The rights of women and girls around the world are facing a multitude of threats, according to a UN study released on Thursday ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.
These “unprecedented, growing threats worldwide” include higher levels of discrimination, weaker legal protection and less funding for programmes and institutions that support and protect women, UN Women said in a press release.
The organization’s latest report, “Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing,” based on data from 159 countries, shows that almost a quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash against women’s rights in 2024.
“Many countries have made strides on gender equality and women’s empowerment, from banning discrimination in employment to adopting gender-responsive climate action plans,” notes the report, which reviews progress since the signing of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality in 1995.
“Yet gender discrimination remains deeply embedded in all economies and societies, imposing chronic constraints on the rights and hopes of women and girls,” it adds.
The study shows progress on women’s representation in national parliaments, which has more than doubled since 1995. However, it notes that almost three quarters of all members of parliament are still men.
It also shows that 1,531 legal reforms have sought to advance gender equality around the world since 1995. Nonetheless, it finds that women still have only 64% of the legal rights of men.
Progress on maternal mortality has slowed, the report notes, falling by a third between 2000 and 2015 but remaining roughly the same since then.
Meanwhile, it finds that the number of cases of sexual violence in conflicts has risen by 50% since 2022 – with women and girls making up 95% of the victims.
In the report, UN Women presents an action agenda for gender equality consisting of six pillars. These include a digital revolution for women and girls, as well as measures to address poverty, violence, peace and security, and climate justice.
