Naïve and Unfiltered: Women's Rights in the 21st Century
Relentless Advancement: Urging Global Movements on Women's Day
Picture a world where women are denied the basics, like education, voting rights, property ownership, and self-determination. A world where safety, respect, and personal freedom aren't guaranteed, but constant battles. Though this might seem like a relic of the past, such a reality sadly persists for numerous women and girls.
Florence Bauer and Belen Sanz Luque.
Our advancements are courtesy of the countless women who tirelessly fought for justice and equity, who yearned for their own "room." Their battle culminated in the groundbreaking 1995 Beijing Congress, where global leaders pledged to bring forth a future where women's rights and empowerment were universal. Thirty years later, we teeter on a tipping point.
The predicament of today is stark: while we cheer unprecedented developments, the fight for women's rights has never been more critical. Women have shattered barriers, girls have taken to books, and legal safeguards have strengthened. Alas, these gains are jeopardized. Across the globe, a backlash against women's rights is escalating, fueling discrimination, weakening legal protections, curbing reproductive rights, and eroding funding for gender equality. Anxieties connected to demographic shifts, mainly low birthrates and population decline, are being exploited to justify rolling back previously achieved gender equality milestones and limiting reproductive rights.
In 2024, close to a quarter of governments around the world reportedly faced a backlash against women's rights. Violence against women persists, with 24 million women in Europe and Central Asia experiencing physical or sexual aggression in the past year alone. Tech-enabled abuse has emerged as a looming threat, disproportionately affecting young women. In Ukraine, where life has been reshaped by war, an estimated 2.4 million people – primarily women and girls – require urgently needed gender-based violence prevention and response services.
Belen Sanz Luque.
Women's political representation has improved, with women now occupying an average 32 percent of parliamentary seats in Europe and Central Asia (up from 11 percent in 1995). However, the march of progress has slowed, and in some places, reversed. Gender-based violence, antiquated norms, and the unequal burden of unpaid work continue to hamper full participation, perpetuating poverty. This is especially challenging for marginalized women, including those living in rural areas, those with disabilities, those belonging to minority groups, and older women. In Ukraine, the conflict has worsened some pre-existing gender inequalities, forcing women to confront increased risks of violence and heavier domestic responsibilities – yet, in the same breath, Ukrainian women have stepped forward as humanitarian workers, civil society leaders, community advocates, and businessFounders, with one in every two businesses in Ukraine currently being founded by a woman.
If current trends persist, gender equality will remain a mirage for a girl born today. It may take 40 years before women achieve parliamentary parity, 68 years before child marriage is banished, and she may never witness the end of extreme poverty. We cannot afford to accept this future.
As representatives of UN Women and UNFPA, two leading UN agencies tasked with promoting gender equality, we call for bold action over apathy, resistance over surrender, and optimism over despair. We are the heirs to a legacy of struggle, yet we are also the generation that can make gender equality a reality. Gender equality isn't merely about women and girls; it is the path forward for all humanity.
On this International Women's Day, we challenge everyone to support rights, empowerment, and equality for all women and girls. Let history remember 2025 as the year we made our stand, the year we refused to let progress slip away, the year we made gender equality truly indomitable. Let us proceed together, as governments, civil society, private sector, and individuals, ensuring that the vision of Beijing becomes a reality for All women and girls.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Astana Times.
Enrichment Data:
The Current Global Status of Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Today, the global status of women's rights and gender equality faces daunting challenges and reversals. Despite advancements over the past few decades, progress in gender equality is under threat from rising authoritarianism and diminished funding for women's rights initiatives. Key issues of concern include:
The Global Rollback of Women's Rights:
- Instances of a rollback of women's rights have increased over the past few years, exacerbated by authoritarianism and reduced support for gender equality initiatives.
- Many women's organizations risk closure due to global aid cuts, impacting their capacity to aid women in need.
Escalating Violence Against Women:
- Sexual violence and exploitation continue to be significant obstacles to gender equality, with reports of violence rising during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Legal protections are uneven and marred by discriminatory laws, prolonging the journey towards equality.
Underrepresentation of Women in Power and Leadership:
- Women remain underrepresented in positions of authority. To achieve equal representation in the workplace and national parliaments, it is predicted that it will take 140 years and 47 years, respectively.
- Women's participation in governance and policymaking remains a focus area for gender equality progress.
Key Challenges and Outlook:
- Though progress has been made in gender equality, the speed of change is sluggish, with current forecasts estimating it will take almost 300 years to attain full gender equality.
- The achievement of gender equality by 2030, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), seems uncertain at the present pace, underscoring the need for renewed investment and policy reforms.
Organizations such as Equality Now are actively working to change discriminatory laws and advocate for increased support for women's rights. Events like the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) emphasize the importance of continuing solidarity and action to safeguard women's rights.
- The backlash against women's rights is escalating worldwide, posing a critical threat to the advancements made in women's health, education, and self-determination, areas rooted in the foundation of science and health-and-wellness policy.
- The political landscape is witnessing a shift in policy-and-legislation concerning women's rights, as governments worldwide report facing a backlash, impacting areas such as safety, equal representation, and gender-based violence.
- As we stand at the crossroads of general-news headlines, the ongoing fight for women's rights in various sectors – including science, health-and-wellness, and women's health – is imperative, making it not just a women's issue, but a matter of global importance.
