Student Perception of Gender Equality: A Comparison by Gender Subject and Locality

Abstract

The study aimed to identify students’ perception of gender equality Punjab. The objectives of the study were to assess how students perceive gender equality in different aspects, such as education, employment opportunities, social roles, and rights, to analyze whether there are significant differences in perceptions of gender equality based on the students’ gender, to compare the students’ perception about gender equality in term of subject and to compare the students’ perception about gender equality in term of locality. This study adopted a descriptive research design. Student’s selected by using a random sampling technique to ensure representativeness and minimize bias. The sample consisted of students selected from private universities in Lahore, department of education and psychology totaling 100 participants and 100 students from university of the Punjab, department of education and psychology. The research instrument, a self-developed questionnaire for students, was drafted. The researcher herself visited the universities for the collection of data. To assess reliability, Cronbach's Alpha for the self-developed questionnaire calculated, resulting in a highly reliable value of .834.The findings revealed significant gender differences, with female students demonstrating stronger support for gender equality than their male counterparts do. The study also showed that locality influences gender perceptions, with urban students displaying a greater understanding of and support for gender equality compared to rural students, likely due to urban exposure to more progressive ideals and diverse social norms. It is recommended that promoting gender equality in educational settings require multifaceted approaches that address both individual and contextual factors.