Every year, attitudes toward gender equality evolve — sometimes boldly, sometimes subtly. The latest Ipsos study for International Women’s Day 2026 reveals a world that is hopeful in some areas, divided in others, and still negotiating what equality really looks like in everyday life.
From leadership and career choices to traditional gender roles and generational gaps, here are four key insights that stand out this year.
1️⃣ Traditional Gender Beliefs: Still Lingering, Especially Among Gen Z Men
Let’s start with a reality check.
Even though many say childcare (73%), housework (73%), and earning money (66%) should be shared equally, traditional ideas persist.
Generation Z men are more likely than Boomers to hold traditional views.
- A wife should always obey her husband (31% Gen Z vs 13% Boomers)
- It causes problems if a woman earns more than her husband (29% vs 18%)
- A woman should not appear too independent (24% vs 12%)
Discussions about equality aren’t just about policy, they also reflect cultural norms, identity, and evolving ideas of masculinity and femininity.
2️⃣ Equality Progress: The World Sees It Differently
Here’s what people around the world said:
- 52% say equality efforts have gone far enough.
- But 60% believe more women in leadership would improve things
- And 54% say female leaders are key to achieving equality.
However, the data also reveals some tension:
- 46% believe men are being expected to do too much to support equality.
- 44% feel efforts may have gone so far that men are now being discriminated against.
Conversations about equality are becoming more complex, with today’s focus on finding the right balance and fairness for everyone.
If Women Could Have One Superpower for a Day…
💡 Fun insight: For International Women’s Day, we asked: “If women could have a superpower for a day, which would they choose?”.
🪄 The top choice reflects a simple dream — having the power to turn wishes into reality, even if just for a day.
⏱️ Pause time to enjoy a perfect moment – 17%
🎨 Create anything with a snap of the fingers – 16%
🕵️♀️ Read people’s minds – 8%
🎉 Unlimited happiness & confidence – 16%
✨ Make wishes come true instantly – 43%
**These results represent Ipsos iSay web visitors in 11 Asian countries and Oceania from February 13th – March 10th and may not reflect the views of the general population.
3️⃣ The Future: Brighter for Young Women, Less So for Young Men
Globally, 55% believe young women will have a better life than their mothers’ generation, compared with just 40% who feel the same for young men — a 5-point drop from last year highlighting a notable optimism gap.
While progress for women is widely recognized, some younger men worry that the push for equality may tip the balance too far, making things feel unfair to them.
Gender equality is about uplifting women and ensuring men are included in the future being shaped.
4️⃣ Who Has More Choice? It Depends on the Area
When asked who has more choice in society, responses vary by aspect:
- 39% say men have more choice in the types of jobs they can have (four times higher than those who say women do — 10%).
- 34% say women have more choice in how they dress.
- 24% say women have more choice in household roles.
- 22% say women have more choice in dating and relationships.
Equality isn’t experienced the same across all areas. People perceive freedom differently depending on the part of life in question.
Source: Ipsos International Women’s Day Report, conducted online between December 24, 2025 and January 9, 2026, in 29 countries and includes 23,268 adults aged 18–74.
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