Women’s Rights Regressed in a Quarter of Countries Worldwide
UN Report Highlights Backlash on Gender Equality
Women’s rights have regressed in a quarter of countries around the world, according to a report published by UN Women on Thursday, due to factors ranging from climate change to democratic backsliding. The weakening of democratic institutions has gone hand in hand with backlash on gender equality, with anti-rights actors actively undermining long-standing consensus on key women’s rights issues.
Mixed Progress in 30 Years
In the 30 years since the 1995 World Conference on Women, progress has been mixed. While female representation in parliaments has more than doubled since 1995, men still comprise about three-quarters of parliamentarians. The number of women with social protection benefits has increased by a third between 2010 and 2023, but two billion women and girls still live in places without such protections. Gender employment gaps have stagnated for decades, with 63% of women between the ages of 25 and 54 having paid employment, compared to 92% of men in the same demographic.
New Threats to Gender Equality
The report cites the Covid-19 pandemic, global conflicts, climate change, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) as new potential threats to gender equality. Conflict-related sexual violence has spiked 50% in the past 10 years, with 95% of victims being children or young women. In 2023, 612 million women lived within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of armed conflict, a 54% increase since 2010.
Gender-Based Violence Persists
Globally, violence against women and girls persists at alarming rates. Across their lifetime, around one in three women are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner. In 12 countries in Europe and Central Asia, at least 53% of women have experienced one or more forms of gender-based violence online.
Roadmap to Address Gender Inequality
The report sets out a multi-part roadmap to address gender inequality, including fostering equitable access to new technologies like AI, measures toward climate justice, investments to combat poverty, increasing participation in public affairs, and fighting against gendered violence.
Conclusion
The regression of women’s rights in a quarter of countries worldwide is a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality. It is imperative that governments, civil society, and individuals work together to address the new threats to gender equality and protect the rights of women and girls. The report’s findings serve as a wake-up call for action, and it is crucial that we heed the call to create a more just and equal world for all.
FAQs
- What is the current state of women’s rights worldwide?
The report indicates that women’s rights have regressed in a quarter of countries worldwide. - What are the main factors contributing to the regression of women’s rights?
Factors include climate change, democratic backsliding, and anti-rights actors undermining long-standing consensus on key women’s rights issues. - What is the current state of female representation in parliaments?
Female representation has more than doubled since 1995, but men still comprise about three-quarters of parliamentarians. - What is the report’s recommendation for addressing gender inequality?
The report sets out a multi-part roadmap, including fostering equitable access to new technologies like AI, measures toward climate justice, investments to combat poverty, increasing participation in public affairs, and fighting against gendered violence.