Gender equality seen as goal, not yet realized–Poll

While the goal of gender equality is embraced by almost all countries, the perception that men are - and should be - favored in employment and education remains widespread, especially in poor nations or predominantly Muslim countries, according to a survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project (GAP). The poll, which was conducted in April and May in 22 of the world's most populous and influential nations, also found majority–and mostly overwhelming–support in every country for the proposition that women should be able to work outside the home. With the exception of Pakistan, Egypt and Jordan, strong majorities ranging from 60 percent to 92 percent of respondents in each country said they thought a marriage where both spouses have jobs and take care of the house and children was more satisfying than a more traditional arrangement in which there was a stricter division of labor between husbands and wives. But the survey also found sometimes substantial differences between men and women, both on these questions and on the degree to which the ideal of gender equality was actually being achieved in their countries.