Europe makes no progress in overcoming prejudice against women
Nine out of ten people are still affected by gender bias, according to a recent UN study. Respondents included both men and women. The study covered 91 countries, 22 of them in Europe.
The stereotype of men as 'breadwinners' and women as 'homemakers' is the most common, as expected. Also, 50% of those surveyed believe that men are better able to cope with leading positions, including political ones.
Men are better at running a business, according to more than 40% of respondents. And 25% think it is OK to hit a woman. This is in line with the results of a recent study on domestic violence carried out in Germany.
The highest number of prejudices is found in Slovakia, with 87%. Romania follows with 86%. Cyprus and Poland both have 80%.
The lowest levels of gender prejudice are found in Sweden (28%) and the United Kingdom (30%). The Netherlands is just behind with 31%. In fourth place is Germany: 37% of the population still hold gender stereotypes.
A recent survey by Plan International Germany of men aged 18-35 found that 33% thought it was acceptable to harm a woman, while 34% admitted to supporting violence as an example of respect.
Meanwhile, this year marks the anniversary of the law in Luxembourg, which has had a similar law in place since 2003. Although violence remains a problem, as evidenced by the high recidivism rate, the overall trend is positive.
In addition, Luxembourg has launched a website, violence.lu. It provides support not only for victims but also for perpetrators. The need to understand the underlying reasons for such behaviour and to prevent its recurrence is recognised. The focus is often on helping the perpetrator.
In Luxembourg, the rate of domestic violence has decreased by 3% compared to 2021. Women remain the main victims, accounting for 61% of cases and men 39%. Alarmingly, 389 cases involved child victims.
On a global scale, gender bias remains a major problem. The Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) serves as a tool to measure bias against women by measuring societal attitudes towards the role of women in four critical areas: political, educational, economic and bodily integrity.
Notably, in countries with both lower and higher Human Development Index (HDI) rankings, gender bias persists. These biases transcend regional, income and cultural boundaries. This underlines their status as a global concern.
