Over 850 million women face 'very poor' gender equality conditions: Report

No country has achieved the gender equality targets set by the United Nations for 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals, said the report

A staggering 850 million women and girls worldwide are living under “very poor” conditions for gender equality, according to a newly released report.

The SDG Gender Index, compiled by a coalition of leading non-governmental organisations (NGOs), warns that despite global efforts, no country has achieved the gender equality targets set by the United Nations (UN) for 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These women face severe challenges, including forced pregnancies, child marriages, and exclusion from education—issues prevalent in the 45 countries ranked lowest in the index. The nations span parts of West, Central, and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar.

 

Global setback for gender equality

The report reveals that nearly 40 per cent of countries, representing over 1 billion women and girls, have either stagnated or regressed in gender equality from 2019 to 2022. The Index assessed 139 countries, with only Switzerland earning a “very good” rating, while an alarming number of women—1.5 billion—live in countries rated as “poor” for gender equality.

The Index presents a bleak forecast for the future: if current trends persist, global gender inequality will not only fail to improve but could worsen by 2030. The driving factors include armed conflicts, climate crises, anti-gender movements, and democratic backsliding. Experts warn that, without urgent action, gender equality may not be achieved until the next century.

'Women’s rights are eroding'

Chiara Capraro, programme director for gender justice at Amnesty International UK, highlighted how recent global events have set back women’s rights: “From the explosion of domestic violence during the pandemic to the Taliban regaining power in Afghanistan, from the brutal repression of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran, to the repeal of Roe v Wade in the US, women’s rights are being eroded,” Capraro told the Guardian.

Countries rolling back women’s rights

The report highlights specific countries where progress has not only slowed but reversed. In Poland and the US, stricter abortion laws have curtailed women’s rights, with 14 US states enacting near-total abortion bans.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban's oppressive regime has enforced what many call “gender apartheid,” excluding women and girls from secondary education, most forms of employment, and even public spaces.

 

Conflict zones: Women and girls hardest hit

The plight of women and girls is even more severe in conflict-affected regions such as Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine. The report notes that 614 million women and girls lived in conflict zones in 2022, a 50 per cent increase since 2017. Harrowing reports from Sudan and Ukraine describe rising sexual violence and domestic abuse.

Heather Barr, associate director of the women’s rights division at Human Rights Watch, underscored the toll conflicts take on gender equality: “Conflicts have derailed progress in these regions, with devastating consequences for women and girls.”

Calls for more women in leadership

The report also stresses that a major shift is needed to reverse these alarming trends. Heather Barr advocates for greater female representation in leadership roles, saying: “Women’s participation in decision-making, both in national governments and in international bodies like the UN, is crucial for real progress.”

As the world grapples with the widening gender gap, the upcoming UN Women report—set to be released later this month—is expected to provide further evidence of the slow, insufficient progress on gender equality, raising fresh concerns for the future.