SDG 5: Gender Equality
Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women.
Facts:*
Women earn only 77 cent for every dollar that men get for the same work.
1 in 3 women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence.
Almost 750 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday.
Only 24 percent of national parliamentarians were women as of November 2018, a small increase from 11.3 percent in 1995.
Worldwide, 31 percent of young women aged 15 to 24 are not in education, employment or training in 2020, more than double the rate for young men (14 %).
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) includes procedures which intentionally alter or cause injury to the female organs for non-medical reasons. More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries where FGM is concentrated.
Existing inequalities for girls and women worldwide have reportedly been exacerbated by the global Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020. A few reasons or this: • Women have been playing a disproportionate role in responding to the virus (e.g. frontline care workers and carers at home). • School closures have increased the demand for domestic work, which includes child care, and care for older people (predominantly picked up by women). • A larger proportion of women are reported to work in insecure labour markets and could therefore be hit harder by the economic impact of the pandemic. • Lockdown measures have increased the risk of being a victim of violence against women and girls, and made it harder to access services and get support.
Share stories of amazing women and girls! You can go through a news/media outlet of your choice and find stories of women’s or girls’ achievements, or just think of someone you know or you’ve heard of who is doing something amazing. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, the important is that you share it. Share it on your social media - make sure to use #AmazingWomen #GenderEquality #SDG5 - or just tell the stories to the people around you, everybody should hear them!*
Support female changemakers from South-East Asia by becoming their mentor. You need 3-6 hours per month, communicative English and 2-years professional experience of any kind; for more details here.
Check global and regional averages of women in national parliaments here. The top five countries that obtained the highest percentage of gender equity included: Rwanda, Cuba, Bolivia, United Arab Emirates, and Mexico. Interestingly, some of the worlds richest countries were a lot further down the list: UK – 39th, German – 48th, China – 80th, and the USA – 87th. Where is your country on the list?* How can you contribute to push it higher?
Pay attention to ads which surrounds you in newspapers, TV, billboards, social media. What do they tell you about how girls and women should be? What values and norms, beside products, they sell to us? How do they influence especially young women, who are trying to figure out who they are? Speak with your friends about that or organize the workshop. You may get inspired by this scenario.
More inspiration:
To read
We are caring – social business operating in Singapore, fighting against women trafficking:
Laboratoria – social business from South America which teaches coding and programming to women, levelling up their life situation in just 6 months.
Warmipura – Peruvian women from main cities supporting Peruvian women from the highlands, despite all the possible differences in culture, lifestyle or even language.
Fundacja Autonomia - How Anna became a feminist.
To watch
Khadija Gbla from Sierra Leon speaking about her experience of FGM & empowerment.*
The powerful speech of Emma Watson opening the campaign HeForShe.
Social campaigns which aim at empowering girls and women as well as breaking existing stereotypes. Some examples: Dove Real Beauty Sketches The Dream Gap Project Run Like A Girl
Inspiring TEDx Talk about The only person your really need to marry (even before turning 18).
For more info about other SDGs, have a look here.
* These information and calls to action come from the fantastic Development Perspectives material about SDGs. Have a look here to discover more.