Breaking Down Gender Inequality: From Global Failure to Individual Action
“I go to an International Women’s Day event every year, is that not enough?” Quite frankly, no. Economic empowerment is key to a gender equal world. When we are given equal opportunity to education, income and leadership positions, we all thrive!
So how do you think that’s working out for us ladies?
Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, world leaders adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. It was the clearest blueprint of humanity’s highest aspirations, at the time declaring “The future of humanity and of our planet lies in our hands.”
The defining principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was and still is ‘Leave no one behind’.
It is a shared promise by every country to work together to secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy, thriving planet. But that promise is disappearing in the rear-view mirror, as is the hope and rights of current and future generations.
A fundamental shift is needed – to put the world on a better path, we can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.
“Unless we act now, the 2030 Agenda will become an epitaph for a world that might have been.”
Sustainable Development Goals and Gender Equality
Among these goals, Goal 5 stands out as the beacon for Gender Equality.
Its objective is clear: to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. This encompasses eliminating discrimination, ending violence and harmful practices, ensuring equal access to education and healthcare, and promoting women's participation in decision-making processes at all levels.
Halfway to 2030 and the world is failing women and girls massively!
Currently, $360 Billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment across key global goals, including poverty and hunger.
As of 1 January 2023, the global share of women in lower and single chambers of national parliaments reached 26.5 per cent.
At the local level, women held 35.5 per cent of seats in local governments in 2023, up from 33.9 per cent in 2020.
Globally, women accounted for nearly 40 per cent of total employment but held only 28.2 per cent of management positions in 2021. This has risen 1% (2023).
If current trends continue, it will take an estimated 300 years to end child marriage, 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments.
WTAF?!!
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you”
How do we turn this tide?
It can be really depressing to read all of the above and there is always a risk that we lose hope, motivation and think how can I make a difference to any of that?! Well you can. It works in the same way as everything in life that you want to achieve, break it down into bitesize chunks. Assess where you can focus your time and energy and where you could make a difference, then schedule it.
What can you do?
How many of you are in management positions?
How many aspire to be promoted to one?
How many of you vote for a party with a positive women’s agenda? Or simply vote to get arseholes out!
How many of you use your money to invest in women-led start ups and businesses?
How many of you invest with a super (pension if you’re in the UK) provider that isn’t funding evil?
How many of you support or advocate a cause that need your expertise, your money, your influence?
Maybe that schedule is simply a bullet point to set up a Direct debit to a cause. Maybe it’s to join a Board that assists a female led business and get your CV Board ready. Maybe it’s to contact your pension/super provider and speak to them about what your hard earned cash is funding.
Or maybe, it’s a meeting with your boss to see what you need to do to get that leadership position, or a session with your coach to build your confidence or prep for an interview.
Whatever it is - do something.
The stark reality is that without more females in positions of power, men continue to dominate decision-making, shaping policies and resource allocation.
For instance, the $360 billion needed annually for gender equality, often gets sidelined in favour of other expenditures, like the staggering $2.2 trillion global military budget, which increased by 4% last year alone.
This, along with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, The Taliban’s announcement that it is resuming publicly stoning women to death and the increase of women across the world being murdered whilst on their daily run, it almost feels like sometimes we are going backwards.
The moral of this story is clear:
Individual action is imperative. We must challenge the status quo and strive for representation at all levels. By advocating for ourselves and others, pushing for equal opportunities, and actively seeking leadership roles, where we can effect change from within.
It's time to reimagine where resources are allocated and ensure they serve the collective good.
Join the movement for gender equality – because progress starts with you.
You can download the SDG Goal Progress Report for 2023 here.