UN REPORT ON GENDER PARITY

Context: Only an abysmal 1 percent of women across the world live in countries that have managed to achieve both high women empowerment and gender parity, according to a new report by the United Nations.

• The first-of-its-kind report that presents a comprehensive analysis of the progress made in human development of women and girls was jointly created by two UN agencies – UN Women and UN Development Programme.

Key Points

• On an average, women are empowered to achieve only 60 percent of their full potential.
• They also were found to achieve 28 per cent less than men across key human development dimensions.
• The report identified areas where comprehensive policy action is needed:
  • Health policies: Support and promote long and healthy lives for all, with a focus on universal access to sexual and reproductive health
  • Equality in education: Address gaps in skills and quality of education, especially in fields such as STEM, to empower women and girls in the digital age
  • Work-life balance and support for families: Invest in policies and services that address work-life balance, including affordable quality childcare services, parental leave schemes, and flexible working arrangements
  • Women’s equal participation: Set targets and action plans for achieving gender parity in all spheres of public life and eliminate discriminatory laws and regulations that hold women back
  • Violence against women: Implement comprehensive measures focused on prevention, changing social norms, and eliminating discriminatory laws and policies