The global problem of gender inequality has returned to the fore following the 2015 United Nations report that says there are 101.8 men per 100 women in the world and that the numbers of men have been rising gradually since 1960s. Compounding the problem is the unequal distribution of genders across the world — Russia, for example, has more women than men. While ensuring a mathematical exactness in male-to-female population may be difficult as a societal formula, the truth is that the more skewed the gender imbalance, the more problems it creates for a society at multiple levels.
Historically, every society’s ratio of male-to-female numbers is impacted by a host of factors — wars, civil strife, economic migration, socio-cultural taboos, genetic health predispositions, etc. These, undoubtedly, render the issue complex, but at the same time, many of these triggers are controllable if a government has the vision to enact the right policies and implement them effectively.
On the other hand, failure to take this issue seriously can push societies to experience fluctuating fortunes as a norm rather than an exception. The truth is, the importance of the role of women in defining social progress occupies the same degree as that of men. Therefore, every country must work towards creating gender equality, both numbers-wise and as part of a national agenda. The UN’s prediction that this equality is eight decades away means that every country must do its bit.
