Gender bias 'increases poverty'

Inequality at home between men and women leads to poorer health for the children and greater poverty for the family, says a new study.

The UN children's agency, Unicef, found that where women are excluded from family decisions, children are more likely to be under-nourished...

Unicef surveyed family decision-making in 30 countries around the world. Their chief finding is that equality between men and women is essential to lowering poverty and improving health, especially of children, in developing countries...

For example, in Ivory Coast and Ghana, it was discovered that when women's income increased for whatever reason, they spent the extra on more food for the family, whereas an increase in men's income made no significant difference, Unicef said.
In many households across the developing world, Unicef found that women are excluded from health-related decisions.

Children in these families are more likely to be undernourished as the family spends less on food, Unicef said.

Gender equality in family decision-making in South Asia would lead to 13.4m fewer malnourished children, a 13% reduction, the report said...

Perhaps the old adage is true; if we ruled the world maybe the world would be a better place.