{"id":5154,"date":"2026-01-21T17:09:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/global-social-challenges\/?p=5154"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:09:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:09:22","slug":"the-glass-ceiling-of-equality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/global-social-challenges\/2026\/01\/21\/the-glass-ceiling-of-equality\/","title":{"rendered":"The glass ceiling of equality"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Article by Ella Morris<\/p>\n

Photo by\u00a0Rapha Wilde on Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n

If current trends continue, more than 340 million women and girls\u2014an estimated 8 per cent of the world\u2019s female population\u2014will live in extreme poverty by 2030[1]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The twenty-first century was meant to be an era of empowerment and prosperity, with globalisation, new technology, and social movements promising new opportunities. Yet, behind the rhetoric of progress, a crisis of equality still stands- the feminisation of inequality.<\/p>\n

In The Spirit Level, Wilkinson and Pickett discuss the idea that societies are overall happier and more cohesive, not when they are richer, but instead when they are more equal[2]<\/a>. So, if inequality is the primary cause for many social issues, what happens when half the world\u2019s population remains systematically undervalued?<\/p>\n

The Invisible Economics of Gender<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wilson and Pickett found that inequality causes divided societies with higher levels of social problems like mistrust and violence, to name a few[3]<\/a>. We see such inequality on a day-to-day basis, even in societies we would tend to deem progressive. Globally, women are still paid less than men for the same job, with the UK having a gender pay gap of 7.0% as of April 2024 (among full-time employees) and with women in the US making about 82 cents for every dollar men made as of the second quarter of 2025[4]<\/a>[5]<\/a>. Not only this, but the work most associated with women, including care work, teaching, and nursing, is systematically undervalued and underpaid. Ironically, it’s these jobs that help society to function, and with 82% of such occupations being done by women, it is women who suffer the consequences of a society that prioritises profit[6]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As The Spirit Level showed, unequal societies are less cohesive and suffer more social issues. The gender inequality that undervalues the contributions of women feeds directly into that cycle.<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s invisible labour<\/strong><\/p>\n

One example of inequality that we see in our everyday lives (that often goes unnoticed) is the unpaid domestic work carried out by women. On average, men do 16 hours a week of such unpaid work compared to the 26 hours of unpaid work done by women a week[7]<\/a>.\u00a0 This unpaid labour done by women had a commercial value of \u00a31.01tn in 2014[8]<\/a>. Yet the women reap no economic rewards or benefits, even though this work keeps society running behind the scenes. Women don\u2019t just go unrecognised for this work; it is often the very thing keeping them economically sidelined. During COVID-19, millions of women were forced to leave paid employment to take care of their families. This shows how fragile gender equality really is when it depends on women doing twice the work for half the reward.<\/p>\n

The functionality of equal societies<\/strong><\/p>\n

Figure 2.2 in The Spirit Level shows that countries with less income inequality also have fewer health and social issues[9]<\/a>. This is also true when looking at gender inequality. Countries such as Finland and Norway rank first and second on the gender equality by countries ranking for 2025 and also rank in the top ten countries for the highest quality of life[10]<\/a>[11]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t a coincidence; it is a pattern. Giving women equal access to education, economic freedom, healthcare, and politics benefits society. This pattern shows that working towards gender equality, as a shared goal, would decrease social ills in currently divided societies.<\/p>\n

However, reaching complete gender equality is no small feat, so how do we get there?<\/p>\n

A new era of progress<\/strong><\/p>\n

To achieve this new era of gender equality, we cannot simply increase representativeness; representativeness alone can’t fix structural inequality. So, instead, we need to rethink what we value, and why. Why do we value aggression but not empathy in our business? Why do we see the financial sector as more important than the care and teaching of our next generations?<\/p>\n

These questions must be asked and answered by all members of society, as the most important lesson from Wilson and Pickett is that we need to stop viewing gender inequality as solely a women\u2019s issue. Instead, we need to see it for what it is, a key cause of wider social problems.<\/p>\n

The eradication of gender inequality in society would not also end all poverty and inequality, but it is a great step in the right direction because, as The Spirit Level shows, a more equal society doesn\u2019t just benefit women- it works better for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

References<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> UN Women \u2013 Asia-Pacific. (2023). The world is failing girls and women, according to new UN report. [online] Available at: https:\/\/asiapacific.unwomen.org\/en\/stories\/press-release\/2023\/09\/the-world-is-failing-girls-and-women-according-to-new-un-report<\/a> [Accessed 03 Nov. 2025].<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. (2010). The Spirit Level: Why Equality Is Better for Everyone. London: Penguin Books Ltd. Pg.25<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. (2010). The Spirit Level: Why Equality Is Better for Everyone. London: Penguin Books Ltd. Pg.19<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> team, E. (2024). Gender pay gap in the UK. [online] Ons.gov.uk. Available at: https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/employmentandlabourmarket\/peopleinwork\/earningsandworkinghours\/bulletins\/genderpaygapintheuk\/2024#data-on-the-gender-pay-gap<\/a>. [Accessed 03 Nov. 2025]<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> USAFacts. (2025). What is the gender pay gap in the US? | USAFacts. [online] Available at: https:\/\/usafacts.org\/answers\/what-is-the-gender-pay-gap-in-the-us\/country\/united-states\/. [Accessed 03 Nov. 2025]<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> www.ons.gov.uk. (n.d.). Women in the labour market – Office for National Statistics. [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/employmentandlabourmarket\/peopleinwork\/employmentandemployeetypes\/articles\/womeninthelabourmarket\/2013-09-25#women-in-the-labour-market<\/a>. [Accessed 03 Nov. 2025]<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Office for National Statistics (2016). Women shoulder the responsibility of \u2018unpaid work\u2019. [online] Ons.gov.uk. Available at: https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/employmentandlabourmarket\/peopleinwork\/earningsandworkinghours\/articles\/womenshouldertheresponsibilityofunpaidwork\/2016-11-10<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Office for National Statistics (2016). Women shoulder the responsibility of \u2018unpaid work\u2019. [online] Ons.gov.uk. Available at: https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/employmentandlabourmarket\/peopleinwork\/earningsandworkinghours\/articles\/womenshouldertheresponsibilityofunpaidwork\/2016-11-10<\/a>. [Accessed 04 Nov. 2025]<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K. (2010). The Spirit Level: Why Equality Is Better for Everyone. London: Penguin Books Ltd. Pg.20<\/p>\n

[10]<\/a> World Population review (2025). Gender Equality by Country 2025. [online] worldpopulationreview.com. Available at: https:\/\/worldpopulationreview.com\/country-rankings\/gender-equality-by-country<\/a>. [Accessed 06 Nov. 2025]<\/p>\n

[11]<\/a> Numbeo (2025). Quality of Life Index By Country 2025. [online] Numbeo.com. Available at: https:\/\/www.numbeo.com\/quality-of-life\/rankings_by_country.jsp<\/a>. [Accessed 06 Nov. 2025]<\/p>\n

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Related<\/h1>\n

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