Empowering Women: A Distant Dream or a Global Failure?

As the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) commenced on 13 March 2024, speakers and stakeholders painted a sobering picture of the state of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Meeting under the priority theme, “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective,” the CSW emphasized that the face of global poverty remains overwhelmingly female. The gathering served as a rallying cry for urgent, coordinated action to safeguard hard-won progress in women’s rights amid mounting global challenges.

Indicator	Current Data	Projection for 2030
Women in extreme poverty	400 million	340 million (if trends persist)
Women’s unpaid care work (hours/day)	Nearly 3 hours more than men	Persistent disparity without intervention
Share of finance ministers who are men	Over 80%	No significant change projected
Women living on less than $2.15/day	8% globally	Steady decline contingent on policy action

Sources: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Commission on the Status of Women reports.

Global Challenges

Poverty and Financial Exclusion

Women’s economic exclusion perpetuates systemic inequality. Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, highlighted that women’s unpaid labor subsidizes the global economy while they face restricted access to land, financial resources, and decision-making positions. Notably, women contribute 75% of unpaid care work globally, yet policies fail to account for this economic burden.

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Reports of sexual violence remain harrowingly frequent. In Sudan, women face rape as a weapon of war. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has enacted over 50 edicts suppressing women’s rights. Meanwhile, in conflict zones like Gaza and Ukraine, the scale of violence targeting women has drawn sharp condemnation.

Technology and Gender Bias

The digital realm presents both opportunities and threats. Algorithms designed by male-dominated teams often embed biases, marginalizing women further. Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur, stressed the importance of addressing the co-option of digital platforms for sexual exploitation and abuse.

Financial Requirements for Gender Equality

Achieving gender equality in critical sectors by 2030 will demand $6.4 trillion annually across 48 developing countries, representing nearly 70% of the population in these regions. Moreover, an additional $360 billion per year is required to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) gender targets.

State of Gender Equality: Key Statistics

Indicator	Current Data	Projection for 2030
Women in extreme poverty	400 million	340 million (if trends persist)
Women’s unpaid care work (hours/day)	Nearly 3 hours more than men	Persistent disparity without intervention
Share of finance ministers who are men	Over 80%	No significant change projected
Women living on less than $2.15/day	8% globally	Steady decline contingent on policy action

Sources: UNDP, UN-Women.

Pathways to Progress

Policy Recommendations

1.       Gender-Responsive Fiscal Policies:

o    Implement progressive taxation and targeted investments to reduce gender gaps.

o    Redirect public financial resources toward women-centric social protection systems.

2.       Investment in the Care Economy:

o    Recognize and compensate unpaid care work to reduce disparities in labor contributions.

o    Allocate resources for care and green economies as a dual strategy for economic and environmental resilience.

3.       Institutional Reform:

o    Restructure male-dominated financial institutions to foster equitable leadership opportunities.

o    Ensure women’s representation in decision-making roles across all levels.

4.       Addressing Violence and Rights Suppression:

o    Establish a global action plan to combat violence against women.

o    Strengthen legal frameworks to safeguard reproductive health rights and political representation.

Collaborative Engagements

Dennis Francis, President of the UN General Assembly, urged meaningful male participation in gender discussions and called for collaborative efforts to dismantle structural barriers. Civil society leaders, such as Chetna Gala Sinha, showcased grassroots solutions—from rural women’s digital banking initiatives to education empowerment programs.

Call to Action

“We cannot accept a world where grandmothers fear their granddaughters will enjoy fewer rights than they had,” stated Guterres. The CSW’s agenda emphasizes the need for concrete commitments to uphold the principles of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. As Dorothy Estrada-Tanck underscored, poverty and inequality are not inevitable; they are consequences of systemic failures.

Conclusion

The sixty-eighth session of the CSW illuminated the urgent need for transformative change. Closing gender gaps requires not only financial commitments but also the political will to challenge entrenched power dynamics. With the world’s attention focused on this pivotal gathering, stakeholders must seize the moment to craft actionable, inclusive, and sustainable solutions—ensuring a future where every woman and girl can thrive.

References:

1.       United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reports.

2.       UN-Women statistics and publications.

3.       Proceedings of the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (2024).