GOAL OF THE MONTH – Goal 5: Gender Equality
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Where We Are
Gender equality is a fundamental human right and a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Empowering women and girls is crucial for accelerating sustainable development, promoting economic growth, and building inclusive societies. However, the world is far off track in achieving gender equality by 2030. At current rates, it is estimated that another 176 years are required to reach parity in women’s participation in management positions. Action is urgently needed to change biased social norms, eliminate harmful practices against women and girls, and eliminate discriminatory laws that halt progress on SDG 5.
The Pact for the Future strengthens commitments to gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls. It calls for a significant increase in investments to close the gender gap, including in the care and support economy, and for reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources.
SDG 5 in Numbers
- While women hold 40% of global employment, they only occupied 27.5% of managerial positions in 2022, the same share as in 2016.
- As of January 2024, women occupied 26.9% of seats in national parliaments, a modest increase from 22.3% in 2015. Only six countries had 50% or more women in the lower or single chamber.
- Women carry an unfair burden of unpaid domestic care work, spending 2.5 times more hours a day on it than men.
- Over 230 million girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation. Some countries have made strides towards ending it, but new estimates show an increase of 30 million cases compared to eight years ago.
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“Hard-won gains for gender equality are being erased by a war on the fundamental rights of women and girls—endangering lives, restricting choices and limiting futures. It is time for the world to step up and help transform the vision and aspirations of women and girls into reality.”
– António Guterres, UN Secretary-General (10 October 2024)
In Focus
8 March | International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a call to action to advance women’s rights, promote gender equality and empower all women and girls. With the theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” this year the day calls on all partners to help us march forward on women’s rights and gender equality. With five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we need all hands on deck to deliver a future of rights, equality, and empowerment for all women and girls. More information is available here.
UN Women will also be celebrating the UN’s 50th observance of International Women’s Day and 30 years since the revolutionary Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action with inspiring global women leaders and a Broadway cast performance. An event will be held at the United Nations in New York, on 7 March 2025. Registration details are available here.
10-21 March | Commission on the Status of Women 69/Beijing +30
The sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) will take place from 10 to 21 March 2025 at UN Headquarters in New York. This session also marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a pivotal framework for advancing women’s rights. The main focus of this year’s session will be to review these key frameworks and assess current implementation challenges to ensure the achievement of gender equality by 2030. More information on the 69th session and side events can be found here.
Key Events
4-7 March | 56th UN Statistical Commission
The 56th session of the Statistical Commission will take place at UN Headquarters in New York from 4 to 7 March 2025. The Commission brings together statisticians worldwide to discuss crucial matters such as the 2025 Systems of National Accounts, the 2030 World Population and Housing Census Programme, SDG indicators, and data governance. Side events include a seminar on capacity development for resilient statistical systems and a high-level forum on official statistics. Lean more about the Commission here. Details, along with UN WebTV links, will be available here.
12-13 March | ECOSOC Development Cooperation Forum
The ECOSOC Development Cooperation Forum is set for 12 and 13 March 2025 in New York. This event, held every two years, gathers diverse stakeholders to evaluate international development cooperation trends and challenges. The 2025 Forum will focus on aligning development efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals, addressing financing gaps, and building effective partnerships to combat global challenges. Registration details and further information can be found here.
International Days and Years
1 March | Zero Discrimination Day
This year’s Zero Discrimination Day theme, “We Stand Together” emphasizes the important role that communities play in ensuring that all people living with and affected by HIV are treated with dignity and respect. This year, UNAIDS calls on countries, donors, partners, and more to fulfill their commitments and support communities that are working towards global health efforts. Communication resources and participation details can be found here.
3 March | World Wildlife Day
World Wildlife Day 2025 explores innovative finance solutions for wildlife conservation under the theme “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.” With over 1 million species threatened with extinction, the day emphasizes the urgency of making financial flows more effective and sustainable to build a resilient future. Additional details and communication assets can be found here.
21 March | International Day of Forests
This year’s International Day of Forests celebrates the crucial role of forests in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods under the theme “Forests and Food.” The day highlights the importance of protecting and restoring forests, which are essential for the well-being of the planet and future generations. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is also marking its 80th anniversary and will celebrate this occasion by highlighting actions and best practices that promote a sustainable, inclusive and resilient food future. Additional information and campaign activities can be found here.
21 March | World Day of Glaciers
The first-ever World Day of Glaciers this year encourages action to preserve the vital role of glaciers in sustaining life on Earth. Glaciers are essential to Earth’s ecosystem. They provide water for millions of people, regulate sea levels, and support biodiversity. Yet, rising global temperatures are causing glaciers to retreat at an alarming rate, leading to water scarcity, rising sea levels, and increasing the chances of natural disasters like floods or landslides. Learn more here.
22 March | World Water Day
World Water Day 2025 focuses on “Glacier Preservation” as a survival strategy for people and the planet. The day emphasizes the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage meltwater more sustainably to mitigate the impacts of rapidly melting glaciers on water flows and ecosystems. More information is available here.
23 March | World Meteorological Day
World Meteorological Day 2025 commemorates the 75th anniversary of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and highlights the theme “Closing the early warning gap together.” WMO recently confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record. As climate risks escalate, it is crucial to address the need for early warning system initiatives and accelerate progress. The day showcases the essential contribution of meteorological services to society’s safety and well-being in the face of climate change. More information, along with details on a global event, can be found here.
30 March | International Day of Zero Waste
The International Day of Zero Waste highlights the importance of addressing waste management globally to promote sustainable consumption and address the waste pollution crisis. This year’s theme, “Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles”, focuses on the need for action in the fashion and textile sector to reduce waste and advance circular solutions. Campaign resources and additional information can be found here.
NEW! Media accreditation for upcoming Conferences
Media accreditation for the UN Ocean Conference (9-13 June 2025) and the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (30 June-1 July 2025) opens on March 1. Both conferences are crucial towards addressing key issues and progress on the SDGs. Additional information on the Conferences and accreditation details can be found below:
- UN Ocean Conference: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025/participate
- 4th International Conference on Financing for Development: https://financing.desa.un.org/accreditation
ACTNOW for our Common Future
ActNow is the United Nations campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals. The Goals can improve life for all of us. Safer cities. Equality. A Just Society. A peaceful world. These issues matter to everyone. But progress is too slow. We have to act, urgently, to accelerate changes that add up to better lives on a healthier planet. Join the campaign to learn — and do — more for #OurCommonFuture. Visit ActNow: https://www.un.org/actnow
National Climate Action Plans
As the climate crisis intensifies, the stakes could not be higher. This year, every country is required to submit an updated national climate action plan – called Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. To preserve a livable plant, these plans must align with limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The UN has come together to drive communication and advocacy efforts on the NDCs. Learn more about the NDCs here: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/all-about-ndcs
Awake at Night Podcast
In this episode, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, UN Assistant Secretary-General and one of two deputy executive directors of UN Women, reflects on a childhood touched by war, poverty and disease, on a lifelong love of learning, and on how a recent accident gave her a new perspective on inequality. Check out the full episode here.
Discover all the episodes and previous seasons here -> https://pod.link/1429922419