March 2026 marks the 39th Women’s History Month in the US. President Jimmy Carter established Women’s History Month by 1980. This coincides with National Women’s History Week and National Women’s History Day, which falls on March 8. The United Nations officially recognized National Women’s History Day in 1977.
Inequality Modern Day
Although Women’s History Month has been celebrated for almost four decades, there are a plethora of inequalities women are still facing today. Whether it be in politics, leadership positions, schools, the workplace, healthcare or in relationships, women are victims to gender-based discrimination or violence. This discrimination is so deeply rooted in society. Even women are victims of discrimination against other women. A study conducted by the United Nations Development Programme, (UNDP), found that nearly 90% of men and women globally hold some form of bias against women. This study covered 75 countries, and included 80% of the population.
One would think that younger generations would have less bias against women, though studies have found otherwise. A study conducted that interviewed 24,000 people by Ipsos UK and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London found that Gen Z men and women are more divided than those of any other generation. The divide revolves mostly around key questions about feminism, gender roles and women’s rights.
Education
One of the most prominent gaps in the difference between men and women’s rights is education. Many women in less restricted countries in North America and Europe, like the US and Canada take advantage to protest and advocate for women who live in more restrictive places, like Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Sudan. Women in the U.S. are nowhere near as far behind as women in the Middle East or Africa. In fact, the majority of people who are college-enrolled or have earned a degree are women. 47% of women aged 25-34 hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 37% of men, according to data from Pew Research Center. In comparison, women in Afghanistan are banned from earing education.
Pay
Another prominent issue women face is unequal pay. As of 2026, women in the US still earn only 81 cents to every dollar a man makes, according to Pew Research Center. This gap has narrowed slightly in the past 20 years, though it still creates a big problem for working women. This may not seem like a large number, however, the money that women lose due to the pay gap adds up quickly. National Women’s Law Center reports that women lose approximately $10k-$13.5 annually. This adds up to over a $399,600 loss in a 40 -year working period.
Healthcare
Women face discrimination in healthcare. Whether it be the struggle to get a correct diagnosis or being rejected for medical procedures. A study by Kaiser Family Foundation (KPP) found that 23% of women ages 18-64 reported that a doctor, health provider or other staff has treated them unfairly or with disrespect. This is a 5% increase from men. Other problems women face in healthcare are misdiagnosis and medical gaslighting, meaning that doctors often invalidate women’s symptoms or blame it on something unrelated. These are both due to gaps in research, since many diagnoses’ research revolve around men’s symptoms, not women. MBoth of these are harmful to both women’s mental and physical health, and often result in delayed or no treatment.
