This makes it much harder for governments and other key institutions to adequately prepare and invest in their future, including providing them with adequate education, freedom from violence, meaningful employment, access to health care and equal opportunity in life. Inequitable gender norms hurt both boys and girls, but the burden is particularly high for girls, effectively limiting the ability of half of the population to fully realize their potential. More than half of 10-year-old girls today live in countries that can be considered to be very unequal in terms of gender.