340 million women will soon live in extreme poverty by 2030: UN

A new report by two agencies of the United Nations indicates that by 2030, one in four women and girls in the world will lack enough food, and 340 million of them, eight per cent of the female population, will survive in extreme poverty.

340 million women facing extreme poverty

The study “represents a resounding call to action. We must act now collectively and decisively to correct the course towards a world in which all women and girls have the same rights, opportunities and representation,” claimed Sarah Hendriks, deputy executive director of the UN Women agency.

“To achieve this, we need unwavering commitment, innovative solutions and the collaboration of all sectors and stakeholders,” Hendriks added.

UN Women and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the multilateral organization prepared the report “ Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Panorama 2023 ”, which for the first time includes data disaggregated by sex on the intersections between gender and climate change.

In the worst-case scenario, climate change could push an additional 158.3 million women and girls into poverty by mid-century, surpassing the total number of men and boys experiencing the same situation by 16 million.

The annual publication provides an analysis of the current status of gender equality across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and highlights prevailing trends, gaps and recent setbacks on the path to achieving gender equality here to 2030.

No country is within reach of eradicating domestic violence and only 27 countries have comprehensive systems to track and make budget allocations for gender equality and women's empowerment.

614 million women in conflict-affected areas

The number of women and girls in conflict-affected contexts has increased, with catastrophic consequences. In 2022, the number of women and girls living in these contexts will reach 614 million, 50% more than in 2017.

At the current rate of progress, experts estimate that 110 million girls and young women will be out of school in 2030 globally.

The employment and income gap remains very high. For every dollar men earn in labor income, women earn only 51 cents. Just 61.4% of prime working-age women are in the labor force, compared to 90% of men.

The gender gap in positions of power and leadership remains entrenched and, at the current rate, the next generation of women will continue to spend an average of 2.3 hours more each day than men on unpaid domestic and care work.

Older women face higher rates of poverty and violence than older people.men. In 28 of the 116 countries with data, less than half of them have a pension and, in 12 countries, less than 10%.

Slow progress toward gender equality

Halfway to 2030, progress towards the equality goal “is clearly far from on track”, with only two SDG5 indicators (Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls) being “close to target”. goal”, and none reaches the level of “goal met or almost met”.

The Panorama reveals that achieving gender equality and women's empowerment across all global goals requires an additional $360 billion per year, urgently. Concrete efforts to accelerate progress are imperative.

It also calls for an integrated and holistic approach, greater collaboration among stakeholders, sustained funding and policy actions to address gender disparities and empower women and girls around the world, otherwise the entire the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

“Gender equality is not just an objective within the 2030 Agenda. It is the very basis of a just society and an objective on which all other objectives must be based,” said the Undersecretary General for Policy Coordination and Interinstitutional Affairs of Desa, Maria-Francesca Spatolisano.

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