The world’s first study to examine the correlation between gender equality and life expectancy has revealed that both women and men live longer as gender equality improves.
However, variations in the results between countries grouped by socioeconomic development and geographic proximity indicate that while the improvement in gender equality initially primarily benefits women’s lives and health, it also leads to longer life expectancy for men over time, eventually reducing the difference in life expectancy between genders.
Lead author Dr. Cat Pinho-Gomes, Honorary Research Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, UK in partnership with Imperial College London, said the results suggest that addressing longstanding gender inequality and empowering women might help extend longevity for both women and men.
“Many of the factors that determine how long you will live – like working and living conditions, exposure to pollution, access to health care, education, income, and social support – are layered with gender differences around the world,” she said.
“As countries make greater progress towards gender equality and women are afforded the opportunity to participate more fully in political, economic, and social life, the whole of society reaps the rewards.”