PARIS, Dec 10: Gender equality is “pivotal to human progress”, yet male bias remains widespread to the detriment of many countries, Unicef said on Sunday in a new report.

Empowering women creates a positive impact on children, both in their development and their expectations, and some advances have been made, the UN children's agency said.

But inequities remain, Unicef added, pointing to the many hours of unpaid work women put into their households, which limits them from taking up remunerated employment. And when they do have a job, they often earn less than men.

“Available evidence shows that, across regions, women’s nominal wages are roughly 20 per cent lower than men’s,” the report said.

Women are increasingly represented in parliaments around the world, but at a level still far below parity.--AFP