Population Reference Bureau Population Bulletin Vol. Gender is a social institution 2. Gender involves differences in power 3. In this Population Bulletin , we use a definition that focuses on the socioeconomic aspects of gender.
Gender is a social institution .
Gender is central to the way a society is organized. Like the family, religion, race, and other social institutions, gender affects the roles men and women play in a society. In most western societies, economic growth depends on people of different classes working in different jobs and accepting different rewards and benefits. Gender functions in a similar manner to organize society. For many years, the U.S. labor force operated under the assumption that most workers were men with wives and children at home to support.