Inequitable Attitudes

Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women program partner Bougainville Women’s Federation recently conducted research in collaboration with IWDA to investigate the opportunities and barriers faced by young women pursuing leadership in Bougainville.

The report identifies that inequitable attitudes are held by both men and women and are reinforced by cultural pressures that guide conformity. As a result, the report reveals that 72% of women and 85% of men agree that a woman should obey her husband, while 45% of women and 60% of men agree that if a woman does something wrong, her husband has the right to punish her.

The report suggests these figures may be the outcome of culturally defined gender roles and a limited presentation of alternate views.