Plan International’s Survey Sheds New Light on Gender Inequality

by Amanda McGinnis

Plan Canada, a subsidiary of Plan International, is a non-governmental organization based out of Toronto that is dedicated to combating child poverty and improving children’s rights. On September 22nd, Plan International released its annual survey “Because I’m a Girl” which focuses on the current state of youth opinion towards gender inequality and stereotypes. This year’s survey is subtitled “So, What About Boys” and draws attention to male perceptions of stereotypes, and how gender inequality hurts both girls and boys. 

I was able to talk with Sarah Hendriks, Plan International’s global gender equality advisor, to discuss the results of the survey and Plan Canada’s future plans.

This year’s “Because I’m a Girl” survey shed light on a different aspect of the gender divide. Plan International decided to focus on boys and young men’s thoughts on gender inequality, stereotypes, and definitions of masculinity, and the results were shocking. One third of Canadian boys (31%) believe that a woman’s most important role is to take care of her home and to cook for her family (in comparison to the U.K., where the result was 15%). The survey also showed that 45% of Canadian boys and young men believed that in order to be a man, you must be tough and take more risks.

“This really stood out for me, especially because we found in this report that gender equality is not just important for girls and women, its important for boys and men too. Gender inequality hurts both boys and girls. The belief that to be a man you need to be tough or take more risks is actually a pressure that can kill them. This pressure to conform to rigid stereotypes of masculinity can lead to increased violence, suicide, road traffic accidents, etc. Those are some of the biggest killers of adolescent men across Canada and the world … It became very clear to us that it’s not just a fight for girls rights, it’s the creation of a more gender equal world that will benefit everybody,”  Hendriks says.

She suggests that in order to break these cycles of stereotypes, gender inequality, and violence, we need to start by redefining masculinity. By framing a healthy and non-violent definition of being a “man,” Sarah says we can begin to “break cycles that have been there for generations; cycles of inequality, cycles of violence, and cycles of poverty.”

Plan International hopes that the “Because I’m a Girl” survey will help draw attention to the gender inequality issues that are present in Canada today.

“We need those in power to stand behind and promote gender equality and promote a vision towards an equal society for all. Without their support I don’t think we’ll ever achieve equality,” says Hendriks. 

For more information or to become involved with Plan Canada and the “Because I’m a Girl” campaign, please visit www.plancanada.ca.

Image courtesy Microsoft Office.