It may take 300 years to achieve 'full' gender equality - UN report
A new report from UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has found that achieving gender equality may no longer be possible by 2030.
The report says that at the current rate of progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5, it may take almost 300 years to achieve full gender equality.
The report, which is titled; "Gender Snapshot 2022", "shows that global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, violent conflict, climate change and the backlash against women's sexual and reproductive health and rights are further aggravating the gender disparities."
Investments in women, girlsAccording to UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, development is a turning point for women's rights and gender equality as the world approaches halfway to 2030.
She said; “It is essential that we mobilize now to invest in women and girls to recover and accelerate progress. The data shows undeniable regressions in their lives, compounded by global crises in income, security, education and health. The longer we delay reversing this trend, the more it will cost us all.
“Cascading global crises jeopardize the achievement of the SDGs, with the world’s most vulnerable population groups being disproportionately affected, especially women and girls. Gender equality is a foundation for achieving all the SDGs and it should be at the heart of building back better."
For her part, UN DESA Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs Maria-Francesca Spatolisano said, "If swift action is not taken against legal systems that do not do not prohibit violence against women, do not protect women's rights in marriage and the family (for example by depriving women of their right to transmit their nationality to their children or to inherit), do not ensure equal pay and benefits at work, do not guarantee their equal rights to own property and control land, the crisis may continue to exist for generations to come."
On child marriageShe said that at the current rate of progress, the report estimates it will take up to 286 years to close gaps in legal protections and remove discriminatory laws, and 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and at least 40 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments.
“To end child marriage by 2030, progress must be 17 times faster than progress over the past decade, with girls from the poorest rural households and conflict-affected areas expected to suffer the most. more," she said.
On poverty
The report says there is a worrying reversal in poverty reduction, noting that rising commodity prices are likely to worsen the trend.
“If current trends continue, by the end of 2022 an estimated 383 million women and girls will be living in extreme poverty (on less than $1.90 a day) compared to 368 million men and of boys.
"Many more will have insufficient income to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and adequate housing in most parts of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, more women and girls will live in extreme poverty by 2030 than today,” he said.
The official said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has further aggravated food insecurity and hunger, especially among women and children, limiting supplies of wheat, fertilizer and fuel, and propelling inflation.
ALSO READ: UN chief urges Nigerian media to champion women's rights and gender equalityMs. Spatolisano said that in 2021, around 38% of female-headed households in war-affected areas experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, compared to 20% of male-headed households.
More factsOther facts from the report show that in 2020, school and kindergarten closures required 672 billion additional hours of unpaid childcare globally.
The report claims that if the gender divide in care work remained the same as before the pandemic, women would have shouldered 512 billion of those hours.
“Globally, women lost an estimated $800 billion in income in 2020 due to the pandemic, and despite a rebound, their participation in labor markets is p...
A new report from UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has found that achieving gender equality may no longer be possible by 2030.
The report says that at the current rate of progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5, it may take almost 300 years to achieve full gender equality.
The report, which is titled; "Gender Snapshot 2022", "shows that global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, violent conflict, climate change and the backlash against women's sexual and reproductive health and rights are further aggravating the gender disparities."
Investments in women, girlsAccording to UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, development is a turning point for women's rights and gender equality as the world approaches halfway to 2030.
She said; “It is essential that we mobilize now to invest in women and girls to recover and accelerate progress. The data shows undeniable regressions in their lives, compounded by global crises in income, security, education and health. The longer we delay reversing this trend, the more it will cost us all.
“Cascading global crises jeopardize the achievement of the SDGs, with the world’s most vulnerable population groups being disproportionately affected, especially women and girls. Gender equality is a foundation for achieving all the SDGs and it should be at the heart of building back better."
For her part, UN DESA Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs Maria-Francesca Spatolisano said, "If swift action is not taken against legal systems that do not do not prohibit violence against women, do not protect women's rights in marriage and the family (for example by depriving women of their right to transmit their nationality to their children or to inherit), do not ensure equal pay and benefits at work, do not guarantee their equal rights to own property and control land, the crisis may continue to exist for generations to come."
On child marriageShe said that at the current rate of progress, the report estimates it will take up to 286 years to close gaps in legal protections and remove discriminatory laws, and 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and at least 40 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments.
“To end child marriage by 2030, progress must be 17 times faster than progress over the past decade, with girls from the poorest rural households and conflict-affected areas expected to suffer the most. more," she said.
On poverty
The report says there is a worrying reversal in poverty reduction, noting that rising commodity prices are likely to worsen the trend.
“If current trends continue, by the end of 2022 an estimated 383 million women and girls will be living in extreme poverty (on less than $1.90 a day) compared to 368 million men and of boys.
"Many more will have insufficient income to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and adequate housing in most parts of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, more women and girls will live in extreme poverty by 2030 than today,” he said.
The official said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has further aggravated food insecurity and hunger, especially among women and children, limiting supplies of wheat, fertilizer and fuel, and propelling inflation.
ALSO READ: UN chief urges Nigerian media to champion women's rights and gender equalityMs. Spatolisano said that in 2021, around 38% of female-headed households in war-affected areas experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, compared to 20% of male-headed households.
More factsOther facts from the report show that in 2020, school and kindergarten closures required 672 billion additional hours of unpaid childcare globally.
The report claims that if the gender divide in care work remained the same as before the pandemic, women would have shouldered 512 billion of those hours.
“Globally, women lost an estimated $800 billion in income in 2020 due to the pandemic, and despite a rebound, their participation in labor markets is p...
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