

6. Pay attention to deadlines. In every state, you have to file a complaint with either the EEOC or a state administrative agency that enforces anti-discrimination laws (often called a "Fair Employment Practices Agency" or FEPA) and get a Right to Sue notice before you file a lawsuit in court. The deadlines for filing a discrimination complaint under Title VII depend on which state you're in.

In states that don't have a FEPA, you only have 180 days - less than 6 months - from the last act of discrimination to file a complaint (called a "charge") of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

In states that do have their own FEPA, you have 300 days from the last act of discrimination to file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC.
If you're in one of these states, you may have more time to file a discrimination complaint with your state FEPA. To find out whether you have a FEPA in your state, go to the website of the EEOC field office nearest you.

Remember: You cannot bring a lawsuit against your employer unless you have first filed a complaint of discrimination with the EEOC or your state fair employment agency. Internal complaints that you make to your employer or with your union also do not extend the deadlines to file with a government agency.

7. Talk to a lawyer. If you'd like to speak to a legal advocate about your rights and options, Equal Rights Advocates may be able to help. We offer 100% free, confidential legal information, advice, and other assistance through our Legal Advice & Counseling program.

What could happen?

If you take legal action, there are different kinds of remedies you can ask for. Some have to do with money, and others are more about changing your employer's behavior. Not everyone can get all of these things. Each case is different, but these are some common examples of things you can demand, and may be able to get if you win your lawsuit or reach a settlement agreement.

1. Compensation for lost wages and other economic losses if the discrimination resulted in a loss of work or income (i.e., you had to take a leave of absence, lost hours, were fired and had no income for a while, or lost your job and have not found one that pays you as much.) You could also seek compensation for expenses related to any medical or health treatment you needed or will need in the future because of discrimination or retaliation.

2. Compensation for emotional distress, which could include anguish, stress, anxiety, pain and suffering, loss of sleep, damage to your reputation, and loss of enjoyment of life resulting from discrimination.

3. Reinstatement: If you were fired or forced out because of the discrimination or retaliation, you could potentially get your job back.

4. Punitive damages: If you sue in court and show that the employer acted with malice or showed "reckless indifference" to your rights, you may be able to get the court or a jury to order that the employer pay punitive damages, which are meant to punish especially bad employers and send a warning message to other employers.

5. Make your employer change their policies or practices. You may be able to get the court to order, or get your employer to agree to change the way it does things in the future to help make the workplace safe and fair for everyone, and to help ensure that others do not suffer the same thing you went through.

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Gender Discrimination at Work - Equal Rights Advocates

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Researchers finding issues with Disney movies and gender 

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Researchers finding issues with Disney movies and gender 

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To modern eyes, the classic trio of Disney princess films - released in 1937, 1950 and 1959 - can seem painfully retrograde. Why are characters so obsessed with Snow White's looks? Why doesn't Cinderella have any talents or hobbies? And why doesn't Sleeping Beauty do anything besides get drugged and await rescue?

A generational gap divides Disney's princess franchise. After 1959's "Sleeping Beauty," it took 30 years for the studio to produce another animated princess feature. The intervening decades saw dramatic change. Walt Disney died. Betty Friedan published "The Feminine Mystique." The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. marched on Washington.

In 1989, when Disney finally released "The Little Mermaid," critics praised this modern new heroine. Unlike her predecessors, "Ariel is fully realized female character who thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously," Roger Ebert wrote. The New York Times called her "a spunky daredevil."

And yet, in one respect, "The Little Mermaid" represented a backward step in the princess genre. For a film centered on a young woman, there's an awful lot of talking by men. In fact, this was the first Disney princess movie in which the men significantly outspoke the women.

And it started a trend. The plot of "The Little Mermaid," of course, involves Ariel literally losing her voice - but in the five Disney princess movies that followed, the women speak even less. On average in those films, men have three times as many lines as women.

The data come from linguists Carmen Fought and Karen Eisenhauer, who have been working on a project to analyze all the dialogue from the Disney princess franchise. Because so many young girls watch these movies - often on constant repeat - it's worth examining what the films are teaching about gender roles.

"We don't believe that little girls naturally play a certain way or speak a certain way," says Fought, a professor of linguistics at Pitzer College. "They're not born liking a pink dress. At some point we teach them. So a big question is where girls get their ideas about being girls."

The Disney princess research is still in its preliminary stages, but a few weeks ago, Fought and Eisenhauer gave a preview during the nation's largest conference of linguists. Their goal is to use data to shed light on how the male and female characters in these films talk differently. They started by counting how often the characters spoke. That's when they hit upon a surprising irony.

In the classic three Disney princess films, women speak as much as, or more than the men. "Snow White" is about 50-50. "Cinderella" is 60-40. And in "Sleeping Beauty," women deliver a whopping 71 percent of the dialogue. Though these were films created over 50 years ago, they give ample opportunity for women to have their voices heard.

By contrast, all of the princess movies from 1989-1999 - Disney's "Renaissance" era - are startlingly male-dominated. Men speak 68 percent of the time in "The Little Mermaid"; 71 percent of the time in "Beauty and the Beast"; 90 percent of the time in "Aladdin"; 76 percent of the time in "Pocahontas"; and 77 percent of the time in "Mulan" (Mulan herself was counted as a woman, even when she was impersonating a man).

Part of the problem is that these newer films are mostly populated by men. Aside from the heroine, the films offer few examples of women being powerful, respected, useful or comedic.

"There's one isolated princess trying to get someone to marry her, but there are no women doing any other things," Fought says. "There are no women leading the townspeople to go against the Beast, no women bonding in the tavern together singing drinking songs, women giving each other directions, or women inventing things. Everybody who's doing anything else, other than finding a husband in the movie, pretty much, is a male."

The older princess films had fewer speaking roles in total, and more gender balance. But "The Little Mermaid" pioneered a new style of Disney movie, modeled after Broadway musicals, with their large ensemble casts. As the number of characters grew, so did the gender inequality.

"My best guess is that it's carelessness, because we're so trained to think that male is the norm," says Eisenhauer, a graduate student at North Carolina State. "So when you want to add a shopkeeper, that shopkeeper is a man. Or you add a guard, that guard is a man. I think that's just really ingrained in our culture."

The chatty sidekick is another good example of a role that goes to men by default. This is a staple character in more recent Disney films, and he - yes, he - often gets some of the best lines. There's Flounder, Sebastian, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Iago, Genie and Mushu. Why can't any of them be women? Mrs. Potts, the teakettle from "Beauty and the Beast," is the only example of a female sidekick, and she's overshadowed by the other castle staff.

After "Mulan" (1998), Disney took a 10-year break before releasing its next series of princess films. These newer films are better at giving lines to men and women equally. In "Tangled," women have 52 percent of the lines, and in "Brave," a film about a mother-daughter relationship, they had 74 percent.

"Frozen" breaks with that trend, though. Despite being a story about two sister princesses, men claim 59 percent of the lines in that film.

It's of course incomplete to judge a film just by the number of words that women say. What the characters say is equally important. So far, Fought and Eisenhauer's analysis has focused on compliments. They have categorized every bit of praise in every Disney princess film to see how the way that women are talked about has changed over time.

Here is where the trend is positive. The classic Disney princess films were focused on looks. More than half of the compliments that women received - 55 percent - had to do with their appearance. Only 11 percent had to do with their skills or accomplishments. (People could also be complimented for other reasons, like their possessions or their personality.)

Some psychologists counsel parents not to compliment children, especially young girls, on their looks. Even positive comments may lead to body-image problems because they reinforce the idea that appearances are important. Furthermore, studies suggest that it's better to praise children for their efforts or accomplishments rather than their traits - better to say "you aced that test!" than "you are really smart!" - because children are more motivated when complimented on their efforts.

The "Renaissance"-era princess films, from the '90s, have a better record in this regard. About 38 percent of the compliments given to women had to do with their looks, while nearly a quarter of the compliments had to do with their abilities or deeds.

In the latest batch of films - "The Princess and the Frog," "Tangled," "Brave," and "Frozen" - the pattern is finally reversed. For the first time, women are more likely to be praised for their skills or achievements than for their looks. On average in these films, 40 percent of compliments directed at women involve their abilities or accomplishments, while only 22 percent involve physical appearances.

Part of this may have to do with the people at the helm of these more recent movies. "Frozen" and "Brave" were both conceived, written and directed by women or a team that included women. Brenda Chapman, who created "Brave," has said that she specifically wanted to smash the stereotype of the Disney princess movie. "Merida was created specifically to break that mold," Chapman told an online parenting website. "She was created to turn the regular Disney princess on its head."

"I think that Disney has responded very well to calls that, frankly, have been a long time coming," says Dawn England, a PhD student at Arizona State who has published research on how men and women behave in Disney princess movies. She says there needs to be more studies on how children process these films, to understand how these portrayals of gender affect young minds - though that's hard to do because the images are so widespread.

The studio, at least, has been making visible efforts to inject feminism into its movies. "There's a long way to go, but there's been an undeniable shift toward these more androgynous princesses," England says.

Belle, from 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" for instance, was designed as a feminist role model. Disney executives brought in Linda Woolverton, the first woman to write the script for an animated Disney film. Woolverton modeled Belle on Katharine Hepburn in "Little Women" - "both strong, active women who loved to read," she told the L.A. Times in 1992.

Disney is clearly proud of its efforts to modernize the princess movie genre, but it has a lot of work to do. "If you watch the behind-the-scenes documentaries, there's so much explicit discourse on what the princess is going to be like, and always it's a feminist discourse in some way," Eisenhauer says. "They want her to be powerful. But the discourse never, ever, seems to have gone beyond the princess."

Fought and Eisenhauer's research reminds us that it's not just how the princesses are portrayed. It's also important to consider the kinds of worlds these princesses inhabit, who rules these worlds, who has the power - and even who gets to open their mouths. In a large number of cases, the princesses are outspoken by men in their own movies.

"The Renaissance-era movies starting with 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Beauty and the Beast' were talked about as being not your average frilly princess films," Fought says. "They have 'active women who get things done.'"

"That's fine, but are these movies really so great for little girls to watch? When you start to look at this stuff, you have to question that a little bit."

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Analysis | Researchers have found a major problem with 'The Little Mermaid' and other Disney movies

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Why we should think twice before letting kids watch some Disney movies.

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How Gender Inequalities and Domestic Violence

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How Gender Inequalities and Domestic Violence

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Gender Inequality- Explained by children

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Gender Inequality- Explained by children

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Every girl and boy deserves an equal chance to survive and thrive. As the leading expert on childhood, Save the Children has been championing equal rights for every child for over 100 years - in fact, we invented the concept. Today, we are the leading champion for the human rights of the world's 2.2 billion girls and boys.

Yet, gender discrimination, starting in childhood, continues to rob children of their childhoods and limit their chances - disproportionately affecting the world's girls. A girl is far more likely to be denied her rights, kept from school, forced to marry and subjected to violence - her voice undervalued, if it's heard at all. This assault on childhood also deprives nations of the energy and talent they need to progress.

At the current rate of change, it will take over 200 years[1] to achieve gender equality, and that's just in the U.S. This is unacceptable.

Together, we can create a more equal world, right from the start. Join us.

What is gender discrimination?

Gender equality is a fundamental human right.

That right is violated by gender discrimination which, simply put, is any unequal treatment, including privilege and priority, on the basis gender. These inequalities start in childhood and are right now limiting the lifelong potential of children around the world - disproportionately affecting girls.

At Save the Children, we put gender equality at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is a world in which all people - girls, boys, women and men - have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities, regardless of gender norms, identities or expressions. A world where everyone is equally recognized, respected and valued.

Is gender discrimination against the law?

Discrimination based on gender is prohibited under almost every human rights treaty. This includes international laws providing for equal rights between men and women, as well as those specifically dedicated to the realization of women's rights, such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women[2] - considered the international bill of rights for women.

In the U.S., there are federal, state and local laws that protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of gender. Moreover, it is recognized in both law and policy that promoting gender equality is critical to achieving foreign policy objectives for a more prosperous and peaceful world.

What are the causes of gender inequality?

Gender inequality and resulting discrimination begin in childhood. From the moment they're born, girls and boys face unequal gender norms (or societal rules) regarding expectations and access to resources and opportunities, with lifelong consequences - in their homes, schools and communities.

For example, the world's boys are often encouraged to go to school and get an education to prepare for work, while girls carry heavy household responsibilities that keep them from school, increasing the odds of child marriage and pregnancy.

What are the effects of gender inequality?

Despite worldwide progress, gender inequality persists. Far too many girls, especially those from the poorest families, still face discrimination with respect to basic education, child marriage and pregnancy, sexual violence and unrecognized domestic work. These are some types of gender discrimination:

Girls not in school. Girls are more likely than boys to never set foot in a classroom. At last estimate, some 15 million girls of primary school age will never get the chance to learn to read or write compared to about 10 million boys. Conflict, poverty and other forms of social disadvantage magnify gender disparities in education. Girls living in countries affected by conflict, for example, are 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than boys.

More than 80% of children married before age 18 are girls. Child brides tend to be poor, under-educated and living in rural areas. Girls living in countries facing humanitarian crises are often most vulnerable of all. While the prevalence of child marriage is decreasing globally, an estimated 12 million girls marry in childhood each year. And without further reductions, more than 150 million more girls will marry by 2030.

Violence against girls. An estimated 1 in 3 women globally have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, mostly at the hands of their partners. Types of violence may include: prenatal sex selection, female infanticide, neglect, female genital mutilation, rape, child marriage, forced prostitution, honor killing and dowry killing. Many of these gross violations of human rights have been used as weapons of war around the world. Refugee children are particularly vulnerable.

Unrecognized domestic work. Girls are much more likely than boys to shoulder responsibility for household chores, negatively impact their ability to go to school. Girls are also more likely than boys to perform "double work duty," meaning both work in employment and household chores. Parents' decisions are often influenced by wider social norms about the different roles that girls and boys should play in the home and in society.

Your support helps girls and boys, like Syrian refugees Amena* and Samer,* ages 5 and 8, to be equally empowered to succeed and lead, proven to result in more stable, prosperous and safe societies. *Child's name changed for protection.
What is the importance of gender equality?

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future. Gender equality means that women and men, girls and boys all enjoy equal rights, resources, opportunities and protections.

Empowering girls from the start is proven to have lasting and compounding benefits over the course of their lives. When girls are supported to be active in civic and political spaces, in particular, they are empowered with the tools and skills they need to be drivers of positive change in their families and communities. Girls are the experts of their own experiences, priorities and needs, and are powerful catalysts for a more equal world.

What are the effects of gender equality on society

When girls are empowered to lead their lives, speak their minds and determine their futures, everyone benefits. History suggests that gender equal societies are more stable, safe and prosperous, with happier, better educated citizens.

Consider these gender equality dividends:

Every $1 invested in women's and children's health can generate a $20 return - according to the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

A girl's eventual income will increase by up to 20% for every year she stays in school - according to UN Women. It also encourages girls to marry later and have fewer children, and leaves them less vulnerable to violence.

Advancing women's equality could add up to $28 trillion to global annual growth by 2025 - according to the McKinsey Global Institute.

What is Save the Children doing to challenge gender discrimination and promote equality?

Gender equality is a basic right for all people, including both girls and boys. Based on this understanding, Save the Children believes that it is critical to directly address gender discrimination and promote gender equality in order to ensure that no harm comes to children, and to advance our vision for a world where every child attains their equal right to grow up healthy, educated and safe.

A focus on gender equality is essential to close inequality gaps and ensure that we reach every last child, including those who are most vulnerable. Gender inequalities intersect with and exacerbate other factors contributing to vulnerability, including age, race, socio-economic class, gender identity, geography, health status and ability.

To build a more equal, inclusive future, free from gender discrimination, we need to start in childhood. Thanks to supporters like you, Save the Children reaches hundreds of millions of children every year, promoting gender equality and empowering girls, right from the start.

Promoting gender equality works! Since 2000, Save the Children helped achieve a 25% decline in child marriage worldwide, empowering 11 million girls to stay in school or transition to work, deciding for themselves when they're ready for marriage and motherhood.

In addition, Save the Children is proud to be the first nonprofit to be Gender Fair-certified for our commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering the world's girls.

You can help challenge gender discrimination - changing children's lives and the future we share!

When you support Save the Children - whether it's by donating, advocating or participating in an event challenge - you're challenge gender discrimination around the world, helping bridge the gap between the challenges girls face and the gender equal futures they deserve. You're helping ensure children have equal opportunities to grow up healthy, educated and safe.

Together, we can change children's lives - ultimately, transforming the future we all share.
**Sources: Unless otherwise noted, facts and statistics have been sourced from Save the Children's program and monitoring and evaluation experts, as well as published reports, including our gender equality reports. [1] https://www.equalitycantwait.com/ [2]https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2016/cedaw-for-youth.pdf?la=en&vs=657 ***Photo credits: Victoria Zegler, Louis Leeson / Save the Children.

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Gender Discrimination Starts in Childhood

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Every girl and boy deserves an equal chance to survive and thrive. As the leading expert on childhood, Save the Children has been championing equal rights for every child for over 100 years - in fact, we invented the concept. Today, we are the leading champion for the human rights of the world's 2.2 billion girls and boys.

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How are women uniquely impacted by crises like COVID-19?

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