An empirical analysis of gendered differences in MDG awareness across sources of information

Abstract

Awareness of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) relies heavily on the way information about MDGs is propagated. The various types of media that are sources of MDG information include newspapers, news and current affairs, magazines, detailed technical reports, books, internet and friends. These information sources appeal to different demographics. Current empirical evidence suggests that MDG awareness is relatively low particularly in developed countries, and that the levels of MDG awareness vary considerably across socio-economic variables or demographics. In this chapter, the research problem of the variation in MDG awareness, among males and females, across seven types of sources of information is considered. The research question is, therefore: to what extent does MDG awareness vary across gender groups, across types of information sources? Data from the World Value Surveys (2005-2008) are analysed using a sample of 86,877 respondents. Evidence of gendered differences in MDG awareness is sought using t-tests of differences in proportions. Factors likely to influence MDG awareness are identified using logistic regressions and reported through the use of odds ratio. The results have implications for promoting and monitoring MDG progress locally and globally.