Understanding SDG Goal 5: Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
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.
Among these, SDG Goal 5 stands out: to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
This goal 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.
How do you think that’s working out for us?
“Unless we act now, the 2030 Agenda will become an epitaph for a world that might have been.”
The Current State of Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Despite global commitments, progress toward gender equality is alarmingly slow. According to the UN Women Gender Snapshot 2023, only 15.4% of Goal 5 indicators are on track, while 61.5% are at a moderate distance, and 23.1% are far or very far off track from 2030 targets.
Key statistics highlight the challenges:
As of January 2023, women held only 26.5% of seats in national parliaments.
Globally, women accounted for nearly 40% of total employment but held only 28.2% of management positions in 2021.
If current trends continue, it will take an estimated 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace.
These figures underscore the urgent need to accelerate efforts toward achieving gender equality and upholding women's rights.
The Economic Imperative of Gender Equality
Achieving gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also an economic one. The UN estimates that an additional $360 billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment across key global goals, including poverty and hunger.
However, global priorities often sideline this investment. For instance, the global military budget reached a staggering $2.2 trillion, increasing by 4% in the last year alone. This disparity highlights the need to reallocate resources to support women's rights and gender equality initiatives.
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you”
Individual Actions to Advance Women's Rights and Gender Equality
While systemic change is essential, individual actions play a crucial role in advancing women's rights and achieving gender equality. Here’s what you can do:
Support Women-Led Businesses: Invest in or purchase from women-led startups and enterprises. Conversely, take your money elsewhere and stop buying and participating in billionaire run businesses, like Amazon, Tesla and Meta (easier said than done I know).
Advocate for Policy Change: Vote for parties with strong agendas on gender equality and women's rights. Find local activist groups and keep an eye on petitions like Change.org or Collective Shout.
Mentor and Educate: Share knowledge and experiences to empower others, especially young women and girls, to pursue leadership roles and advocate for their rights.
Financial Decisions: Ensure your investments and super/pension funds support ethical practices that promote gender equality.
Community Engagement: Volunteer your time, expertise (join a Board), or resources to organisations working toward SDG Goal 5. Check out UN Women and find your country to see how you can get involved.
By taking these steps, individuals can contribute to a global movement striving for gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
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, we can effect change from within. But leadership doesn't always start in boardrooms or politics—it begins within.
Women must recognise their agency: the power to choose, to influence, and to lead in ways that align with their values. Whether it’s how we show up at work, the boundaries we set in our relationships, or the conversations we lead in our communities—every decision is an opportunity to lead.
When we lead from within, we give others permission to do the same, and that ripple effect is where real change begins. It’s time to reimagine where resources are allocated—and that includes your own time, energy and voice—to ensure they serve the collective good.
You can download the SDG Goal Progress Report for 2023 here.
