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

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] WORKFORCE Mental health takes center stage: CEOs elevate it above gender equality and work conditions A worldwide priority: CEOs across the US, Europe, and Japan rank mental health as one of the top three social issues they will prioritize in 2026. The Conference Board
• [New] The rise of anti-gender rights movements is jeopardising legal protections for women and girls around the world, threatening to undo decades of legal progress. Equality Now
• [New] As Pakistan enters 2026 as the world's fifth most populous country, with a population exceeding 225 million, high population growth and fertility rates, persistent gender inequality, and rising climate vulnerability, the urgency of addressing population dynamics has intensified. Dawn
• [New] If Amendment 3 passes in Missouri, gender transition surgeries and the prescription of cross-sex hormones and puberty-blockers for children under the age of 18 will be banned. AOL
• [New] Researchers found that even after controlling for migrants' age, gender, education, employment status, and the intensity of U.S. border enforcement, crossing through contested cartel territory measurably increased their risk of experiencing multiple hazards. StudyFinds
• In 2026, EU countries will enact rules mandating the inclusion of pay ranges in advertised positions, and in 2027, companies in the EU must report their mean and median gender pay gaps. financialpost
• By 2026, the intersection of gender-driven tech leadership and AI workplace integration is not just a social imperative but a strategic investment opportunity. Ainvest
• Health officials from the Trump administration announced several moves Thursday that will have the effect of essentially banning gender-affirming care for transgender young people, even in states where it is still legal. NPR
• Peace and Security Index, Afghanistan ranks bottom out of 181 countries on almost every measure of women's wellbeing, from the threat of partner violence to gender-based political persecution and general women's safety. Spiked
• Certain regions present higher risks for solo travelers, particularly where violent crime, gender inequality or harassment is prevalent, including India, Mexico, Egypt, Morocco, Brazil, Colombia and South Africa. Riskline
• A study of impoverished slum dwellers in Accra, Ghana, finds that gender and age intersect in terms of climate knowledge and perceptions by conforming to prevailing gender and sociocultural norms and intensifying female vulnerability. PubMed Central (PMC)
• As we approach 2026, the demand for gender-inclusive safety footwear will only grow. Litai Safety Rain Boots
• The Northern Territory government will no longer fund puberty blockers or gender-affirming hormone treatments for children. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• New Hampshire will prohibit prescribing hormone treatments and puberty blockers to alter a child's gender and will ban certain surgeries as gender care for minors. Yahoo News
• Looking at what's coming in 2026, the biggest questions will center around Medicaid financing, parity enforcement, reproductive and gender-affirming care, harm reduction policy, and whether the federal government continues to retreat from equity-centered health policy. Behavioral Health News
• The Food and Drug Administration says it's going to go after the manufacturers of chest binders, alleging they are illegally marketing them to children as a treatment for gender dysphoria. Reason.com
• The Food and Drug Administration warned makers of breast binders, used by many transgender males to flatten their chests, about illegally marketing their products to minors with gender dysphoria. The Week
• The global gender gap has closed at its fastest rate since the Covid-19 pandemic, but parity could be as much as 123 years away. The National
• The US wields considerable influence over many other UN member states, and fear of tariffs, a need for security guarantees and other economic and political pressures mean there are few attempts to directly counter the US anti-gender equality narrative. PassBlue
• Promoting gender-balanced participation will strengthen Ukraine's mine action capacity and align reconstruction with broader principles of equality and social inclusion. FREE NETWORK

Last updated: 19 January 2026