With SDG deadline nearing, gender equality remains a distant reality

Despite global commitments, the world is failing to meet its promises to women and girls, with the 2030 deadline for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) fast approaching.

A recent report titled Gender 2024, jointly prepared by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, reveals that progress towards gender equality—Goal 5 of the SDGs—remains insufficient.

Background on SDGs and SDG Goal 5

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established in 2015, were designed to create a blueprint for a sustainable and equitable world by 2030.

Goal 5 specifically focuses on ensuring gender equality and empowering all women and girls, addressing issues such as discrimination, violence, and economic disparity. While there has been progress in certain areas, overall advancement towards gender equality has been slow and uneven.

Current gender equality report

Gender Profile 2024 shows the different developments in gender representation in leadership roles.

As of January 1, 2024, only 26.9 per cent of the seats in the national parliaments were held by women, compared to 22.3 percent in 2015.

Despite efforts such as the World Bank’s Gender Strategy for 2024-2030, which aims to accelerate global poverty reduction through gender equality initiatives, economic disparities persist.

Alarmingly, the Sex 2024 report shows that nearly half of married women worldwide lack autonomy in making decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives, while 35 per cent of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical or sexual violence.

Case study: Ivory Coast’s inclusive development

Ivory coast has been praised for its efforts to combat gender-based violence. It scored 17.3 in the 2023 OECD Gender and Social Institutions Index (SIGI). The report assesses family violence, access to financial resources, violations of physical integrity and restrictions on civil liberties.

Prime Minister Robert Boger Mamba praised the country’s progress, citing progressive laws promoting women’s rights and economic empowerment, and efforts to combat gender-based violence (GBV).

However, local women’s rights activists say the data does not reflect the reality on the ground. They point to recent killings of women and a culture of impunity, and stress that legal reforms must be accompanied by social change and more effective practices.

The Ivorian government has launched advocacy campaigns and worked with influencers to challenge cultural norms. However, the OECD says that if the country is to achieve its 2030 targets, more needs to be done to reduce GBV and promote family autonomy.

Key challenges

The slow pace of progress towards equality has serious global implications. Gender inequality hampers economic growth, perpetuates poverty and undermines social stability. Experts argue that comprehensive policy reforms, increased investment and stronger accountability mechanisms are necessary for progress.

The European Parliament has called for transformative changes, including increased regional accessibility and increased funding for equal opportunities. Likewise, the World Bank's Gender Strategy 2024-2030 outlines ambitious goals to accelerate gender equality as a tool to eradicate global poverty.

That being said, achieving gender equality by 2030 requires a global effort to remove systemic barriers, challenge cultural norms and implement effective policies that empower women and girls.

(Raunak Mukherjee is a BA Media and Journalism student at Christ University who interned with Deccan Herald in summer 2024.)