Goal 5: Gender equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all.

Working in partnership both locally and globally, we are tackling each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through our research and knowledge exchange, education and student experience, and through our operations. Discover how our unique commitments align with and support Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.

Research and knowledge exchange

Our academics contribute to a wide range of gender equality research across various disciplines. One notable study, The Effectiveness of Gender Diversity Reforms and the Impact of a Familial Culture: A Spillover Effect on Board Independence, examines how gender diversity reforms have improved UK company boards, though similar reforms have fallen short in other countries. The #Lads on Social Media: Investigating Young Networked Masculinities project examines how young men (18-25) in the UK use social media to form masculinised identities, often linked to ‘laddish’ cultures. It seeks to understand their experiences and encourage critical engagement with online spaces to challenge harmful gender norms. Another key paper, Work-family Habits? Exploring the Persistence of Traditional Work-Family Decision Making in Dual-Earner Couples, delves into how unconscious, habitual decision-making processes in families continue to reinforce traditional gender roles, hindering true gender parity in both domestic and workplace settings. Additionally, the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at the University is internationally renowned for its cutting-edge research in obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatology, and medical and surgical paediatrics, contributing significantly to gender-focused health and well-being studies.

Operations

We are committed to breaking down gender-related barriers and fostering an inclusive environment where all staff and students can reach their full potential. A range of policies, initiatives, and facilities support this goal. Our Diversity & Equality Policies prohibit discrimination based on gender or sex, while our Bullying & Harassment Policy specifically addresses harassment and discrimination against women. The Report & Support system provides a confidential platform for reporting bullying, sexual harassment, or discrimination. Our community is further supported by various networks that staff and students can join, including the Endometriosis Network, Female Early Career Network, Trans and Non-Binary Peer Support Network, and Menopause Network. Through the Guild, students can also participate in the Women's Network or Feminist Society to access resources, collaborate, and drive positive change for women’s experiences both at University and beyond. The University became a signatory of the Athena SWAN Charter in 2009, receiving an institutional Silver Award in 2016 and again in 2022, recognising our ongoing commitment to gender equality. We are dedicated to ensuring equal pay for equal work and addressing the underlying causes of our Gender Pay Gap. Additionally, we offer a range of professional development opportunities, both internally and externally, including the Advance HE Aurora leadership programme for women and support for women and girls in STEMM through societies like LivWiSE. Throughout International Women's Day and Women's History Month, the University hosts a variety of events that celebrate the history, experiences, and achievements of women, highlighting the remarkable contributions of our female alumni and staff.

Education and student experience

Gender equality is a central focus in many of the University’s teaching modules. Law and Gender encourages students to develop a gender-conscious approach to legal studies, while Gender and Feminist Politics explores key concepts and ideas in gender politics. The University also offers a variety of student societies that support the goals of SDG 5, including the Feminist Society. This intersectional group fosters a fun, safe, and educational space for students to build connections and engage in activism. Their core priorities include campaigning, fundraising, and education.

Case Studies

Gender diversity on the board of directors in Latin America

University of Liverpool researchers identified that gender diversity has a positive impact on board effectiveness in Latin American companies. In Latin America, only 1 in 25 board directors are women. There are no regulations as in other countries to promote gender diversity in corporations. The research has influenced relevant stakeholders (i.e. gender equity groups, regulators and governmental organisations) towards achieving policy/legislative change in Corporate Governance Codes (the main vehicle that regulates corporate governance practices) to include the recommendation that boards should be gender diverse. The research considers the impact of country culture and traditions on the behaviour of Mexican firms. This research highlights that family firms and non-family firms diverge in their corporate objectives because family firms perceive patrimony as a means of safeguarding resources for heirs. The main finding suggests that family firms tolerate higher levels of risk than non-family concerns, consequently achieving higher corporate value. However, their risk preference is shaped based on non-financial reasons which distinguish the relevance of the regional setting. Focussing on Latin America, the research considers the significance of the culture and traditions to study whether gender diverse boards of directors are more effective in achieving corporate objectives, suggesting that the inclusion of women on the board goes beyond ethical concerns being also relevant from a business perspective (i.e. risk-taking), concluding that boards are more effective with the inclusion of female directors. Further research emphasises the benefits of gender diverse boards towards financing decisions in Latin American companies. The composition of boards of directors is directly concerned to their effectiveness but more importantly different kinds of boards are required in different situations to optimise financing decisions (e.g. family firms in Latin America).

Conference for Women and Non-binary Doctoral Researchers in STEM (WoNDRS)

The inaugural Women and Non-Binary PhD Researchers in STEM (WoNDRS) conference was held in July 2024 at the University of Liverpool. The event aimed to gather PhD researchers to celebrate the work of gender minorities in STEM and build community for the PhD students in attendance. The agenda included six talks and a panel session, and networking. The speakers and panellists included a mix of academic and industry representatives, from companies including IBM and Rolls Royce, with a range of experiences and career stages. By showcasing and celebrating the fantastic research happening in these different environments, conference attendees were given opportunity to consider their own career paths and hear about the variety of options available following their PhD studies. In addition to careers and research, the sessions highlighted issues faced by gender minorities working in STEM and discussed strategies to manage these challenges. The panel discussion focussed on open conversation between the panellists and audience, drawing on both personal and professional topics. In recognition of the impact of the event, organisers on behalf of the WoNDRS 2024 Committee received the Leslie Green Prize from the Department of Physics, awarded for “outstanding contributions to improving the culture in and/or beyond the Department of Physics”.

Challenging work-family decision making among working couples

Research co-authored by Dr. Laura Radcliffe from the University of Liverpool explored the persistence of traditional work-family decision-making in dual-earner couples, despite the growing prevalence of more egalitarian gender attitudes. Published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, the study examined how unconscious 'work-family habits' contribute to maintaining gendered roles in daily life. These habits include biases such as reality blindness, option blindness, and gendered competency traps, which simplify decision-making but often perpetuate traditional gender norms. The study found that even couples who considered themselves egalitarian often fell into patterns where women shouldered a disproportionate share of family responsibilities. For example, some couples believed they shared responsibilities equally, but discrepancies were revealed through daily diaries. These habits were reinforced by gender expectations, with men often perceiving certain tasks as primarily the woman’s responsibility or assuming their wives were more competent in managing family duties. However, the research also identified couples who adopted a more balanced approach, utilising regular communication and joint decision-making. These couples consciously avoided traditional gender roles by taking turns and valuing each other’s work. The study concluded that while these habitual biases simplify decision-making, a more deliberate and thoughtful approach to work-family decisions can help break traditional patterns, providing both partners with true choices in balancing their careers and family roles.

#Men4Change toolkit addressing harmful gender norms

The University of Liverpool launched the #Men4Change toolkit in 2023, aimed at addressing harmful gender norms and supporting young men in critically exploring masculinity. This educational resource, developed by the Department of Communication and Media through the #Lads on Social Media research project, helps youth leaders and professionals work with young men to understand the impact of gendered behaviours, both online and offline. The toolkit encourages young men to reflect on and challenge behaviours tied to sexual harassment, objectification, and the pressure of traditional masculinity. Research from the project revealed that harmful gender norms, like associating masculinity with sexual conquest and dominance, are linked to sexual and gender-based abuse, such as non-consensual sexting. The findings highlighted the need for interventions that engage men and boys in discussions that challenge toxic masculinity and promote healthier behaviours. The toolkit includes real-life scenarios, such as confronting harmful online behaviours, and offers practical tools to support positive cultural change. The initiative was developed in collaboration with community stakeholders like Metro, Beyond Equality, and Survivors Network. The toolkit is an essential resource for creating safer spaces and promoting gender equality by equipping young men to become active participants in dismantling harmful gender stereotypes.

Introducing the Liverpool Feminist City Network

The Liverpool Feminist City Network was launched in 2024 to offer a space for University of Liverpool researchers, policymakers and practitioners to connect and address the question of how we can live more justly in an urban world. The network is re-framing conversations on urban design, public space, public safety, governance, institutional design, and public policy and services to understand how to create cities that work better, not only for women, but for everyone. A ‘Feminist City’ is one which is human-centred and inclusive of marginalised groups, and this network considers how women experience and engage with the city, and harnesses debate and ongoing address ongoing challenges with this idea. The network has convened a series of networking events at the University, bringing together researchers working across a range of disciplines whose work in different ways engages with the idea of the Feminist City. The network meets regularly to share and profile research activity and provoke research connections and collaborations and is open to researchers and scholars (including doctoral students) across disciplines and Faculties. The gender bias built into the design of cities has had a negative effect on the lives of women around the world and designing cities that are responsive to the needs of women creates safer, healthier, fairer and more enriching places for all. Research emerging from the University has already had a global impact and the Feminist City Network is a significant opportunity to inspire new collaborations and research opportunities. Professor Catherine Durose and Dr Catherine Queen discussed feminist cities on the University’s Original Ideas podcast.