Our Scans · (LF.5) Gender Equality · Weekly Summary

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In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.

• [New] The Vatican has released a new document on human dignity in which it says surrogacy, gender theory and abortion are among the grave threats to the human condition. MPR News
• [New] At the current rate of progress, gender equity, where men occupy 50% of key creative positions, will only be achieved in 2215 in Canada, in 2085 in the UK, and 2041 in Germany. The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com
• Closing the gender gap in employment and entrepreneurship has the potential to raise the global gross domestic product by more than 20%, and could essentially double the current global growth rate over the next decade. OMFIF
• The Global Fund and IOM recognize that human rights barriers including discrimination, punitive laws, gender inequality and gender-based violence threaten universal access to quality healthcare. ReliefWeb
• As the ILO continues to advocate for gender equality, its efforts in Latin America could inspire international strategies, emphasizing the universal benefits of inclusive economic policies. LatinAmerican Post
• Achieving gender equality through the Sustainable Development Goals will cost an additional $360 billion every year. The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News
• Women's empowerment and gender equality are vital to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which envisions a world of universal respect for human rights and individual dignity. Rappler
• Investing in gender equality and women's empowerment is not only more urgent than ever but also an incredibly smart investment to generate economic growth, food security, income opportunities and better lives, particularly in rural areas where most of the world's poorest live. Latest
• Nigeria has demonstrated its dedication to reducing gender disparities and utilizing the potential of women as catalysts for national progress by implementing effective coordination mechanisms, along with policies promoting economic empowerment and gender equality. Starconnect Media
• Global trends such as climate change, natural resource scarcity and technological transitions will further exacerbate gender inequalities if no mitigating action is taken. World Bank Blogs
• Women at PATH seeks to advance gender equality and empowerment of women and create an inclusive environment where women could thrive and contribute meaningfully to building a society where health is available and accessible to all. Ghana News Agency
• A World Bank study released earlier this month concludes that a significant gender gap still exists in workplaces in many countries, resulting in lower pay and fewer job opportunities for women. Forbes
• Closing the gender pay gap between women and men could add an additional £250 billion to the UK economy, so we are using evidence-based actions to tackle inequalities and empower women to flourish. GOV.UK
• A key goal is to use AI to help spur progress toward achieving the U.N.'s badly lagging development goals for 2030, including ending global hunger and poverty, improving health worldwide, ensuring quality secondary education for all children and achieving gender equality. Winnipeg Free Press
• UNDP India has partnered with the Skill Council for Green Jobs to create employment opportunities for women in renewable energy, combating climate change and promoting gender equality. National Skills Network
• The UN Secretary-General on Monday highlighted the urgent need to defend women's rights which are under threat, citing a reversal in hard-won progress, increasing violence against women and a growing digital gender divide. UN News
• Gender-based violence, conflict, food hardship, and a lack of social safety are all risks to women worldwide. The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News
• Based on last year's Equal Pay Day, women still work for free for approximately two months of the year and based on analysis of gender pay gap reporting since its inception, it is projected that the gender pay gap in the UK will not be closed until 2051, at the earliest. Herrington Carmichael
• A report published in 2024 by the United Nations predicted that it could take another 286 years to close the global gender gaps in legal protections for women and girls. Committee for a Workers' International
• Since the COVID-19 pandemic - which has widened pre-existing inequality gaps, including gender inequality, and reversed progress on sustainable development - it is now estimated that it will take the world 286 years to achieve gender equality. World Health Organization: WHO
• To help address the consequences and root causes associated with systemic gender inequality, Global Affairs Canada will continue to play a leadership role in advancing the rights of women and girls and gender equality in the poorest and most fragile countries. GAC

Last updated: 15 April 2024