Report: Worldwide Gender Equity Efforts Experience 'Dismal' Backslide

No country in the world is on pace to achieve gender equity by 2030, a new report shows. In many nations, the well-being and success of women has declined over the last five years.

Equal Measures 2030 (EM2030) is a global group. It is made up of NGOs. It publishes its Gender Index each year. The 2024 Gender Index was released this month. It looked at data from 139 countries. The study analyzes dozens of factors to see if women were equal to men in each country. It studied maternal death rates. EM2030 also analyzed the percent of girls enrolled in schools and the number of women leaders in governments versus men. It took climate crises and violence into account, too. 

In total, EM2030 found that 857 million women lived in countries that earned a “very poor” rating for equality. Those living in “poor” nations brought the number to 1.5 billion. In many cases, countries slid back over the past five years. Only Switzerland received the Index’s “very good” rating.

Chiara Capraro works for Amnesty International UK. She spoke to The Guardian about the report. Because of factors like rising domestic violence, repression in Afghanistan and Iran, and the repeal of Roe v Wade in the US, “Women’s rights are being eroded,” Capraro said. 

If current trends continue, EM2030 estimates, gender equality won’t be achieved worldwide until 2100 at the earliest. And that, it argues, will take huge financial investment. It will also require more women in leadership roles. More global cooperation will be necessary too, EM2030 says. 

Reflect: What do you think are some important steps that can be taken to promote gender equality in our society?