Three decades after the historic adoption of a global framework for gender equality, a recent United Nations report reveals that women’s rights are increasingly under siege. Despite strides made, including improvements in girls’ education and reproductive health access, a woman or girl loses her life to violence every ten minutes by a partner or family member. Furthermore, conflict-related sexual violence has surged by 50% since 2022, highlighting significant ongoing challenges.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasised that instead of advancing women’s rights, society sees a troubling rise in misogyny. He stressed the urgent need to uphold human rights and empower women and girls everywhere. In 1995, the pivotal Beijing Declaration called for decisive action in areas critical to gender equality, including poverty alleviation and combating gender-based violence. It was revolutionary in asserting women’s rights over their bodies and health without discrimination or coercion.
The recent report, collated from 159 countries, showcases notable progress, with approximately 88% of nations introducing laws to tackle violence against women and enshrining anti-discrimination policies in workplaces. However, deep-rooted gender discrimination and unequal distribution of power still severely impede women’s advancement. The report highlights alarming statistics, such as women only possessing 64% of legal rights compared to men and three-quarters of legislative bodies still dominated by men.
Moreover, young women aged 15 to 24 continue to face barriers to accessing modern family planning, and maternal mortality rates have hardly budged since 2015. UN Women’s Executive Director, Sima Bahous, highlighted a roadmap focused on achieving gender equality by 2030, proposing essential measures like digital access, investments in social protections and an end to violence against women and girls. The roadmap advocates for equal decision-making power for women and funding for humanitarian aid during conflicts.
A UN report reveals that women’s rights are under threat 30 years after the Beijing Declaration, with rising violence and entrenched gender discrimination. While advancements exist, such as laws combating violence, deep-rooted inequalities hinder progress, with women only holding 64% of men’s legal rights and facing poor access to reproductive health. A roadmap for achieving gender equality by 2030 has been proposed, calling for equal access to technology and social protections for women.
The recent UN report starkly outlines the challenges and setbacks faced by women and girls worldwide thirty years after the Beijing Declaration. Despite some legal advancements, entrenched discrimination persists, and violence against women is alarmingly prevalent. A focused effort is urgently needed to realise true equality, emphasizing technological access, social protections, and women’s decision-making power. Without committed action, the vision of a gender-equal world by 2030 remains out of reach.
Original Source: www.seattletimes.com
