Motherhood still comes with a pay penalty, and women continue to be paid less for work of equal value – not by accident, but by design. Tackling these injustices means changing how pay is set and progression is measured and rewarded – through transparency, enforcement, and stronger worker protections
Global, Sub-Saharan Africa
When climate solutions fit local realities, they can restore ecosystems, strengthen food security, reduce vulnerability for women and expand their economic agency
People’s rights to decide freely about sex, contraception, and parenthood are central to human dignity, economic growth, and gender equality – yet they remain under attack worldwide. Without urgent action to protect and expand these rights, decades of progress risk being undone, with young people bearing the greatest cost
Across the world, women’s rights are increasingly under attack from conservative and populist forces. Defending these rights – through broad democratic alliances and institutional resilience – is critical to safeguarding democracy itself
Thirty years after the landmark Beijing Declaration, progress on gender equality is stalling – and in some cases reversing. Rekindling its vision demands urgent, united action to confront rising inequality, authoritarianism, and backlash against women’s rights
Social protection is a powerful – but underused – lever for gender equality and sustainable development. To get the SDGs back on track and close widening global gaps, governments must invest in inclusive systems that support women’s rights and needs at every stage of life
Denying women and girls access to technology is not a gap – it’s a systemic injustice with global consequences. Urgent action to expand digital access, education, and agency, especially in the world’s poorest countries, is essential to ensure that half the population can shape – not be shut out of – our digital future
Middle East and Northern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
The Gambia outlawed female genital mutilation (FGM) in 2015. This year, an attempt to relegalize it almost succeeded. Why are these types of abuse so persistent and how can they be eradicated?
Laws and treaties prohibiting gender discrimination have failed to alter the stark fact that, globally, women are still paid significantly less than men for the same work. Achieving gender equality in the workplace requires a transformation – of attitudes, economic structures, and opportunities – to enable women’s economic empowerment
Women around the world face the brunt of severe hunger, with conflicts exacerbating the inequality. Ending this discrimination requires empowering more women and girls to lead on building peace and food security for all
