What explains uneven progress towards gender equality?

Prejudice and privilege are self-perpetuating. High-status individuals maintain institutions that serve their interests, enabling them to consolidate economic wealth and political power. Through media domination, they cast themselves as heroes. Low-status individuals seldom get the opportunity to challenge this narrative or demonstrate their equally valuable skills, so are forever denigrated. Bias thus remains entrenched. How might this change? Moreover, why have gender gaps in education and employment closed rapidly, while intimidate partner violence and unequal divisions of housework remain entrenched?