Women are better off in more countries than men are, a new study has found.

A method that assesses the forms of hardship and discrimination facing men and women has revealed males have it harder in 91 countries out of 134.

Women were disadvantaged in only 43.

The study looked at 6.8 billion people around the world and scientists developed a new way of measuring gender inequality.

The UK, the US and Australia all discriminate against men more whereas Italy, Israel and China are harder environments for women, according to the study.

Researchers say this is due to men receiving harsher punishments for the same crime, compulsory military service and more occupational deaths than women.

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A study looked at 6.8 billion people around the world from 134 nations and developed a new way of measuring gender inequality. It found that women are better off in more countries (stock)

The study was carried out by the University of Essex and the University of Missouri-Columbia and published in the journal Plos One.

Scientists created a database which deciphers a nation's discrimination called the Basic Index of Gender Inequality (BIGI).

The closer the BIGI score is to zero the greater the level of equality is in the country.

Zero is a perfect score, indicating absolute parity between the genders - and Italy came the closest with a score of 0.00021. Slightly favouring males.

The top ranked nation to favour women over men is claimed to be Saudi Arabia, with a score of -0.001554.

If it is a negative number it indicates females are better off and if the BIGI score is positive it shows males are less discriminated against.

For example, Guatemala and Albania came in as the 17th and 18th ranked countries, respectively for equality and had a BIGI score a similar distance from zero.

However, Guatemala is a better environment for men with a score of 0.012198 where as Albania is better for women - it scored -0.012889

The index is based on three factors: educational opportunities, healthy life expectancy and overall life satisfaction.

A measure called the Global Gender Gap Index has been used as the yardstick for analysing inequality since its inception in 2006.

It became one of the most widely-used measures of national gender inequality, used by academics and policy makers across the world

Researchers have recently grown wary of the index and claim it does not measure issues where men are at a disadvantage.

Professor Stoet also believes the complexity of the Global Gender Gap Index makes it difficult to distinguish whether gender differences are the result of social inequalities or personal preference.

The simpler BIGI method, he says, is a much sounder alternative.

He said: 'No existing measure of gender inequality fully captures the hardships that are disproportionately experienced by men in many countries and so they do not fully capture the extent to which any specific country is promoting the wellbeing of all its citizens.

'The BIGI provides a much simpler way of tackling gender inequality and it focuses on aspects of life that are directly relevant to all people.

'Used alongside other existing indicators, it provides additional and different information to give a more complete assessment of gender equality, making it easier for policy-makers to introduce changes to improve the quality of life for both men and women.'

Nearly eight out of 10 companies and public sector bodies pay men more than women in the UK, a report from April 2018 found

Researchers found the most developed countries in the world come closest to achieving true gender equality but there was a slight advantage for women.

Inequality was more significant in the least developed countries, with Chad the lowest ranked nation.

Women in these nations are at a more significant disadvantage than the men in the more developed nations where women have the edge.

The authors of the research say the difficulties faced by women in developing regions is predominantly due to fewer opportunities to get a good education.

There are an equal amount of nations with medium-level development that see men and women falling behind.

Researchers say men's disadvantage is largely due to a shorter healthy lifespan.

Professor David Geary, from the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri in the United States, added: 'We sought to correct the bias towards women's issues within existing measures and at the same time develop a simple measure that is useful in any country in the world, regardless of their level of economic development.'

WHAT IS THE GENDER PAY GAP? On average, men working in the UK earn between 9 per cent more than women in the same profession, numbers released by the Office for National Statistics show. But in many professions the gulf is far larger - with female bank managers earning on average £39,995 a year - over a quarter (28.6 per cent) less than men on £58,070. The data reveals that public sector staff are still on an average higher wage than those in the private sector - taking home £599 a week compared to £532. Male farmers take home more than 20 per cent more than women - earning on average £10,59 an hour rather than £8.39 an hour given to females. The overwhelming majority of professions tend to pay more to men than women. And research conducted in October 2017 showed that just three jobs do not have a gender pay gap at all - bar staff, medical and dental technicians, and waiters. From April 2018, all employers with more than 250 staff have been required by law to publish their gender pay gap online. Figures also show that average weekly earnings for full-time employees in the UK were £550, up 2.2 per cent from £539 in 2016 and the highest rise since 2008. TUC (Trade Union Congress) comments say women are essentially working for free for the first 67 days of the year. Justine Greening, women and equalities minister, said: 'Eliminating the gender pay gap is key to building a stronger economy where everyone plays by the same rules. 'It is simply good business sense to recognise the enormous potential of women and to take action to nurture and progress female talent.' She added: 'I'm now calling on employers across the country to get on with publishing their gender pay gap. They have until 31st March to do so. 'By shining a light on where there are gaps, employers can take action and make sure that we are harnessing the talents and skills of men and women‎.' Advertisement

The University of Essex, which performed the research, made headlines in 2016 when it gave female staff a one-off pay rise in order to close the gender pay gap.

It moved female professors up three newly created pay levels to raise their average salaries to the same as their male counterparts.

Professor Stoet added: 'We’re not saying that women in highly developed countries are not experiencing disadvantages in some aspects of their lives.

'What we are saying is that an ideal measure of gender equality is not biased to the disadvantages of either gender.

'Doing so, we find a different picture to the one commonly presented in the media.'