Despite progress in gender equality globally over recent decades, embedded structural barriers and patriarchal relations seem to counter progress in some areas and we have seen the emergence of ‘backlash’ against women’s empowerment in many settings, in the context of broader resilient or deepening global and local economic inequalities. This 2019 study focusing on Egypt, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Ukraine, include findings that progress on women’s economic advancement remains constrained by persistent and pervasive gender stereotypes, reinforcing gender segregation at work and the gendered division of labour at home, even though all of the countries are in the midst of transitions to more modern market economies. Indeed, the loss of state welfare service provision or increased job insecurity, among others, have been accompanied by renewed gender traditionalism, perhaps to provide a sense of order amid rapid social and economic change. The study draws implications for complementing women-focused interventions with initiatives to change gender relations, as well as for work directly with men as agents of positive change alongside women.
Research report
Published 2019