Women’s Rights and the Global Goals

The journey toward achieving gender equality has seen significant strides, yet it remains far from complete. The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed to tackle poverty with a specific focus on advancing gender equality in education, employment, and representation. While some progress has been made, the gaps persist, highlighting the urgent need for sustained and inclusive action.

Progress Achieved, Challenges Ahead

Education and Work: More women globally are now attending school and entering the workforce. However, girls remain disproportionately out of school, particularly at the secondary level, limiting their potential for long-term empowerment and economic independence.

Representation in Leadership: The percentage of women in elected office has risen over time, but women still account for only 21.8% of parliamentarians worldwide—a stark reminder of the systemic barriers to equitable political representation.

Unaddressed Areas of Concern

The MDGs fell short of addressing critical aspects of women’s rights, such as:

Violence Against Women: Millions of women continue to face gender-based violence, which remains one of the most widespread and underreported human rights violations globally.

Sexual and Reproductive Rights: Women’s autonomy over their bodies and access to healthcare are still constrained by cultural, legal, and economic barriers.

Intersectional Inequities

Women already marginalized by their race, caste, ethnicity, sexuality, income, or location experience the fewest gains and are often left behind in the march toward equality. This highlights the need for an intersectional approach that acknowledges and addresses these overlapping layers of discrimination.

The Global Goals: A Renewed Commitment

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5, aim to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. These goals represent a broader and more inclusive framework, addressing issues like violence, unpaid care work, harmful practices, and reproductive rights.

Our Vision

As we build momentum toward achieving gender equality, our mission is to:

Advocate for systemic change that ensures all women and girls have access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

Highlight success stories and innovative solutions that empower women and girls globally.

Collaborate with policymakers, organizations, and communities to tackle structural inequalities.

Create safe spaces for marginalized voices, ensuring no woman or girl is left behind.

Let us join forces to turn these goals into reality and make equality more than a promise—let’s make it a lived experience for women everywhere.