The benefits of gender equality

Key decisions shape the lives of women and children in three areas: the household, the workplace and the political sphere.

© UNICEF/HQ03-0278/Zaidi

(Centre) Naz, 11, with her father and mother, who heads the village’s education committee, Pakistan.

For women, gender equality means:

• Women sharing equally in household decisions about food, health care, schooling and other family necessities
• Women having access to meaningful, income-producing work
• Women directly influencing politics and public policy 

Read on to discover how achieving gender equality in these three areas benefits everyone – especially children.

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