Majority (74%) Of Global Citizens Don't Believe
"A Woman's Place Is In the Home"

New York, NY-- A new Reuters News poll conducted by Ipsos and released today on International Women's Day indicates that three quarters (74%) of adults surveyed in 23 countries (representing 75% of the worlds GDP) don't agree with the statement that "a woman's place is in the home". In the alternate, the survey of over 24,000 adults--1000+ respondents per country--shows that 26% agree with the statement.

Those countries with citizens most likely to disagree that "a women's place is in the home" are from Argentina (9%), France (9%), Mexico (9%), Sweden (10%) and Brazil (10%). Those countries where inhabitants are most likely to agree that "a women's place is in the home" are from India (54%), Turkey (52%), Japan (48%), China (34%), Russia (34%), Hungary (34%) and South Korea (33%).

The following list of findings begins with the countries where citizens are most likely to agree that "a women's place is in the home" and ascends to those countries where citizens are least likely to agree with the proposition:

India: 54% agree /46% disagree Turkey:52% agree /48% disagree Japan: 48% agree/52% disagree China: 34% agree/66% disagree Russia:34% agree/66% disagree Hungary:34% agree/66% disagree South Korea:33% agree/67% disagree Czech Republic: 28% agree/72% disagree Australia: 25% agree/75% disagree United States: 25% agree/75% disagree Great Britain: 22% agree/78% disagree Netherlands: 20% agree/80% disagree Canada: 20% agree/80% disagree Italy: 19% agree/81% disagree Poland: 18% agree/82% disagree Belgium: 16% agree/84% disagree Germany: 14% agree/86% disagree Spain: 12% agree/88% disagree Brazil: 10% agree/90% disagree Sweden: 10% agree/90% disagree Mexico: 9% agree/91% disagree France: 9% agree/91% disagree Argentina: 9% agree/91% disagree

Busting some stereotypes...

Going through a country by country assessment on which part of the population in each is most likely to agree that "a woman's place is in the home" yields some "stereotype busting" -given that most might believe that it is men and those who are older who are most likely to hold this view.

The gender gap does indeed exist: of those who hold this view, men are more likely to do so...but in most cases the gender difference is not that great: in India it's 56% of men and 46% women who believe "a woman's place is in the home"; in Japan it's 45% of men as well as 49% women; in China 39% men and 27% women; in South Korea 39% men and 27% women; in Australia 29% men and 22% women; in the US 27% men and 23% women; in Great Britain 23% men and 20% women; in Canada 23% men and 18% women; in Poland 22% men and 14% women; in Italy, 21% men and 17% women; and in Belgium 17% men and 15% women.

And in the countries where few in the population believe "a woman's place is in the home" the differences between men and women are similarly close as those above: in Netherlands 22% men and 17% women; in Germany 17% men and 11% women; Spain 12% men and 11% women; in Brazil 13% men and 11% women; in Mexico 12% men and 5% women; in Argentina 11% men and 6% women; in Sweden 12% men and 11% women; and in France 9% men and 9% women.

Only occasionally are there more pronounced gender gaps: in Turkey 57% men and 36% women; in the Czech Republic 37% men and 18% women; in Hungary it's 40% men and 28% women; and in Russia 41% men and 15% women.

In fact, it appears that in countries where there is a predominance of opinion that "a woman belong in the house it is most likely that many women think similarly; and, in the alternate--where a country is less likely to believe that the place for women is in the home--gender differences are also slim.

But where the stereotype is shattered to pieces is in differences in age.

The age groups 18-34, 35-54 and 55+ in all 23 countries were examined. Of those who hold the view that "a woman's place is in the home" it is most likely the 18-34 year old group to hold this view, not the older ages. In fact, in 65% (2/3rds) of the 23 countries examined those most likely to hold that view is aged 18-34 compared to 9% aged 35-54 and 17% aged 55+. Two countries had no differences between the age groups.

The top 10 countries where youth (>35) dominated the age groups among those who hold the view that "a woman's place is in the home" are in ranked order by percent as follows:

1. India : 58%
2. Turkey : 57%
3. Australia : 31%
4. Czech Republic : 30%
5. United States : 32%
6. Canada : 27%
7. Great Britain : 26%
8. Netherlands : 22%
9. Italy : 22%
10. Belgium : 20%

The four countries where the oldest age category (55+) dominated the age groups among those who hold the view that "a woman's place is in the home" are in ranked order by percent as follows:

Japan: 53% South Korea 50% Russia 45% Poland 28%

These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between November 4th, 2009 and January 13th, 2010, on behalf of Thompson Reuters News Service. For this survey an international sample of 24,077 adults aged 18+ were interviewed in a total of 23 countries representing 75% of the world's GDP.

The countries included Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, and South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Great Britain, the United States and Turkey. Approximately 1000+ individuals participated on a country by country basis via the Ipsos online panel. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to the most recent country Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20 per country of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in that country had been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement G@6 L3.

For more information on this news release, please contact: John Wright Senior Vice President Ipsos Public Affairs (416) 324-2002 [email protected]

For all Reuters/Ipsos Polls go to: http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/reuters/

For information about Ipsos and access to all Media and Polling Releases go to: http://www.ipsos-na.com

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