10 Shocking Gender Inequality Stats That Show We Still Have Work to Do

Women’s Equality Day is more than a date on the calendar. It’s a reminder that gender equality is not yet a reality — and the numbers don’t lie. From pay gaps to power imbalances, the stats reveal a hard truth: progress has been made, but we are nowhere near done.

Here are 10 shocking gender inequality statistics in 2025 that prove the fight is far from over.

1. Women still earn 77p for every £1 earned by men

According to UN Women, the global gender pay gap remains at 23% — and in the UK, women earn 14.3% less than men on average. That’s the equivalent of working 52 days for free every year.
Source: Fawcett Society, 2024

2. Only 10% of Fortune 500 companies are led by women

While women make up nearly half the workforce, only 1 in 10 of the most powerful businesses in the world have a female CEO.
Source: Fortune, 2024

3. 1 in 3 women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime

Gender-based violence remains a global epidemic. Most violence against women is perpetrated by someone they know — often a current or former partner.
Source: World Health Organization, 2024

4. Women do 3x more unpaid care work than men

Globally, women are still expected to carry the burden of childcare, elder care, and housework — contributing an estimated $10.9 trillion worth of unpaid labour every year.
Source: Oxfam, 2024

5. In the UK, a woman is killed by a man every 3 days

Femicide isn’t just happening elsewhere — it’s happening here. And the numbers are devastating.
Source: Femicide Census, 2023

6. Women of colour face the widest pay gaps

In the UK, Black women earn 20% less than white men, while Pakistani and Bangladeshi women face even larger disparities. These aren’t just gender gaps — they’re intersectional.
Source: EHRC, 2023

7. Only 9.7% of executive directors in FTSE 100 companies are women

Despite efforts to improve boardroom diversity, men still dominate leadership roles, especially at the highest levels of power.
Source: Hampton-Alexander Review, 2023

8. Just 2.5% of all health research funding goes toward women-specific conditions

Women’s bodies are still understudied. Despite making up half the population, conditions like endometriosis and PCOS are underfunded, misdiagnosed, and misunderstood.
Source: NIH, 2023

9. 70% of health workers are women — but only 25% are in leadership

Women hold the frontline roles. Men still hold the power.
Source: WHO, 2024

10. At the current rate, it will take 131 years to reach full gender equality

That means your grandchildren may still be fighting this same fight.
Source: World Economic Forum, 2023

So… what now?

These stats aren’t meant to depress — they’re meant to galvanise.
To remind us that Women’s Equality Day isn’t a celebration of what’s done — it’s a rallying cry for what’s next.

At G Spot, we stand with women who don’t wait for permission.
The ones who ride differently. Work differently. Live out loud.
And want brands that do the same.

We’re proud to support Wellbeing of Women, the UK charity funding vital research into women’s health. Because women’s equality isn’t just about pay or power; it’s about health, dignity, and the right to thrive.