Gender Equality & Social Inclusion

Why is it important? 

Equality and non-discrimination are fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, adopted by world leaders in 1945. Yet millions of women, young women, minority groups, and people of diverse gender identities around the world continue to experience discrimination in the enjoyment of civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights. Moreover, many women face compounded forms of discrimination—due to factors such as their age, race, ethnicity, disability, or socio-economic status—in addition to gender-based discrimination.

Though girls and boys face similar challenges in early childhood, gender disparities become more pronounced in adolescence (10-19 years of age), a crucial period when boys’ and girls’ attitudes about gender develop and gender norms consolidate. Adolescent girls, due to expected gender roles, may also face a disproportionate burden of domestic work, expectations to be married, risks of early pregnancy, as well as sexual and gender-based violence. 

According to UN,

• Worldwide, girls aged 5-9 and 10-14 spend 30 per cent and 50 per cent more of their time, respectively, on household chores than boys of the same age. 
• One in every 20 adolescent girls aged 15–19 years, around thirteen million, have experienced forced sex, one of the most violent forms of sexual abuse women and girls can suffer, in their lifetime. (UNICEF) 
• Globally, 750 million women and girls were married before the age of 18 and at least 200 million women and girls in 30 countries have undergone FGM. 
• 33,000 girls become child brides every day(Where it happens – Girls Not Brides). 
• One in five women and girls, including 19 per cent of women and girls aged 15 to 49, have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner within the last 12 months. 

Yet, 49 countries have no laws that specifically protect women from such violence. In most countries with available data, women do more unpaid work, including domestic and care work, limiting women’s ability to enter and progress in the labor market. (OECD, The Pursuit of Gender Equality: An Uphill Battle, Paris, 2017) 
• In 18 countries, husbands can legally prevent their wives from working; 
• in 39 countries, daughters and sons do not have equal inheritance rights; 
• Only 52 per cent of women married or in a union freely making their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use and health care. 

Moreover, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could reverse the limited progress that has been made on gender equality and women’s rights.  The corona virus outbreak exacerbates existing inequalities for women and girls across every sphere – from health and the economy to security and social protection. Women play a disproportionate role in responding to the virus, including as front-line healthcare workers and caregivers at home. Women’s unpaid care work has increased significantly because of school closures and the increased needs of older people. Women are also harder hit by the economic impacts of COVID-19, as they disproportionately work in insecure labor markets. Nearly 60 per cent of women work in the informal economy, which puts them at greater risk of falling into poverty. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a steep increase in violence against women and girls. With lock down measures in place, many women are trapped at home with their abusers, struggling to access services that are suffering from cuts and restrictions. Emerging data shows that, since the outbreak of the pandemic, violence against women and girls – and particularly domestic violence – has intensified.