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Annual Survey Shows Low Level of Improvements in Gender Equality

Published by: Sinead Mooney

2021.03.08

WIN World Survey (WWS) uncovers attitudes to Gender Equality and Sexual Harassment/ Violence

WIN International, the world’s leading association in market research and polling, of which RED C Research is the Irish member,  has published the 2020 WIN World Survey (WWS) exploring the views and beliefs of 29,252 people from 34 countries across the globe about Gender Equality, Violence, and Sexual Harassment.

 

Headlines – Ireland

Violence (physical or psychological)

  1. Overall amongst the total population, violence remains relatively steady, there is a slight increase in 2020 versus 2019, with 11% experiencing violence in the past year.
  2. Violence amongst 18-34 year olds is at levels higher than the total population, with 20% experiencing this versus 11% amongst the total population.
  3. There are signs of increased levels of violence amongst this 18-34 year-old cohort in 2020 compared to 2019, with 20% of 18-34 years-olds (21% amongst 18-34 year old women) experiencing this in the past year.
  4. Level of violence experienced in Ireland is lower (-4%) than the global average.

 

Sexual Harassment

  1. 7% of the adult ROI population experienced some form of sexual harassment in the past year.  Slightly higher amongst women with a level of 10%.
  2. The level of sexual harassment being experienced remains unchanged since the previous year.  It is worth noting this is set with a backdrop of fewer people in physical offices during lockdown periods.
  3. However, as was the case in 2019, 18-34 year-old women report significantly higher levels of sexual harassment (21%) than men in the same age group (12%), highlighting the seemingly unbalanced experiences of women compared to men and the need to address it.
  4. Ireland is on par for the global average (+1%) with sexual harassment.

 

Gender Equality at work, in politics, and at home:

  1. Positively, there are signs that things are going in the right direction, with improved levels of agreement across 2018-2020 that gender equality has been achieved at home (76%), in work (65%), and in politics (53%).
  2. This growing level of agreement is also reflected amongst women regarding equality at home (73%), in work (59%), and to a lesser degree in politics (46%).
  3. Men are more likely than women to feel gender equality has been achieved, with differences existing for home (men +7%), in work (men +13%), and especially in politics (+14%), suggesting the need to continue working to ensure the voices of women are heard and that concerns are taken seriously.
  4. Ireland does sit higher than the global average with perceptions regarding equality at home (+5%) and in the workplace (+5%), and is just slightly higher (+2%) for the global average with equality in politics.

 

Headlines – World

Violence (physical or psychological)

  1. Compared to previous years, there is little or no improvement in terms of violence suffered by women: results are unfortunately stable (17% in 2020, 16% in 2019 and 2018).
  2. As in previous years, women aged between 18 and 24 show the highest incidence of physical and psychological violence (24%).
  3. Although both regions show an improvement compared to last year, women in the Americas and women in Africa suffered from violence (physical or psychological) more so than women in other areas (23% and 24% respectively).

 

Sexual Harassment

  1. Despite efforts and campaigns worldwide, results show little improvement: 8% of women suffered sexual harassment in the last year (2020), compared to 9% in 2019 and 10% in 2018.
  2. In relation to other regions, women in the Americas report having suffered from sexual harassment to a greater extent, even though it has dropped 4 points from last year (from 20% to 16%).

 

Gender Equality at work, in politics, and at home:

  1. As in previous measurements, gender equality is perceived the most at home, confirming the results of 2019 (from 72% to 71%).
  2. On a global level, 60% of the respondents feel that gender equality at work is definitely or to some extent achieved, but the share of men believing this is higher than women’s (65% vs. 55% respectively).
  3. Although having increased by 3 points compared to last year (from 48% to 51%), perceived gender equality in politics is still very low, being the sector where men and women still struggle to be treated equally. In addition, perception varies between men and women: 56% of men and 47% of women believe gender equality in politics is achieved in their country.

 

Please find below detailed results from the Gender Equality survey, in the form of a World Survey press release, and the Irish Summary Results.

WIN World Survey – Gender Equality – Irish Summary Results

WIN World Survey – Gender Equality – Press Release – March 2021

 

For more information or queries, please contact:

IRELAND

Sinead Mooney, Managing Director, RED C

[email protected]

Or

WORLD

Elena Crosilla, WIN Coordinator

+39 335.62.07.347

E-mail: [email protected]

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