Consider this: it took less than 40 years to put a man on the moon, but it will take 170 years to put a woman in the board room in many places on our planet, according to the recent Global Gender Gap Report.

Can we close the gender gap in less than 170 years?

A Unilever world-wide study of 9,000 women and men found that antiquated gender stereotypes, social norms and biases maintain an widening gender gap. Most women (60%) and half of men (49%) in the study said gender stereotypes affect their lives and careers.

The study pinpointed media and marketing as major contributors to deep-seated gender stereotypes, even despite attempts by some marketing specialists to avoid creating ads and promotions that foster gender stereotypes.

Consider these observations about gender inequality:
“The World Economic Forum’s latest Gender Gap Report notes that we may not achieve economic equality among men and women for another 170 years. That’s just not good enough. We need to lead the change in tackling unhelpful stereotypes that hold women – and men – back.” ~Paul Polman, Unilever CEO

“For decades, we’ve simultaneously been primed with opportunities that didn’t exist for previous generations and undermined by social stereotypes that both limit those very possibilities and create identity traps that weaken our individual ability to perform to our potential.” ~Alexis McGill Johnson, Perception Institute Executive Director

“We are on a journey to achieve ‘Unstereotyped’ mindsets inside and outside our company. But we can’t do it alone. We are calling for a conscious effort from individuals, government and businesses – big and small – to step up, root out and challenge the stereotypes that feed inequality and halt progress.” ~Paul Polman, Unilever CEO

Positive actions you can take in your everyday life:

1. Encourage the kids in your life to play as they wish; challenge your own stereotypes of what toys your sons or daughters choose to play with.
2. Stand up to sexual harassment; studies show that 80 to 90 percent of women have been harassed in public. Learn how to safely respond to harassment if you experience it yourself and what to do as a bystander if you witness it. Learn more at Hollaback!, a global movement to build safe, inclusive public spaces by transforming the culture that perpetuates discrimination and violence.
3. Include boys and men in conversations about gender equality because it’s not just a women’s issue it’s a human rights issue.
4. Use social media to bring attention to gender imbalances. Gender Avenger is a growing community of men and women committed to taking action to ensure women are part of the public dialog on gender balance at all levels. Check out how #NotBuyingIt created a movement that made Super Bowl advertisers take notice to address sexist advertisements.
5. Talk to your daughters, granddaughters or young women on teams you coach. Who are their role models? Do the women they see on TV and in the media reflect who they want to be? How are those women in the media treated by men and boys? Do they see women as leaders and in positions of authority? All of this is setting up her expectations for her own life. Learn more at The Representation Project or Women’s Media Center.

Think about it!

• In 2017, 12% of countries worldwide have a woman head of government.
• Women hold 24% of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) jobs.
• Women represent 19% of US congressional representatives, 12% of state governors, 18% of the mayors in the largest US cities.