On behalf of the 50th World Women’s Day, UN Women released a report on March 6, 2025, giving out credentials of 2024 that nearly a fourth of the governments of the world reported a backlash on women’s rights.
UN Women’s Chief on March 6 talked about the progress made in the gender equality landscape and the challenges left to conquer in coming years.
The Achievements
The achievements after 30 years of the Beijing Declaration involved the digital revolution, freedom from poverty, zero violence, full and equal decision-making power, peace and security, and climate Justice with disparities existing.
The report indicates that 70% of countries are working to enhance science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and digital skills for women and girls. Additionally, social protection programs have expanded in 79% of countries. Seventy-nine percent of countries have established national action plans, and 90% have enacted laws aimed at ending violence against women and girls.
Furthermore, 52% of countries have implemented temporary special measures to increase women’s participation in politics. A total of 112 countries and territories have adopted national action plans focused on women, peace, and security, although only 28% of the necessary funds have been allocated to implement these plans.
Regarding disaster and climate resilience, 53% of countries have incorporated gender considerations into their disaster and climate laws and policies. However, only 34% of countries have taken responsibility for providing green jobs to women.
The Aim
The report gave five pointers of priority for faster gains and preparation for an uncertain future for females. The first step in addressing the accountability gap is to center gender in the development of any laws or policies. Second, it is essential to create a safe space for women from all societal backgrounds to operate, with the goal of amplifying their voices.
To close the financial gap, we must allocate budgets that prioritize gender equality and implement progressive taxation. Additionally, improving global finance systems based on equity and solidarity is crucial.
We need to focus on mitigating gender-based violence, privacy violations, and biases while harnessing technology to ensure female leadership in the digital and artificial intelligence revolution. Furthermore, it is important to introduce gender-inclusive crisis prevention measures and prioritize gender equality in humanitarian actions.
The Disparity
The increase in numbers indicates progress, yet disparities remain. The report noted that nearly one-quarter of countries stated that backlash against gender equality is obstructing the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.
Legal Reforms for Gender Equality
The report highlighted that between 1995 and 2024, there have been 1,531 legal reforms worldwide aimed at advancing gender equality. However, women still possess only 64% of the legal rights that men have.
Political Representation
In the political arena, the proportion of women in national parliaments has more than doubled since 1995. Despite this progress, men still represent three-quarters of parliament members.
Education
In terms of education, girls now outperform boys in upper secondary schooling. However, sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia are lagging, with 59.6 million teenage girls missing out on fundamental rights.
Workforces
The female workforce participation is around 63%, while men’s is 92%. However, women perform 2.5 times more unpaid labor than men.
Social Representation
In 2023, sexual violence has risen by 50%, with women constituting 95% of the victims. Additionally, 2 billion women and girls lack social protection coverage, although this number has increased by one-third from 2010 to 2013.
Between 2003 and 2023, the proportion of child brides declined from 24% to 19%. However, the decrease in child marriage was three times greater in the wealthiest households compared to the poorest ones. Additionally, from 1995 to 2024, there was a significant increase in access to modern family planning among young women aged 15 to 24. Despite this progress, only two-thirds of their needs for family planning were met, and they still lag behind all other age groups.
The report explains the achievable goals for the 2030 agenda through the Beijing+30 Action Agenda. This agenda highlights the main areas to focus on to speed up progress.
Haripriya Mishra is a journalist deeply interested in world news and geopolitics. She likes to explore the complexities of global affairs and strives to bring clarity to these issues through thoughtful journalism. Through her writing, she intends to raise the right questions, fostering informed discussions about national and international matters. Haripriya aims to use journalism as a platform to connect with people, share diverse perspectives, and contribute to a deeper understanding of global issues. She is committed to producing content that is accurate, ethical, and impactful. She enjoys creative writing and reflecting on the nuances of media and storytelling.
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