Why Women's Equality Safety is Vital and How to Implement It

Q: How does women's participation contribute to peace and stability?

Women in decision-making on peace and war lead to more peace. They help prevent violent extremism and are seen as trustworthy in peace talks.

Women and girls worldwide face high risks of violence and discrimination. A shocking¹ 30% of women have suffered from violence at the hands of partners or strangers. This shows how crucial it is to focus on women’s safety and equality for a secure future.

Contents

Gender equality is a basic human right and key to peace. Countries with more gender equality¹ tend to have less conflict. Empowering women is essential for creating strong, fair societies.

Key Takeaways

Gender equality is vital for sustainable development and human rights
Women’s participation is a critical predictor of peace and stability
Addressing the gender gap requires a comprehensive approach, including policy changes, community engagement, and legal frameworks
¹ $360 billion annual gender gap projected by 2030
¹ Only 26.8% of all national parliamentarians were female as of 2024

To improve women’s equality and safety, we need to tackle many areas. This includes changing policies, engaging with communities, and setting up strong laws. By helping women overcome barriers and join fully in society, we can make a big difference. This leads to a fairer, richer, and more peaceful world for everyone.

Understanding Gender Equality

Gender is about the economic, social, and cultural traits linked to being male or female². It’s different from biological sex and is shaped by society and culture. Gender equity means being fair to both women and men, fixing past social wrongs².

What is meant by gender?

Gender equality means everyone has the same chances, rights, and duties². It’s about giving women the power to control their lives. This is key to achieving true gender equality.

Difference between gender equity, gender equality and women’s empowerment

Gender equity is about fairness, often needing steps to fix past wrongs². Gender equality means equal chances, rights, and duties for all². Women’s empowerment is about fixing power gaps and letting women make their own choices². This is what makes gender equality possible.

“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.” – United Nations

Even with progress, we still face big hurdles in reaching full gender equality worldwide²³. Women and girls deal with discrimination, violence, and lack of access to education, healthcare, and jobs³. We must tackle these issues to build a fairer world.

Importance of Considering Gender in Programs

When making programs for population and development, it’s key to think about gender. This is because men and women have different roles and face different challenges⁴. Women and girls often don’t have the same access to resources and power as men. It’s important to fix these gender gaps to make sure everyone’s potential is used well⁴.

Programs that consider gender understand that men and women have different needs and views⁴. If we don’t think about these differences, programs might help one gender more than the other, making things worse⁴. By using a gender lens, we can make programs that work for everyone, leading to better results⁴.

Gender equality is not just right, it’s also good for the economy and society⁴. Studies show that companies with women leaders do better than those with mostly men⁴. Also, more women working could boost the economy a lot⁴. But, the pay gap and gender bias can slow down economic growth⁴.

So, making sure programs consider gender is key to helping everyone in the community, no matter their gender⁴. By tackling gender inequality and empowering women, we can make sure everyone’s potential is used. This leads to better development for all⁴.

Indicator	Data	Source
Countries that provide women the same legal rights as men	14 out of 190	⁵
Countries that prevent equal economic opportunity to 2.4 billion women	176	⁵
Female labor force participation in the Middle East and North Africa region	Less than 25%	⁵
Potential GDP increase in Egypt if female labor participation equaled male	34%	⁵
Gender equality in economic opportunity score in the Middle East and North Africa region	53.2 out of 100	⁵

“Incorporating the concept of diversity into gender equality acknowledges that women and men are not homogenous groups, considering differences in age, socio-economic status, education, ethnicity, and other factors.”⁶

By looking at diversity and gender together, we can tackle the unique challenges and chances faced by everyone⁶. This approach is key to making programs that really support gender equality and inclusive growth⁶.

Gender Mainstreaming Strategy

Gender mainstreaming is a way to add gender views into policy and project work⁷. It’s key for making things fair for everyone, especially women⁷.

At the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995, gender mainstreaming became a global goal⁷. It means making sure both women and men’s needs are met in all actions⁷. This method tackles gender gaps in work, resources, and power⁸.

In the last ten years, the UN has really pushed for gender mainstreaming⁷. They’ve made plans and done research on it. But, there are still challenges like not fully understanding gender’s role in different areas and not having enough skills⁷.

For gender mainstreaming to work, we need experts and supporters⁷. It also needs enough money and time, and people should be involved from the start⁹. Keeping track of how well it’s working is also key⁹.

Gender mainstreaming can’t be the same everywhere. It must fit the unique needs of each group⁹. By thinking about gender in all policy and projects, we can make societies more fair and empower women⁸.

Significance of Gender Equality

Gender equality is key for sustainable development and human rights. When women have more control and make decisions, they handle their health better.¹⁰ This leads to better family health and helps reach the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Gender equality lets women and men make choices that improve their lives and their families’. Worldwide, women spend 64% of consumer money and are growing fast as consumers.¹⁰ Giving women power in the workforce can boost the economy a lot. Gender equality could add $28 trillion to the global economy by 2025, says the McKinsey Global Institute.¹⁰

Why is gender equality important?

Gender equality protects and promotes human rights. It makes sure women and men have the same access to resources and power. At Unilever, the average female pay was 28% higher than men’s in 2022. The UK report showed a 4.7% pay gap favoring women.¹⁰ This is a big step towards gender equality and breaking down barriers for women’s empowerment.

Women made up 21% of Unilever’s ‘blue-collar’ grade in 2022, but 50% in ‘white-collar’ grade.¹⁰ This shows we need to work harder to fix gender imbalances at all levels.
In 2023, 55% of Unilever’s management was women, and the ULE had 15% women. At senior management, 36% were women.¹⁰ These numbers show progress, but we still have a lot to do to reach true gender equality at the top.

“Gender equality is not just a moral imperative, but a critical factor for sustainable development and the realization of fundamental human rights.”

Gender equality is vital for society’s progress. When women have equal rights and power, families, communities, and nations benefit. The World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report 2024 says women will wait 131 years to be equal with men at the current pace.¹⁰ This shows we need to work faster towards true gender equality¹⁰¹¹.

Men’s Role in Gender Equality

For gender equality, both men and women need to make changes. Men face health risks, violence, and substance abuse due to gender norms¹². They also have duties in child health and their own and partners’ health¹².

Understanding men’s needs and the factors that shape them is key to gender equality¹². Men should embrace nurturing roles and have their rights and duties in gender equality addressed¹².

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, men earn more but have less schooling and live five years less than women¹³. Many men there report mental health issues, often due to the stigma around mental health¹³.

Getting men involved in gender equality can lessen harmful masculinity practices like violence¹³. It can also make them take on equal responsibility for household chores¹³. This approach is vital for a fair and just society for everyone.

“Gender equality is not a women’s issue, it’s a human issue. It affects us all.”
– Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Former UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women

By acknowledging men’s needs and duties in gender equality, and involving them in creating a fair society, we can move closer to true gender parity.

Women’s Equality Safety and Conflict Prevention

Women’s empowerment and gender equality are key to peace and stability¹⁴. States with less gender inequality are less likely to use force, showing a link between gender equality and preventing conflict¹⁴. Gender norms and inequalities play a big role in conflict, making it vital to address these issues¹⁴.

Women’s participation is a predictor of peace

In 2000, women pushed for a women, peace and security agenda at the Security Council¹⁴. This push aimed to prevent war and recognize women’s role in global peace and security¹⁴. Studies show that empowered women lead to fewer wars, less international conflict, and lower crime rates¹⁴.

Women moderate extremism

Women help prevent violent extremism by using peaceful methods¹⁴. Educating men and women in nonviolent ways is key to preventing conflict and promoting equality.¹⁴

Using gender-responsive budgeting and checking arms producers can help keep peace¹⁴. Meeting goals 5, 10, and 16 is crucial for gender equality and peaceful societies¹⁴.

Women in early warning systems and conflict prevention can improve peace efforts¹⁴.
Working with the private sector on women’s security tech can tackle climate and resource conflicts¹⁴.
Strengthening women’s groups in election monitoring and conflict resolution can prevent violence¹⁴.
Women in climate and resource strategies use their local knowledge for peace¹⁴.
Gender-sensitive policies on natural resources are key to solving climate and resource conflicts¹⁴.

women's equality safety

“Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) was the first resolution that recognized the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women and girls.”¹⁵

The UN has made big strides in promoting gender equality and women’s peace and security¹⁵. Nine more resolutions have followed, including Resolutions 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106, 2122, 2242, 2467, and 2493¹⁵. Gender Advisers are now part of peacekeeping missions to ensure gender equality¹⁵.

The Department of Peace Operations and Operational Support promote gender equality and women’s peace and security¹⁵. UN Peacekeeping’s focus on gender equality is crucial for peacekeeping success¹⁵¹⁴¹⁶.

Women’s Inclusion in Peace Processes

Women are key in making peace talks work. Their outsider status from power means they’re seen as less threatening, helping them act as honest brokers¹⁷. They can talk to both sides in ways men can’t¹⁷.

In places like Sri Lanka and Northern Ireland, women are known for building trust¹⁷. At the local level, they help solve disputes¹⁷.

Women Promote Dialogue and Build Trust

Even though they’re crucial, women don’t often join peace talks¹⁷. In 2022, only 16% of UN-led peace talks had women, down from 23% in 2020¹⁷. In some conflicts, like in Ethiopia and Yemen, no women were at the table¹⁷. But in Colombia, women were nearly equal in both teams¹⁷.

Women’s role in peace talks is vital¹⁷. Countries with more gender equality solve conflicts peacefully more often¹⁷. When women help prevent and solve conflicts, peace lasts longer¹⁷.

Statistic	Value
Women’s representation in UN-led peace negotiations in 2022	16%
Women’s representation in UN-led peace negotiations in 2020	23%
Increase in probability of a 2-year peace agreement with women’s participation	20%
Increase in probability of a 15-year peace agreement with women’s participation	35%

Despite the benefits of women’s involvement, there are big challenges¹⁷. In 2022, only one peace deal had a woman sign it¹⁷. Women make up just 6.5% of the military and 15.8% of peacekeeping police¹⁷. Only a third of 2022’s peace deals mention women and girls’ needs¹⁷.

The UN wants women fully involved in peace efforts by 2030¹⁷. To reach this goal, we need to make sure women’s voices are heard in conflict resolution¹⁷.

“Women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution can increase the probability of a peace agreement lasting at least two years by 20% and a peace agreement lasting fifteen years by 35%.”¹⁷

Impact of Gender Equality on State Stability

Gender equality is key to a country’s security and stability. Studies show that a big gender gap makes a nation more likely to be in conflicts. It also makes them more likely to use violence first¹⁸. Countries with low gender equality often ignore international laws and treaties¹⁸. But, countries with more gender equality use less violence and are less likely to fight¹⁸.

There’s a strong link between gender equality and state stability. Countries with more women in the workforce have less violence and are less likely to fight¹⁸. In fact, a small increase in women’s workforce participation can greatly reduce conflict chances¹⁸. Making sure women have equal economic chances could add a huge amount to the world’s economy by 2025¹⁸.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made things harder for women and girls economically, health-wise, and in caregiving¹⁹. But, the current government is working to fix these issues. They’ve set up the White House Gender Policy Council to focus on gender equity in policies¹⁹. They have a big plan to close gender gaps and ensure everyone has equal chances¹⁹.

Pushing for gender equality is important for many reasons. It’s not just right, but it also helps countries be more prosperous and secure¹⁹. By supporting women and getting them involved in society, we can help create peace and sustainable development.

Metric	Impact of Gender Equality
Involvement in Inter- and Intrastate Conflict	The larger the gender gap, the more likely a country is to be involved in conflicts¹⁸
Use of Violence as a First Response	Countries with low gender equality are more likely to use violence as a first response¹⁸
Compliance with International Norms	Countries with low gender equality are more likely to not comply with international norms and treaties¹⁸
Use of Military Force to Resolve Disputes	Higher gender equality corresponds with a lower likelihood of using military force¹⁸
Severity of Violence in International Conflicts	The severity of violence used in international conflicts decreases with higher gender equality¹⁸

The link between gender equality and state stability is clear and strong. By supporting women in society, we can work towards peace, security, and prosperity for everyone.

Equality in Participation

The United Nations Resolution 1325 highlights the key role of women in keeping peace and security. It calls for more women in decision-making positions²⁰. Studies prove that women in peace talks make peace last longer, cutting down conflict chances²⁰. When women help negotiate, mediate, sign, and witness peace deals, peace is more likely to last 15 years or more²¹.

The GEEA Fund, led by the U.S. Government, aims to help women and girls hit hard by COVID-19, climate change, conflict, and crises²². It works to boost economic growth by creating good jobs, improving care services, and securing women’s future with green jobs²². The Fund also fights against gender barriers in the economy²².

UN Women leads the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, pushing for women’s role in peace talks²⁰. It supports women’s participation and inclusion in peace efforts through 10 UN Security Council resolutions²⁰. The goal is to give women more chances and skills at local, national, and regional levels to join peace talks²⁰.

Ensuring women have real power in decisions is key for lasting peace and growth. Empowering women and boosting their leadership helps create more inclusive, strong, and wealthy societies.

Gender Economic Equality

Women’s economic empowerment greatly benefits a country’s well-being. Studies show that states with more women in the workforce have less violence and use less military force¹⁹. In fact, having 40% women in the workforce makes a country 30 times less likely to have internal conflict than those with 10%¹⁹. So, promoting equal economic participation is key for development and peace.

Gender-Equal Participation in the Labor Force

The COVID-19 pandemic hit women’s jobs hard, dropping to a 30-year low¹⁹. Violence against women rose, and the pandemic made life harder for women and girls worldwide¹⁹. Women in the restaurant industry were especially affected¹⁹. But, migrant farmworkers, mostly men, helped keep the food supply going¹⁹.

Discrimination still blocks equality for women and other groups like people of color, LGBTQI+ individuals, and those with disabilities¹⁹. Women work more in essential jobs, making their lives harder¹⁹.

USAID’s Gender Policy aims to lessen gender gaps in the economy and fight Gender-Based Violence (GBV)²³. It helps women and girls claim their rights, make decisions, and lead²³. The policy also works to change the deep-rooted causes of gender inequality and promote fairness²³.

Empowering women economically and ensuring equal labor force participation boosts well-being and stability¹⁹. This is key to achieving gender economic equality and unlocking women’s potential¹⁹²³.

Empowering Women for Development

Empowering women and promoting gender equality is key to speeding up development and creating more equal societies. These are vital for preventing violent conflicts. When women are more empowered and there’s more gender equality, it helps a country’s overall well-being²⁴. This leads to more stability and a lower chance of conflict. Making women more powerful should be a main part of any plan for lasting peace and development.

The U.S. government sees how important women’s empowerment is and has started many projects to help. The U.S. Strategy on Global Women’s Economic Security aims to empower women in four main ways²⁴. The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) works on infrastructure that helps gender equality²⁴. The World Bank’s Invest in Childcare initiative is working to improve childcare policies and build capacity, with a $50 million U.S. investment²⁴.

The Women in the Digital Economy (WIDE) initiative, led by Vice President Harris, gets a $50 million U.S. investment to help close the gender digital gap²⁴. The Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE) initiative has gotten a $441 million commitment from the U.S²⁴. Also, the Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience (AWER) is a partnership between the State Department and Boston University to help Afghan women in education, jobs, and starting businesses²⁴.

The U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment aims to help women in India’s workforce, increase STEM participation, and support women entrepreneurs²⁴. The U.S.-Pakistan Women’s Council (USPWC) is working to boost women’s economic power in Pakistan through a partnership between Texas A&M and the State Department²⁴.

Even with these efforts, progress towards gender equality is slow²⁵. It will take over 130 years to close the gender gap at this rate²⁵. Women still face big challenges, like not having access to credit, land, and resources. 55% of the unbanked people worldwide are women²⁵. Also, over 60% of the severely hungry people worldwide are women and girls²⁵.

Investing in women’s empowerment helps not just women but also their communities and countries²⁵. Closing the gender gap in the workforce could add $7 trillion to global GDP²⁵. Plus, if more adolescent girls go to school, a country’s GDP can go up by an average of 3%²⁵. Empowering women is key to sustainable development and lasting peace.

“Investing in women’s empowerment should be a key part of any comprehensive strategy to build sustainable peace and development.”

Policy Implementation for Women’s Equality Safety

Women’s equality and safety need a wide-ranging plan. This plan includes making strategic policies, improving laws, engaging the community, and starting education and awareness campaigns²⁶.

Good policies must tackle ongoing gender gaps and help women fully join in society’s life²⁶. Governments and groups should focus on actions that give power to women and girls. They should stop and deal with violence against them, and make sure women have a say in decisions²⁷.

Having strong laws is key to protecting women’s rights and holding people accountable. Policies need to have strong rules and a community that supports them. Working to change social views and fight stereotypes that hurt women’s equality is also important²⁶.

Working with civil society, businesses, and other countries is key to lasting change²⁷. Keeping a close watch, checking how well things work, and learning from it helps make sure policies work well and resources are used right²⁷.

By using a detailed, fact-based method, those making policies and supporters can make women’s equality and safety a reality. This helps women and makes communities stronger²⁶²⁷²⁸.

“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.”
– United Nations

Community Support and Legal Framework

Women’s equality and safety need a mix of community support and strong laws²⁹. Programs that work with local leaders and families can change social norms and help women²⁹. Laws that protect women’s rights are also key, showing the value of equality²⁹.

Community support is vital³⁰. About one in three women, or 736 million, have faced gender-based violence³⁰. Working with communities is key to making women safer³⁰. Programs that engage with leaders and families can spread awareness and empower women²⁹.

A strong legal system is also crucial for women’s equality and safety²⁹. Countries with laws against domestic violence have lower violence rates²⁹. Laws that help women economically also boost their work participation and representation in politics²⁹.

But, there are still big legal gaps in protecting women’s rights and safety³⁰. Only about a third of laws needed to address violence and equality exist³⁰. It’s important to close these gaps for lasting progress³⁰.

By using community support and strong laws together, we can make a better world for women²⁹. This approach is key for lasting change²⁹.

“Empowering women and girls is not only the right thing to do, but it is also the smart thing to do for sustainable development.”
– United Nations

Indicator	Progress
Adoption and compliance with gender quota legislation	Women are elected to an average of 26% of seats in parliament in states with legislated quotas, compared to 21% in countries without such legislation²⁹.
Domestic violence legislation	Countries with domestic violence legislation report lower rates of intimate partner violence at 9.5%, compared to 16.1% in countries without it²⁹.
Policies empowering women economically	Result in higher female labor force participation, lower vulnerable employment, and greater representation of women in national parliaments²⁹.
Enactment of childcare laws	Increases women’s labor force participation by an average of 2% initially, reaching up to 4% five years after enactment²⁹.
Legal reforms for gender equality	Between 2019 and 2023, 56 positive legal reforms were recorded across the four areas measured by SDG indicator 5.1.1²⁹.

Progress has been made, but there are still big differences and gaps in women’s rights and safety²⁹. Some regions are doing better than others in legal equality²⁹. Also, 54% of countries lack laws in all four areas of SDG indicator 5.1.1²⁹.

We need a full approach that includes community support and strong laws²⁹. Empowering women, changing social norms, and ensuring laws protect them can make a safer and more equal world²⁹.

Conclusion

Women’s equality and safety are key for lasting peace and human rights. Studies show that when women are equal, countries are more stable³¹. Women help keep peace by being part of decisions and fighting extremism³².

They also help solve conflicts better³². When women work equally in the economy, they are safer and more powerful. This leads to more growth and stability³¹.

To make women equal, we need many steps. This includes new laws, working with communities, and teaching everyone³². By helping women, we make our societies better, more just, and stable³³.

The Commission on the Status of Women has always stressed the need for women’s equality³³. Achieving equality is a must for peace, security, and growth worldwide. Supporting women’s rights means supporting our future³¹³²³³.

FAQ

What is the link between gender equality and sustainable development?

Gender equality is key to sustainable development and human rights for everyone. It helps speed up progress and builds stable, prosperous, and fair societies.

What is the difference between gender equity, gender equality, and women’s empowerment?

Gender equity means being fair to women and men by fixing past unfairness. Gender equality means women and men have the same rights and chances. Women’s empowerment is about giving women the power to control their lives.

Why is it important to consider gender when designing and implementing population and development programs?

Men and women have different roles and face unequal opportunities. Women often lack access to resources and have less power in decisions. Fixing these gaps is key to using everyone’s potential fully.

What is gender mainstreaming?

Gender mainstreaming means adding gender concerns to policy-making and project planning. It aims to close gender gaps in work, resources, and power.

Why is gender equality important for sustainable development and human rights?

Gender equality helps women and men make better decisions for their health and families. It also boosts women’s empowerment, which is vital for sustainable development.

What is the role of men in promoting gender equality?

Men need to understand their own needs and the issues they face. They should take on caring roles and work towards gender equality.

How does women’s participation contribute to peace and stability?

Women in decision-making on peace and war lead to more peace. They help prevent violent extremism and are seen as trustworthy in peace talks.

How does women’s inclusion in peace processes impact the durability of peace agreements?

Women in peace talks make peace agreements last longer. They reduce the chance of conflict coming back.

What is the link between gender equality and state stability?

Countries with big gender gaps are more likely to fight wars. But, more gender equality means less chance of using force to solve problems.

How does women’s economic empowerment contribute to peace and development?

More women in the workforce means less violence and less military conflicts. Supporting gender-equal jobs is key for peace and growth.

What are the key elements for implementing women’s equality and safety?

For women’s equality and safety, we need policy changes, laws, community support, and education. Policies must help women fully join in, and laws and community support are also key.