Gender Equality: UN Women calls for political will, accelerated global action

Over 350 million women and girls could still be living in extreme poverty by the end of the decade if current trends persist.

News Agency of Nigeria • September 16, 2025

UN Women officials [Credit; UN]

The UN Programme for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women has called for greater political will and accelerated global action to close gender gaps and secure equal rights for women.

UN Women stated this in its SDG Gender Snapshot report launched on Monday by UN Women and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The report draws on more than 100 data sources to track progress across all 17 Goals.

The report said that more than 351 million women and girls could still be living in extreme poverty by the end of the decade if current trends persist.

“Five years from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline in 2030, none of the gender equality targets are on track.

“Year 2025 marks three major milestones for women and girls: the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. The other is the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, but with the new sobering data, it is urgent to accelerate action and investment,” it said.

Findings in the report revealed that female poverty had barely shifted in half a decade, stuck at around 10 per cent since 2020, while most of those affected live in sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia.

It further stated that in 2024 alone, 676 million women and girls lived within reach of deadly conflict, the highest number since the 1990s.

The report added, “For those caught in war zones, the consequences extend far beyond displacement. Food insecurity, health risks, and violence rise sharply, the report notes, while violence against women and girls remains one of the most pervasive threats.

“More than one in eight women worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of a partner in the past year, while nearly one in five young women was married before the age of 18.

“Each year, an estimated four million girls undergo female genital mutilation, with over half cut before their fifth birthday. Yet, amid the grim statistics, the report highlighted what is possible when countries prioritise gender equality.

It explained that maternal mortality had dropped nearly 40 per cent since 2000, saying, “girls are now more likely than ever to finish school”.

(NAN)

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