The Interconnectedness of the Level of Education and Gender Equality in Selected Countries

Abstract

Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cover different human and planet well-being areas, and their achievement is interdependent. Which of the goals are crucial and leading in this process is a question that often arises. Quality education is considered a cornerstone for all the SDGs. On the other hand, gender equality is very connected with other goals, as most of them have gender-specific indicators. Quality education and gender equality are two of the SDGs in the social dimension that can reinforce the achievement of all other SDGs. However, quantitative research on the relationship between these two phenomena, taking into account other factors, is rarely taken in the literature. This article aims to fill this gap and investigate the nature of the interconnectedness of quality education and gender inequality in selected countries. We also examined other factors (i.e., economic, political, and cultural) that may influence the education level, gender equality problems, and the relationship between them. The methodology used in the research is the propensity score method, and the data cover 153 countries in the world. The results confirm the undisputable relationship between the level of education and gender equality but also identify other factors influencing the variables of interest. These are GDP per capita, level of democracy, and major religion, to name a few. The influence of these factors differs in strength and direction.