Where We Are
Gender equality is a fundamental human right and a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Empowering women and girls is crucial for accelerating sustainable development, promoting economic growth, and building inclusive societies. However, the world is far off track in achieving gender equality by 2030. At current rates, it is estimated that another 176 years are required to reach parity in women’s participation in management positions. Action is urgently needed to change biased social norms, eliminate harmful practices against women and girls, and eliminate discriminatory laws that halt progress on SDG 5.
The Pact for the Future strengthens commitments to gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls. It calls for a significant increase in investments to close the gender gap, including in the care and support economy, and for reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources.
SDG 5 in Numbers
- While women hold 40% of global employment, they only occupied 27.5% of managerial positions in 2022, the same share as in 2016.
- As of January 2024, women occupied 26.9% of seats in national parliaments, a modest increase from 22.3% in 2015. Only six countries had 50% or more women in the lower or single chamber.
- Women carry an unfair burden of unpaid domestic care work, spending 2.5 times more hours a day on it than men.
- Over 230 million girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation. Some countries have made strides towards ending it, but new estimates show an increase of 30 million cases compared to eight years ago.
“Hard-won gains for gender equality are being erased by a war on the fundamental rights of women and girls—endangering lives, restricting choices and limiting futures. It is time for the world to step up and help transform the vision and aspirations of women and girls into reality.”
– António Guterres, UN Secretary-General (10 October 2024)
