Sociology emerged during the nineteenth century as a response to global social transformations such as industrialization, increasing life expectancies and decreased infant mortality rates, population growth due to longer life spans and lower infant mortality rates, economic, political, and social revolutions worldwide, etc. Sociologists study all aspects of humanity, from intimate interactions between two people to complex international or multinational business relations. Sociologists investigate how social forces shape our decisions and actions while acknowledging individual choices still have room to be made despite being affected by social patterns or influences. Sociology's foundation lies in its belief that society and individual behavior are inextricably intertwined, an idea made famous by Auguste Comte who first coined its name. Auguste believed scientific methods could be employed to uncover laws governing interactions between people and society - something he termed positivism. Sociologists generally use the positivist hypothetico-deductive research model. This methodology involves translating social phenomena, such as health, into measurable variables and then using statistical techniques to predict outcomes; success at prediction affirms the validity of their hypothesis as well as supporting the validity of their method of investigation. Other researchers rely on more subjective or qualitative data for insight, interviewing subjects or observing them in action, or conducting experiments where one group receives tutoring versus no tutoring - much like how pharmaceutical drug trials operate.

Unfortunately, our society still faces many hurdles to achieving gender equality, as evidenced by violence against women and girls, disparate educational opportunities for boys and girls, high rates of unintended pregnancy without access to reproductive healthcare, as well as limited representation in political institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these difficulties by forcing schools to close, leaving women with increased care work and less disposable income, as well as raising fears over sexual transmission of COVID. Inequality persists in other areas as well, including child marriage which is more prevalent in certain regions and countries; gaps in legal protection and discriminatory laws; unequal distribution of unpaid work among women; and barriers to participating in paid employment or entrepreneurship. Economically, gender disparities manifest themselves through pay gaps and differences in ownership of assets (as shown in this chart). But overall, things have improved during the second half of the 20th century - particularly among higher-income nations. By investing in and empowering female talents we will advance economic development. Women often face persistent barriers in the workplace, including unequal pay, unequal promotion opportunities and sexual harassment. COVID-19 added further hardships by prompting some women - particularly mothers of young children - to either downshift their careers or leave altogether, leaving them more susceptible to burnout and low morale. Women are less likely than men to be recommended for employment by their networks, making gender equality all the more elusive. Women deserve to make decisions for their own lives without considerations of sex weighing on or constraining those choices.