GENDER ISSUES 122 Gender issues include all aspects related to women s and men s lives and the way they interrelate. The following are some common gender issues faced around the world. What is an honour crime ? GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE more common than you think In the European Union, since the age of 15: women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence women has experienced sexual harassment women has been raped women has experienced stalking of victims trafficked for sexual exploitation in the EU are women According to UNICEF, today more than 700 million women were married before they turned 18. More than a third of that number about 250 million were married before the age of 15. bias: pregiudizio harassement: molestia harmful: dannoso to hinder: ostacolare rape: stupro stigma: marchio threat: minaccia wage: salario 248 DIffICULtIES Gender-based violence In 1993, the United Nations issued the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. Gender-based violence was defined as any act that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life . This includes domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation, so-called honour crimes , harassment, verbal abuse, and child marriage (though this is an issue that affects boys too, it disproportionately affects more girls ). Healthcare Gender biases are present throughout the healthcare system, from interactions between patients and doctors to medical research. Stereotypes about gender affect how doctors treat illnesses and approach their patients: a study found that doctors were more likely to treat women s pain as a product of a mental health condition, rather than a physical condition. Moreover, women around the world who want to avoid pregnancy are sometimes unable to do so due to a lack of access, social stigma, and harmful gender norms, while at the same time, pregnancy can be a death sentence due to a lack of infrastructure when it comes to healthcare, especially in remote and rural regions. Education Access to education remains unequal in many parts of the world, particularly in low-income and conflict-affected regions. Millions of girls are denied basic education. Gender gap The expression gender gap refers to the differences between women and men in terms of access to and use of resources, their activities, and how they react to changes, interventions, and policies. One of the most significant differences is the wage gap, where women globally earn less than men for the same work. Despite progress in policy reforms and legal measures, women continue to face barriers such as occupational segregation, unpaid caregiving roles, and systemic biases that hinder their professional advancement. This perpetuates economic dependency and limits opportunities for personal growth.