Patriarchy

A form of social organziation in which men dominate women. Social scientists use the concept to describe the extent to which, in a particular society, power is distributed unequally based on gender. Patriarchy is based on sexism, the belief that men are superior to women.

Some societies are considered more patriarchal than others. In these societies, there are more formal and informal restrictions on the status and behavior of females, and more formal or informal privileges afforded to males. According to one U.N. data source, the Nordic nations (Norway, Sweden, Finland) are among the least patriarchal, while Near Eastern and Saharan African nations are the among the most patriarchal.