Efforts to fight inequality

World bodies have defined gender equality in terms of human rights, especially women's rights, and economic development. UNICEF describes that gender equality "means that women and men, and girls and boys, enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and protections. It does not require that girls and boys, or women and men, be the same, or that they be treated exactly alike."

The United Nations Population Fund has declared that men and women have a right to equality.

 "Gender equity" is one of the goals of the United Nations Millennium Project, to end world poverty by 2015; the project claims, "Every single Goal is directly related to women's rights, and societies where women are not afforded equal rights as men can never achieve development in a sustainable manner.

Many sources define gender as the sociological construction of sex, meaning how society ascribes certain roles for men and women. In its report entitled "Promoting Gender Equality," the United Nations Population Fund states: "... it is important to acknowledge that where gender inequality exists, it is generally women who are excluded or disadvantaged in relation to decision-making and access to economic and social resources." Addressing gender inequality in the workplace is an important goal for companies to build strong alliances with women so the entire team contributes to organizational success.

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