As the world marks International Women’s Day, UN Women is issuing a stark warning: women’s rights are facing growing threats on a global scale.
According to the organisation’s newly released report, “Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing,” nearly a quarter of governments worldwide have reported a backlash against gender equality efforts in 2024.
Despite three decades of progress since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most visionary roadmap for women’s rights – gains are being reversed, legal protections are being weakened and funding for women’s programmes is dwindling. The report’s findings paint a sobering picture of regression in many parts of the world.
SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO EQUALITY
Globally, women continue to face systemic barriers to leadership, safety, and economic freedom. Only 87 countries have ever been led by a woman, and the grim reality remains that every 10 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member. The digital sphere is no exception – artificial intelligence and online platforms are amplifying harmful stereotypes, while a widening digital gender gap is limiting opportunities for women in technology and innovation.
Women and girls living in conflict zones are especially vulnerable. Over the past decade, their numbers have surged by 50%, and women’s rights defenders face relentless harassment, personal attacks and even assassination. Meanwhile, global crises – from pandemics to climate emergencies and skyrocketing living costs – have only intensified these disparities.
“When women and girls can rise, we all thrive. Yet, globally, women’s human rights are under attack. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we’re seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny,” stated UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Together, we must stand firm in making human rights, equality, and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere.”
NEW ROAD MAP FOR CHANGE
Despite the challenges, the UN Women report underscores that progress is possible. Since 1995, global efforts have led to gender parity in education, a one-third reduction in maternal mortality, and the doubling of women’s representation in parliaments. Governments have also eliminated 1,531 discriminatory laws across 189 countries and territories. But these gains must be protected and expanded.
To push forward, UN Women is introducing the Beijing+30 Action Agenda, a bold strategy to accelerate progress on gender equality through six key pillars:
- A digital revolution for all women and girls: We must ensure equal access to technology, equip women and girls to lead in AI and digital innovation and guarantee their online safety and privacy.
- Freedom from poverty: Investments in comprehensive social protection, universal health coverage, education and robust care services are needed for women and girls to thrive and can create millions of green and decent jobs.
- Zero violence: Countries must adopt and implement legislation to end violence against women and girls, in all its forms, with well-resourced plans that include support for community-based organisations on the front lines of response and prevention.
- Full and equal decision-making power: Temporary special measures like gender quotas have proven their effectiveness in rapidly increasing women’s participation.
- Peace and security: Fully finance national plans on women, peace and security and gender-responsive humanitarian aid are essential. Frontline women’s organisations, so often the first responders to crisis, must receive dedicated, sustained funding to build lasting peace.
- Climate justice: We must prioritise women’s and girls’ rights in climate adaptation, centre their leadership and knowledge, and ensure they benefit from new green jobs.
At the heart of these efforts is the recognition that young women and girls must be central to shaping solutions. Their leadership, innovation and activism are key to unlocking a future of true equality.
TIME FOR ACTION: PUSHING WOMEN’S RIGHTS FORWARD
The upcoming Beijing+30 commemoration and the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) present crucial opportunities to transform this Action Agenda into real policy changes at the national, regional, and global levels.
“In a pivotal year for women and girls, that is also a year of pushback and crises like no other, let us push women’s rights forward,” urged UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous. “Women and girls are demanding change – and they deserve nothing less.”
As the world stands at a crossroads, the choice is clear: will we be the generation that upholds the promise of gender equality, or will we allow setbacks to define the future? The time to act is now.
Download the UN Women’s full report here.
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