A new report by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has called for immediate global action to address persistent gender gaps, as progress on gender equality remains too slow. The 2024 edition of “Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot” highlights advancements but warns that significant challenges remain.
According to the report, women now hold one in four parliamentary seats globally, a marked improvement compared to a decade ago. Additionally, the proportion of women and girls living in extreme poverty has dropped below 10%, reflecting a recovery from the sharp rises witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the first Gender Snapshot, 56 legal reforms have been enacted worldwide to address gender inequalities.
However, the report paints a less optimistic picture when it comes to achieving full gender equality. No indicators or sub-indicators of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), which focuses on gender equality, have yet been met. At current rates, gender parity in parliaments may not be achieved until 2063, and it could take an alarming 137 years to eradicate poverty among women and girls. Furthermore, one in four girls worldwide still face child marriage.
As world leaders prepare for the Summit of the Future on 22-23 September, the report urges a renewed international consensus to close the gender gap and advance the rights and empowerment of all women and girls.
The report highlights the immense costs of gender inequality. It estimates that the global cost of failing to properly educate young populations exceeds $10 trillion annually. Additionally, low- and middle-income countries stand to lose another $500 billion over the next five years if they do not address the digital gender gap.
The report also provides key recommendations, including legal reforms, noting that countries with domestic violence legislation experience significantly lower rates of intimate partner violence – 9.5%, compared to 16.1% in nations without such laws.
As the world approaches the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, the report calls for increased investment and an end to discrimination against women and girls, to fulfil the promise of the 2030 Agenda.
