Time is Running Out

The Urgent Need to Address Gender Inequality Globally

The world has just seven years left to make good on the commitments made to women and girls in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A recent report from UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs shows that despite some progress, major challenges remain in achieving gender equality across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

One of the most glaring issues is the lack of women in leadership positions. Currently, women hold only 27% of parliamentary seats, 36% of local government seats, and 28% of management roles. This means that women's voices and perspectives are not adequately represented in decision-making that shapes policies and impacts lives. Having more gender-balanced leadership is important for creating laws and initiatives that consider the needs of all people.

Another major roadblock is the high rate of poverty among women. By 2030, over 340 million women and girls are expected to be living in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2.15 per day. That's 8% of the global female population. Without stronger social safety nets, access to good jobs, and other support systems, it will be very difficult for these women to escape the cycle of poverty.

Gender discrimination in the workplace continues to hold women back economically as well. The workforce participation rate for women of prime working age is only 61%, compared to 91% for men. And the income gap remains large globally, for every dollar men earned from labor in 2019, women earned only 51 cents. Eliminating barriers and biases that prevent women from accessing and thriving in jobs is crucial for driving economic development that benefits everyone.

Women also continue to shoulder a disproportionate amount of unpaid domestic work and caregiving. By 2050, women will still spend an average of 2.3 more hours per day than men on unpaid care if current trends continue. This leaves women with less time for education, paid work, leisure, and rest. To enable women to fully participate in all parts of life, men need to step up and take on their fair share at home.

Persistent harmful cultural practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) are another major concern highlighted in the report. Around 20% of young women globally are married before age 18. Both child marriage and FGM are human rights violations that can have devastating lifelong impacts on girls' health, education and wellbeing.  

To combat harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation, it is important to work on changing societal attitudes and beliefs while also strengthening and enforcing legal protections for girls' rights. Shifting social norms and enforcing laws that protect girls properly are both essential.

Access to quality education and healthcare are fundamental rights, yet many women and girls are still being left behind. An estimated 110 million girls and young women may still be out of school by 2030. Progress on reducing maternal deaths has also stagnated. Securing the funding and taking the targeted actions needed to remove barriers to schooling and provide essential health services to all women must be a top priority.

Food insecurity disproportionately impacts women as well, with almost a quarter of women and girls expected to face moderate to severe food insecurity by 2030. Empowering women in agriculture by expanding their access to resources like credit, land rights, training and markets is one important way to help close this gap. This can boost food production, reduce poverty, and drive economic growth that benefits all.

Sadly, violence remains a daily reality for too many women and girls. Each year, 245 million experience physical and/or sexual abuse by an intimate partner. Older women are at higher risk of both violence and poverty than older men. Much more needs to be done to prevent violence, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Overall, the investments and actions being taken for gender equality are still falling far short of what's needed. Only 4% of bilateral aid is being allocated to women's empowerment, and an extra $360 billion per year is required to fully achieve the gender targets in the SDGs by 2030.

At least 28 countries do not grant women equal legal rights when it comes to areas like marriage and divorce, and 67 lack laws prohibiting gender discrimination generally. And even where protective laws do exist on paper, actually implementing them is often a struggle. These legal inequities and enforcement gaps make everything else harder.

There are also massive gender inequities when it comes to infrastructure and technology access. The report estimates that 341 million women and girls will still lack electricity by 2030. Expanding clean energy access would go a long way toward reducing poverty and improving women's health and opportunities.

With the 2030 SDG deadline looming, the world needs to drastically step up its efforts on gender equality. While the challenges may seem overwhelming, continuing to push forward is the only option. Because a world where women and girls are able to live free from discrimination and violence, have equal rights and opportunities and can help shape a better future for our planet is a world we should all want to live in. The time to act is now.