Gender equality and women's empowerment - the United ...

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls ... Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a ... Skiptocontent Goal5:Achievegenderequalityandempowerallwomenandgirls Genderequalityandwomen’sempowermentMartin2020-07-23T15:36:59-04:00 Genderequalityisnotonlyafundamentalhumanright,butanecessaryfoundationforapeaceful,prosperousandsustainableworld.  Therehasbeenprogressoverthelastdecades:Moregirlsaregoingtoschool,fewergirlsareforcedintoearlymarriage,morewomenareservinginparliamentandpositionsofleadership,andlawsarebeingreformedtoadvancegenderequality.  Despitethesegains,manychallengesremain:discriminatorylawsandsocialnormsremainpervasive,womencontinuetobeunderrepresentedatalllevelsofpoliticalleadership,and1in5womenandgirlsbetweentheagesof15and49reportexperiencingphysicalorsexualviolencebyanintimatepartnerwithina12-monthperiod. TheeffectsoftheCOVID-19pandemiccouldreversethelimitedprogressthathasbeenmadeongenderequalityandwomen’srights. Thecoronavirusoutbreakexacerbatesexistinginequalitiesforwomenandgirlsacrosseverysphere–fromhealthandtheeconomy,tosecurityandsocialprotection.  Womenplayadisproportionateroleinrespondingtothevirus,includingasfrontlinehealthcareworkersandcarersathome.Women’sunpaidcareworkhasincreasedsignificantlyasaresultofschoolclosuresandtheincreasedneedsofolderpeople.WomenarealsoharderhitbytheeconomicimpactsofCOVID-19,astheydisproportionatelyworkininsecurelabourmarkets.Nearly60percentofwomenworkintheinformaleconomy,whichputsthematgreaterriskoffallingintopoverty.  Thepandemichasalsoledtoasteepincreaseinviolenceagainstwomenandgirls.Withlockdownmeasuresinplace,manywomenaretrappedathomewiththeirabusers,strugglingtoaccessservicesthataresufferingfromcutsandrestrictions.Emergingdatashowsthat,sincetheoutbreakofthepandemic,violenceagainstwomenandgirls–andparticularlydomesticviolence–hasintensified. COVID-19response “Limitedgainsingenderequalityandwomen’srightsmadeoverthedecadesareindangerofbeingrolledbackduetotheCOVID-19pandemic,”theUNSecretary-GeneralsaidinApril2020,urging governmentstoputwomenandgirlsatthecentreoftheirrecoveryefforts. Womenarenotonlythehardesthitbythispandemic,theyarealsothebackboneofrecoveryincommunities. Puttingwomenandgirlsatthecentreofeconomieswillfundamentallydrivebetterandmoresustainabledevelopmentoutcomesforall,supportamorerapidrecovery,andplacetheworldbackonafootingtoachievetheSustainableDevelopmentGoals.  EveryCOVID-19responseplans,andeveryrecoverypackageandbudgetingofresources,needstoaddressthegenderimpactsofthispandemic.Thismeans:(1)includingwomenandwomen’sorganizationsinCOVID-19responseplanninganddecision-making;(2)transformingtheinequitiesofunpaidcareworkintoanew,inclusivecareeconomythatworksforeveryone;and(3)designingsocio-economicplanswithanintentionalfocusonthelivesandfuturesofwomenandgirls. UNWomenhasdevelopedarapidandtargetedresponsetomitigatetheimpactoftheCOVID-19crisisonwomenandgirlsandtoensurethatthelong-termrecoverybenefitsthem,focusedonfivepriorities: Gender-basedviolence,includingdomesticviolence,ismitigatedandreduced Socialprotectionandeconomicstimuluspackagesservewomenandgirls Peoplesupportandpractiseequalsharingofcarework WomenandgirlsleadandparticipateinCOVID-19responseplanninganddecision-making Dataandcoordinationmechanismsincludegenderperspectives TheCOVID-19pandemicprovidesanopportunityforradical,positiveactiontoredresslong-standinginequalitiesinmultipleareasofwomen’slives,andbuildamorejustandresilientworld.  Whyitmatters:GenderEquality Infographic:GenderEquality FactsandfiguresGoal5targetsLinksFactsandfigures Globally,750millionwomenandgirlsweremarriedbeforetheageof18andatleast200millionwomenandgirlsin30countrieshaveundergoneFGM. Theratesofgirlsbetween15-19whoaresubjectedtoFGM(femalegenitalmutilation)inthe30countrieswherethepracticeisconcentratedhavedroppedfrom1in2girlsin2000to1in3girlsby2017. In18countries,husbandscanlegallypreventtheirwivesfromworking;in39countries,daughtersandsonsdonothaveequalinheritancerights;and49countrieslacklawsprotectingwomenfromdomesticviolence. Oneinfivewomenandgirls,including19percentofwomenandgirlsaged15to49,haveexperiencedphysicaland/orsexualviolencebyanintimatepartnerwithinthelast12months.Yet,49countrieshavenolawsthatspecificallyprotectwomenfromsuchviolence. Whilewomenhavemadeimportantinroadsintopoliticalofficeacrosstheworld,theirrepresentationinnationalparliamentsat23.7percentisstillfarfromparity. In46countries,womennowholdmorethan30percentofseatsinnationalparliamentinatleastonechamber. Only52percentofwomenmarriedorinaunionfreelymaketheirowndecisionsaboutsexualrelations,contraceptiveuseandhealthcare. Globally,womenarejust13percentofagriculturallandholders. WomeninNorthernAfricaholdlessthanoneinfivepaidjobsinthenon-agriculturalsector.Theproportionofwomeninpaidemploymentoutsidetheagriculturesectorhasincreasedfrom35percentin1990to41percentin2015. Morethan100countrieshavetakenactiontotrackbudgetallocationsforgenderequality. InSouthernAsia,agirl’sriskofmarryinginchildhoodhasdroppedbyover40percentsince2000. Goal5targets 5.1Endallformsofdiscriminationagainstallwomenandgirlseverywhere 5.2Eliminateallformsofviolenceagainstallwomenandgirlsinthepublicandprivatespheres,includingtraffickingandsexualandothertypesofexploitation 5.3Eliminateallharmfulpractices,suchaschild,earlyandforcedmarriageandfemalegenitalmutilation 5.4Recognizeandvalueunpaidcareanddomesticworkthroughtheprovisionofpublicservices,infrastructureandsocialprotectionpolicies andthepromotionofsharedresponsibilitywithinthehouseholdandthefamilyasnationallyappropriate 5.5Ensurewomen’sfullandeffectiveparticipationandequalopportunitiesforleadershipatalllevelsofdecisionmakinginpolitical,economicandpubliclife 5.6EnsureuniversalaccesstosexualandreproductivehealthandreproductiverightsasagreedinaccordancewiththeProgrammeofActionoftheInternationalConferenceonPopulationandDevelopmentandtheBeijingPlatformforActionandtheoutcomedocumentsoftheirreviewconferences 5.A Undertakereformstogivewomenequalrightstoeconomicresources,aswellasaccesstoownershipandcontroloverlandandotherformsofproperty,financialservices,inheritanceandnaturalresources,inaccordancewithnationallaws 5.BEnhancetheuseofenablingtechnology,inparticularinformationandcommunicationstechnology,topromotetheempowermentofwomen 5.CAdoptandstrengthensoundpoliciesandenforceablelegislationforthepromotionofgenderequalityandtheempowermentofallwomenandgirlsatalllevels Links UNWomen HeforShecampaign UnitedSecretary-GeneralCampaignUNiTEtoEndViolenceAgainstWomen EveryWomanEveryChildInitiative SpotlightInitiative UnitedNationsChildren’sFund(UNICEF) UNPopulationFund:Genderequality UNPopulationFund:Femalegenitalmutilation UNPopulationFund:Childmarriage UNPopulationFund:Engagingmen&boys UNPopulationFund:Gender-basedviolence WorldHealthOrganization(WHO) UNOfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRights UNHighCommissionerforRefugees(UNHCR) UNEducation,ScientificandCulturalOrganisation(UNESCO) UNDepartmentofEconomicandSocialAffairs,GenderStatistics TheEuropeanUnion(EU)andtheUnitedNations(UN)areembarkingonanew,global,multi-yearinitiativefocusedoneliminatingallformsofviolenceagainstwomenandgirls(VAWG)–theSpotlightInitiative. TheInitiativeissonamedasitbringsfocusedattentiontothisissue,movingitintothespotlightandplacingitatthecentreofeffortstoachievegenderequalityandwomen’sempowerment,inlinewiththe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopment. AninitialinvestmentintheorderofEUR500millionwillbemade,withtheEUasthemaincontributor.OtherdonorsandpartnerswillbeinvitedtojointheInitiativetobroadenitsreachandscope.ThemodalityforthedeliverywillbeaUNmulti-stakeholdertrustfund,administeredbytheMulti-PartnerTrustFundOffice,withthesupportofcoreagenciesUNDP,UNFPAandUNWomen,andoverseenbytheExecutiveOfficeoftheUNSecretary-General. Relatednews Liberia,Mexico,Niger,SenegalandSierraLeonetotacklebarrierstothedeploymentofwomeninpeaceoperationswiththesupportoftheUNElsieInitiativeFund VesnaBlazhevska2021-04-28T13:20:09-04:0028Apr2021|PRESSRELEASE28APRIL2021MEDIAENQUIRIESmedia.team@unwomen.orgLiberia,Mexico,Niger,SenegalandSierraLeonetotacklebarrierstothedeploymentofwomeninpeaceoperationswiththesupportoftheUNElsieInitiative[...]ReadMore Women’sjobmarketparticipationstagnatingatlessthan50%forthepast25years,findsUNreportVesnaBlazhevska2020-10-20T15:06:56-04:0020Oct2020|NewYork,20October–Lessthan50%ofworking-agewomenareinthelabourmarket,afigurethathasbarelychangedoverthelastquarterofacentury,accordingtoanewUNreportlaunchedtoday.Unpaiddomesticandcareworkfallsdisproportionatelyonwomen,restrainingtheireconomicpotentialastheCOVID-19pandemicadditionallyaffectswomen’sjobsandlivelihoods,thereportwarns.ReadMore AtUNhigh-levelmeeting,worldleadersreignitethevisionoftheBeijingPlatformforAction,themosttransformativeagendaforadvancinggenderequalityVesnaBlazhevska2020-10-02T10:50:52-04:0002Oct2020|(NewYork,2October)— Morethan100countriescommittedyesterdaytoconcreteactionsthatwouldadvancegenderequalityforwomenandgirlseverywhereatavirtualhigh-levelmeetingduringtheUNGeneralAssembly.Thisgathering– underthetheme“Acceleratingtherealizationofgenderequalityandtheempowermentofallwomenandgirls”–markedthe25thanniversaryoftheBeijingDeclarationandPlatformforAction–themostcomprehensiveroadmapforwomenandgirls’empowerment.ReadMore 12NextLoadMorePostsRelatedvideosdpicampaigns2021-11-15T18:15:04-05:00Tobaccousecontinuestofall,butstill‘longwaytogo’The numberof tobacco users continuestodecrease globally,goingfrom1.32billionin2015 to 1.30billion lastyear, the WorldHealthOrganization(WHO) said onTuesday.  ReadFullStoryonUNNewsdpicampaigns2021-11-15T12:30:20-05:00‘Under$1’testkitsavailabletostopmother-childHIV/syphilistransmissionDualtestkits,which costlessthan$1, arenowavailableforpregnantwomentostem mother-to-child HIVandsyphilis transmission,theWorldHealthOrganization(WHO) announced on Monday.  ReadFullStoryonUNNewsdpicampaigns2021-11-14T01:15:05-05:00Inpost-quakeHaiti,rebuildinglivesandwelcomingnewonesThreemonthsafteradevastatingearthquakestruckthesouth-westofHaiti,ahospitalthatwaslargelydestroyedhascontinuedtogivemothersandtheirbabiesthecaretheyneed.  The17Goals ReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMoreReadMore   LoadingComments...   Youmustbeloggedintopostacomment. 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