As the world celebrates International Women’s Day a comprehensive survey has concluded a slim majority now think gender equality efforts have gone far enough.

The latest Ipsos International Women’s Day Report, spanning 29 countries found significant gaps remain on several issues, particularly between younger men and women.

The report found Gen Z men hold most traditional views of both women’s roles in society, as well as men’s Relative to other groups, Generation Z men are the most likely to agree with traditional ideas about not only women’s roles (such as that a wife should always obey her husband), but also men’s (such as that young men should try to be physically tough, even if not naturally big).

Key findings included:

• Those that think gender equality has gone far enough up since 2019. A slim majority (52% on average across all 29 countries) say when it comes to giving women equal rights with men, things have gone far enough in their country. Of the 24 countries in both this year’s and 2019’s survey, 23 have seen an increase in people thinking things have gone too far.
• The majority of men feel they are already doing too much for equality. Fifty-four per cent of men across 29 countries feel they are doing too much, compared to 38% of women. In many countries there are big differences between men and women on this question.
• One in two men think the push for equality discriminates against them. On average, 52% of men agree “we have gone so far in promoting women’s equality that we are discriminating against men”. Only 36% of women feel the same.
• However, solid belief things would be better with more women in charge. Six in ten (60%) agree that things would work better if more women held positions with responsibilities in government and companies. Only 27% disagree. On average 68% of women and 53% feel this way.
• Optimism for the future stronger for young women than young men. Fifty-five per cent think young women in their country today will have a better life than women of their parents’ generation. Only 40% think young men will have a better life than men of their parents’ age.
• Women perceived to have more choice about self-expression, but men hold more choice around jobs. Women are more likely than men to be seen to have more choice when it comes to how to dress (34%), dating (24%) and the roles they can hold in the household (22%). Men are more likely than women to be viewed as having more choice about the jobs they can have (39%).

The report added: “Overall attitudes toward gender equality amongst the 24-country trend average are broadly level with those seen in 2025, with 59% saying things would work better with more women in positions of responsibility in business and government, but also half (50%) saying that efforts toward gender equality have gone far enough.”

Tara Irwin, senior ESG analyst, at investment company Hargreaves Lansdown said gaps remain in financial services as well as the wider business community.

“The gender investment gap remains persistent,” she explained. “The latest FCA Financial Lives Survey shows UK men are more than one and a half times more likely to invest than women, with only 28% of women currently investing. At the same time, the gender pension gap stands at 35%, reinforcing long-term financial inequality. Perhaps some of this is due to the perception of who investing is for – as of the end of 2024, according to Morningstar, just 21% of global funds had at least one female portfolio manager, meaning nearly four out of five funds were managed exclusively by men. For investment trusts, recent data from the AIC showed just 11% of closed-end funds were run by women.

“Yet participation in markets is rising. At Hargreaves Lansdown, the proportion of female clients has steadily increased over the past five years and now stands at 39.5% of our total client base – a huge leap in building Britain’s wealth.”

Irwin explained: “Our latest Sustainable Investor Survey suggests women are not disengaged from investing – they simply approach it differently. Nearly half (47%) of women say it is very, or extremely, important that their investments reflect their values, compared with 28% of men.

“Women are more likely to prioritise issues such as human rights, labour standards and living wages, and show greater discomfort investing in sectors such as defence, tobacco and nuclear energy. They are also more motivated by the real-world impact of their investments.”

She concluded; “Closing the gender investment gap won’t happen by accident. It requires funds that reflect what matters to investors, alongside clear and accessible guidance. For women who want their money to reflect their values as well as grow for the future, now is a great time to act.”