Summary of New Study Finds That Greater Gender Equality Could Increase Life Expectancy:
A new study has found that improved gender equality positively impacts life expectancy for both women and men. The study examined the correlation between gender equality and life expectancy across 156 countries between 2010 and 2021. The researchers found a strong association between gender equality in education and longer life expectancy for both genders. Gender equality in political representation had a weaker association with life expectancy. The study suggests that addressing gender inequality and empowering women could extend longevity for both women and men. The findings have important implications for policymakers globally, particularly as the world recovers from the gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Study Shows that Gender Equality is Linked to Longer Life Expectancy for Both Men and Women
A recent study has shown that gender equality significantly impacts the life expectancy of both men and women. The research, which is the first of its kind, revealed that improved gender equality results in a longer lifespan for both genders. However, there were variations in the results based on the countries’ socioeconomic status and geographical proximity.
The study highlights that addressing longstanding gender inequality and empowering women can extend longevity for both men and women. The findings also confirm that improving gender equality might reduce the difference in life expectancy between both genders over time.
Gender Equality is Associated with Longer Life Expectancy
Lead author Dr. Cat Pinho-Gomes, Honorary Research Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, UK, in partnership with Imperial College London, said that various factors determine how long people live, including their working and living conditions, exposure to pollution, access to health care, education, income, and social support. These factors are layered with gender differences worldwide, making gender equality critical.
The study investigated whether gender equality was associated with life expectancy (LE) for both men and women and assessed the gender gap in life expectancy worldwide. The researchers used a modified Global Gender Gap Index (mGGGI), based on the index developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF), and applied it across 156 countries between 2010 and 2021.
The WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment). For this study, the health dimension, which includes healthy life expectancy, was excluded as it is the subject of this study.
The study shows that gender equality in education had the strongest association with longer LE for both women and men. This suggests that investing in education is paramount, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where many girls are still denied access to education and resources are limited.
The Weaker Association Between Gender Equality in Political Domain and Life Expectancy
The study also indicated a weaker association between gender equality in the political domain and the gender gap in life expectancy, raising concerns about how gender equality is being implemented by political systems worldwide. Women still experience significant challenges in this field, including discrimination, balancing private, family, and political life, gaining support from political parties, and securing campaign funding.
Conclusion
In 2021, every ten percent increase in the mGGGI was associated with a 4.3-month increase in women’s LE and a 3.5-month increase in men’s LE, leading to an 8-month wider gender gap. There were considerable variations between geographical regions. The study highlights the need for policymakers across the globe to invest in gender equality, particularly as the world gradually recovers from the myriad shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Pinho-Gomes emphasized that enhancing women’s representation across multiple sectors contributes to wealthier and healthier societies for all.
Reference: Ana-Catarina Pinho-Gomes, Sanne A. E. Peters, and Mark Woodward, “Gender equality related to gender differences in life expectancy across the globe gender equality and life expectancy” PLOS Global Public Health. DOI: 10.1371/journal. pg.0001214
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