Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

My name is Miss Harrison.

I'm so excited to be learning with you today.

Today's lesson is called Gender and inequality.

Grab everything you might need for today's lesson and let's begin our learning.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to analyse the relationship between gender and inequality.

Before we can begin this, we need to define the keywords that we'll be using throughout today's lesson.

The keywords in today's lesson are: gender inequality and representation, political.

Gender inequality.

This is when people have different rights, responsibilities, and access to resources based on their gender.

Representation, political.

This is when different groups of people have a voice in government or decision-making, like being able to vote or become leaders.

Now that we've defined these keywords, we can begin our learning.

The first question we are going to explore in today's lesson is, what is the extent of gender inequality? Today we're going to look at gender inequality.

This means when people are treated differently just because of their gender.

Gender inequality happens when men and women don't have the same rights, responsibilities, or access to resources like education, jobs, or healthcare.

In some places, the differences might be small, but in others, they can be very serious.

For example, in some countries, girls might not be allowed to go to school or women might not have the same chances to get jobs or make important decisions.

In what ways might life be different for men and women around the world? You might consider things like school, play, jobs, safety, or expectations at home.

Pause here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's hear some responses.

Jun said, "Men and women may be paid differently and have different jobs.

I think the leaders of most countries are men." Izzy said, "I think there's inequality over expectations on men and women.

Some people still think that women should do more household chores!" Well done if you managed to come up with any of those answers as well.

Gender inequality exists in many parts of the world, and it hasn't just appeared recently.

It has developed over a long period of time, and in many cases, it's linked to cultural traditions or religious beliefs.

These traditions may shape how people think men and women should behave, what roles they should have, and what opportunities they're given, but it's important to remember not all cultures or religions treat men and women unequally.

Many groups and communities actively support equality and beliefs can be interpreted in different ways.

So when we look at gender inequality, we need to think carefully about the history, the context, and how attitudes are changing in different parts of the world.

Gender inequality is, A, when people have different rights, responsibilities, and access to resources based on their gender; B, when people have the same rights, responsibilities, and access to resources regardless of their gender; or C, the process of men and women becoming more unequal.

Pause the video here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is A, when people have different rights, responsibilities, and access to resources based on their gender.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

Gender inequality can appear in different ways in people's lives.

We usually group it into three main types: economic, social, and political.

First is economic inequality.

This means differences in money and wealth.

For example, men often earn more than women even when they do similar jobs.

Women might also have fewer chances to get promoted or work in high-paying industries.

Next is social inequality.

This is about people's quality of life.

In some parts of the world, girls have fewer opportunities to go to school or access healthcare, which affects their future.

Political.

This is about power and decision-making.

In many countries, women are underrepresented in politics, meaning there are far fewer women in leadership roles such as in parliaments or government positions.

This affects whose voices are heard and whose needs are prioritised when decisions are made.

By looking at these different types, we can better understand how gender equality impacts not just individuals, but whole societies.

Which form of gender inequality is missing? Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, it's economic.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

Let's look more closely at economic gender inequality, how men and women are treated differently when it comes to money and wealth around the world.

First, let's look at wages.

On average, women earn 77 pence for every pound that men earn globally.

That means if a man earns 10 pounds, a woman doing a similar job might only earn 7.

70 pound.

This is called the gender pay gap, and it's a key part of economic inequality.

Next, we look at wealth.

Around the world, men own about 70% of all the wealth, while women only own 30%.

Wealth includes things like land, houses, savings, and businesses.

These numbers show that even today, men often have more access to money, property, and financial power, which can affect people's lives, choices, and futures.

While gender inequality exists in many places, it doesn't look exactly the same everywhere.

This graph shows the gender wage gap in different countries.

That means the difference in how much men and women earn on average.

Above the line, men earn more money than women.

This is true for most countries.

Below the line, women actually earn more than men, although this is much less common.

You'll notice that many countries in Central America, like Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras, appear below the line.

That means in these places, women sometimes earn slightly more than men.

This shows that economic inequality varies from place to place depending on things like culture, laws, the kinds of jobs people do, and how much gender inequality is supported in society.

In which of these countries were average wages higher for men in 2016, South Korea or Thailand? Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, it was South Korea.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

Another way we can see gender inequality is through education.

This is an example of social inequality.

This map shows how many average years of schooling boys and girls receive in different countries.

It uses something called the Gender Parity Index, and here's what it means.

In countries shaded light grey, girls and boys receive about the same number of years of schooling.

In areas shaded blue or green, girls are in school longer than boys.

This is quite rare, but it does happen in some places.

In countries shaded brown, boys stay in school longer than girls.

This is more common in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.

This shows that in many parts of the world, girls still have fewer chances to complete their education, which can limit their future job opportunities, income, and independence.

Education is a key factor in improving gender equality.

When girls go to school, it helps create fairer and healthier societies.

When it comes to health, the picture is mixed.

There are some positives, but also some serious concerns.

In all countries, women tend to live longer than men.

This is positive sign and shows progress in some areas of healthcare.

However, there are still big health challenges for women, especially in poorer countries.

One of the most serious risks is during childbirth.

In many parts of the world, women face dangerous conditions when having a baby.

This could be because of poor access to hospitals, a lack of trained doctors or nurses, or not enough medicine or clean facilities.

So even though women live longer overall, they often face higher health risks at key moments in life, especially when they're trying to start or grow a family.

This shows how gender inequality in health isn't just about lifespan, but about safety, support, and access to care.

Now let's look at political inequality, how power is shared between men and women in governments.

As of 2024, only 26% of national parliamentarians worldwide are women.

That means that around three out of every four politicians are men.

This shows that in most countries, men still hold the majority of political power, making the big decisions and leading governments.

If we look at the map, we can see that most heads of government, like prime ministers or presidents, are also men.

This matters because when women aren't equally represented in politics, their voices and concerns can be overlooked.

True gender equality means that both men and women have a say in how their country is run.

The Gender Development Index, or GDI, is a score that helps us understand how equal men and women are in different countries.

It looks at three main things: education, health, and income.

These are important because they affect people's opportunities and quality of life.

Countries that score closer to one have higher gender equality.

That means men and women have similar access to education, healthcare, and money.

From the map, we can see that North America, South America, Europe, Oceania, East Asia, and the southern tip of Africa tend to have higher quality, but in areas like Southern Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Central Africa, the scores are lower.

This shows that gender inequality is still a big challenge in many parts of the world.

This map helps us to see where progress is being made and where more work is still needed to achieve fairness between men and women.

According to the Gender Development Index, which of the following is true? A, most countries in South America have a significantly lower score than those in North America; B, most countries in Africa have significantly higher score than those in South America; and C, most countries in Southern Asia have a significantly lower score than those in Europe.

Pause the video here whilst to attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, the answer is C.

Most countries in Southern Asia have a significantly lower score than those in Europe.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

I would like you to use the Gender Development Index and describe the global variation in gender inequality.

Remember that darker colours are more equal.

I would like you to refer to six continents in your answer.

You may use an atlas to help you.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

Let's check our answer.

Your answer may include some of the following information.

According to the GDI, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Northern Asia, and the southern tip of Africa all have less gender inequality, with scores over 0.

95.

Countries in Central Africa and Southern Asia tend to have more gender inequality.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

You've done brilliantly.

We're now going to explore our second question of today's lesson, what is the impact of gender inequality? Economic inequality between men and women doesn't just affect pay.

It has a wide impact on both individuals and the whole economy.

First, let's think about individuals.

When men earn more and control more money, it often means they make most of the decisions in the family.

This can reduce women's independence and limits their choices in daily life.

Now let's think about the bigger picture.

If women are excluded from jobs or not given the same chances to work and lead, it means we're wasting the talent and skills of half the population, and that's really bad for the economy.

Countries that don't support gender equality may grow more slowly because they're not using all the skills, ideas, and energy available, so gender inequality doesn't just hold women back; it holds everyone back.

One major reason why gender inequality in the economy continues is because girls don't always get the same access to education as boys.

In some countries, girls have fewer years of schooling, and this can happen because of poverty, traditional beliefs about gender roles, or a lack of safe schools for girls, sometimes girls are expected to stay at home to help with chores or take care of the family.

When girls miss out on education, they also miss out on learning important skills and knowledge that could help them get good jobs in the future, things like maths, science, technology, or languages.

This means that when it's time to apply for jobs, boys are more likely to have higher qualifications and employers often prefer to hire them.

As a result, women end up earning less than men and many are stuck in lower paid or informal jobs.

This keeps a cycle of economic gender inequality going.

This message is clear.

Education is one of the most important and powerful tools to help girls achieve equality and to build fairer, stronger economies for everyone.

Which of these is an example of economic gender inequality? A, girls receiving less years of education; B, less women in positions of political leadership; C, women earning lower wages than men doing the same job.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C, women earning lower wages than men doing the same job.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

In some countries or regions, religious or cultural traditions have influenced government decisions that have restricted education for girls.

A powerful example is Afghanistan, where the Taliban government currently does not allow girls to attend school beyond primary level.

This means that after about the age of 11, girls are not allowed to continue their education.

This is a really serious impact.

It stops girls from learning, from gaining qualifications, and from having future opportunities to work and support themselves.

It also affects the country's progress, because half the population is being held back.

While culture and religion are important in shaping societies, not all traditions support equality, and it's important to consider how these beliefs affect people's lives, especially when they take away rights access to education.

Amina is a 14-year-old girl in Kabul when she was top of the class and dreamed of becoming a science teacher.

When the Taliban banned girls from school, she was turned away at the gates and hasn't been back since.

She now teaches her younger sister at home.

She says, "It feels like my future has been cut off, like the road I was walking just suddenly ended." How do you think this would feel? Pause the video here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Exactly.

It would feel really, really sad and also would stop you from being able to achieve some of the goals that maybe you've set for yourself, and it would make you feel upset that you weren't able to have the same access to school as other boys do.

How might a lack of female representation in politics affect decision-making? Pause the video here whilst do you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's hear some answers.

Andeep said, "I think that if all politicians are men then laws are likely to favour men." And Laura said, "I think that male politicians won't really know lots about things that are important to women," and they're both right.

Well done if you managed to come up with some of those same ideas.

In many countries there is a link between the number of women in politics and the gender pay gap.

That's the difference in how much men and women are paid.

Countries with fewer female politicians often have a larger pay gap.

Some people believe that this is because men are less likely to create laws that support equal pay or improving working conditions for women.

Take South Korea as an example.

It has one of the highest gender pay gaps in the world.

On average, women earn much less than men there.

At the same time, only 17% of South Korea's National Assembly, which is like their parliament, is made up of women.

With so few women involved in decision-making, it's hard to make progress on gender equality in the workplace.

This shows where representation matters.

When more women are in government, they can help create laws and policies that lead to fairer pay and better opportunities for everyone.

True or false? Economic, social, and political forms of gender inequality are completely separate from one another.

Pause the video here whilst you decide if this statement is true or false, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The reason why this statement is false is because: economic, social, and political forms of gender inequality are often linked together.

For example, if a country has a low proportion of female politicians, then it's likely that laws to reduce economic and social inequality will not be made.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

I would like you to draw a spider diagram showing the different impacts on Afghan girls and society because of restrictions on female education.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to continue.

Well done.

Let's check our answers.

Your ideas may include: when girls can't go to school, they're less likely to get good jobs later in life.

This keeps families and communities trapped in poverty.

Afghan businesses will not be able to benefit from the knowledge and skills that Afghan girls would have gained at school.

Not taking part in education and losing career dreams affects the mental health and wellbeing of Afghan girls.

Without education, girls have fewer choices and less control over their lives.

Well done if you managed to include some of those points in your answer.

We're now going to explore our final question of today's lesson, is gender inequality widening? Even though gender inequality still exists, there has been a lot of progress in many parts of the world.

This chart shows how changes in economic, social, political, and household equality since 1950.

That includes things like health, pay, education, voting rights, and roles in family.

Most regions like North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia have all become more equal over time.

This means that women and girls now have more opportunities than they did in the past.

The only exception is in Eastern Europe, where progress has been slower or more uneven.

This shows us two things.

First, that change is possible when countries invest in education, healthcare, and women's rights.

Second, that there's still work to do to make sure gender equality happens everywhere, not just in some places.

This slide shows how gender equality in education has changed between 1970 and 2023.

The map on the left shows the situation in 1970.

Most countries are shaded brown, which means boys were getting more years of schooling than girls.

In many parts of the world, girls had fewer chances to go to school or stay in school.

Now look at the map on the right, from 2023.

You can see a lot more blue and green areas.

This shows that in many countries, the number of years for boys and girls spent in school is now equal, or even slightly higher for girls in some places.

This is a positive change.

It shows that around the world, more girls are going to school and gender equality in education is improving.

But there's still countries where girls fall behind.

So even though progress has been made, there's more work to do to make sure every child, no matter their gender, has the same chance to learn.

Who is correct? Andeep said, "Gender inequality has increased in parts of the world." Izzy said, "Gender inequality has disappeared in most parts of the world." Alex said, "Gender inequality is reduced in most parts of the world." Paul's video here was you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The correct answer is Alex's.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

Although most political leaders in the world are still men, the number of female leaders has grown a lot in recent years.

More and more women are becoming presidents, prime ministers, and government ministers, showing that progress is being made in gender equality and politics.

This matters because when women are in power, they can bring different ideas, represent different voices, and help create laws that support equality for everyone.

There's still a long way to go, but this rise in female leaders is a positive step towards fairer and more balanced governments.

Which continents contain at least one country with a female leader in 2024? Pause the video here whilst you take a closer look, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia are all continents with a female leader in 2024.

Oceania was the only exception.

But, Australia and New Zealand have had female leaders in the past, and it's important that we remember and acknowledge those people for the changes and improvements they've made in societies in those countries.

Well done if you identified those.

Reducing gender inequality is still a major challenge around the world today.

But over time, many individuals and groups have taken action in powerful ways to make things fairer, whether by campaigning for girls' education, changing laws, speaking out, or leading by example.

From small local changes to big global movements, people have shown that change is possible when we work together.

And the journey isn't over.

Everyone has a role to play in helping create a more equal, fair, and inclusive world for the future.

Over time, individuals have taken powerful actions to fight against gender inequality.

This timeline chose four inspiring women from around the world who made a difference.

First, in 1903, Emmeline Pankhurst in the UK led the Suffragette movement, fighting for women's rights to vote.

Her work helped bring about one of the most important changes in women's rights.

In 1970, Wangari Maathai from Kenya linked women's rights to environmental protections.

She started the Green Belt Movement, helping both people and the planet.

In 1993, Ruth Ginsburg became a justice in the US Supreme Court.

She used her position to fight for gender equality through law, helping to change the system from within.

And in 2012 to today, Malala from Pakistan has become a global voice for girls in education.

After surviving an attack for speaking out, she became a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and continues to campaign for equal rights in education.

These women show that gender equality doesn't just happen.

It's made possible by people who speak up, take action, and fight for change.

Malala, A, founded the Suffragettes; B, campaigns for girls' education; C, started the Green Belt Movement.

Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Malala campaigns for girls' education.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

The statement on your screen reads, gender inequality around the world is no longer a significant issue.

I would like you to place a cross on the line representing your opinion, whether you agree or disagree.

You need to state your opinion, whether you agree, disagree, partially agree with the statement, and then justify your opinion.

Refer to education, wages, and politics.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

Your response may look something like this.

You may have placed the cross here, closer to the disagree side.

And your response may look something like this.

I mainly disagree with the statement as I do think gender inequality is still a significant issue, despite the progress made.

Although there are more female leaders in modern day politics, they are still far outweighed by men in all continents in the world.

It is good that wages and access to education have become more equal, but there are still some parts of the world where girls' education is severely restricted, and this will have long-term impacts on the prospects of women in these countries.

Well done if you managed to include some of those points in your answer.

You've done brilliantly.

We've now come to the end of our learning in Gender and inequality.

Let's sum up what we've learned about gender inequality.

In many parts of the world, women still earn less than men.

This is because they often have less access to good jobs, equal pay, or the chance to own property.

Girls are also more likely to miss out on school, especially in areas affected by poverty, conflict, or cultural expectations about what girls should do.

When it comes to politics, women are still underrepresented.

Most political leaders around the world are men, which means women's voices aren't always heard when big decisions are made.

Gender inequality is different in every place.

It depends on things like geography, culture, laws, and how developed a country is.

But there is hope.

Around the world, progress is being made.

New laws, better education, and brave activists are helping to make things fairer and more equal.

Well done on today's lesson, you've done brilliantly, and I look forward to learning with you again very soon.