“Globally, we will have to wait for three centuries to end the inequalities that women currently face in political, economic, education, health and social status.”
These findings come from a report published by United Nations Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2022 is of According to this report, women may have to wait a long time to get equal participation in different sectors and to be included in the development sequence. It may take about 300 years to eradicate gender discrimination from the world. In such a situation, there is a need for cooperation, partnership and investment to bridge the existing gender gap. Violence against women cannot be ended without action, law and order. It is also very important to protect their rights in marriage and family.
Let us tell you that before this the global gender gap Report 2022 It was said that it would take 132 years to end the current gender inequality around the world. On the other hand, if we talk about the current inequality in South Asia, here we will have to wait for about 197 years to end this discrimination. This report, released on gender inequality of 146 countries of the world, was prepared on the basis of their status in other areas like education, politics, economic opportunities, health of women.
What is special in the report?
The report has been prepared by the United Nations subsidiary, the United Nations Organization for Women, and the organization believes that women should be given 140 years for equal representation in terms of power and leadership in the workplace and at least 40 years for equal representation in national parliamentary institutions. Will have to wait another year. The report also says that at the current rate of progress in efforts to achieve gender equality, it will take up to 286 years to address the gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws.
According to UN Women, recent crises have widened the gender gap in the world. Global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent violent conflict, climate change and sexual assaults against women have widened the gender equality gap. The report said that by the end of this year, about 383 million women and girls will be pushed into extreme poverty and will live on US$1.90 per day, compared to about 368 million men and boys living with the same condition. Will be As such, the future prospects are far from the timeline set for achieving 2030 universal gender equality under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to the report, to end the problem of child marriage by 2030, work will have to be done 17 times faster than in the last decade. Girls from poor, rural areas and conflict-affected areas are most affected by this. People in most parts of the world do not have enough income to meet basic necessities like food, clothing and home.
Worldwide, women have more poverty than men
If we talk about poverty, then the world has seen more poverty among women than men. Globally, 380 million women and girls are forced to live at lower levels of poverty. In 2021, one in three women faced food insecurity. Due to the war, this situation has been seen to be worse. The problem of hunger among a large number of women and children is expected to increase due to rising prices. According to the report, if this trend continues, then by 2030 there will be more poverty among women in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Women are also far behind in the field of health. The report states that unsafe abortions are the biggest cause of high maternal mortality rates. There are currently 1.2 billion women and girls of reproductive age who live in countries and regions that prohibit safe abortions. 102 million women live in an area where abortion is banned. Such a situation shows the reality of women’s sexual reproductive rights.
The report said that due to Kovid-19, the health of girls, the epidemic has affected the mental health of women more than men. Also, according to the report, there has been a decrease of 1.6 years in the life of women in 2021 compared to 2019 compared to men. According to the report, more than half of the women living in urban areas have felt unsafe when they go out alone at night. There has been an increase in the number of women and girls forcibly displaced worldwide. Globally, 12.4 million women and girls have been recorded as refugees in 2021.
Gender Gap and India
It is worth noting that if we look at this report from the perspective of India, then the condition and problem of women here becomes more dire, largely due to conservative thinking, less access to women’s resources and unequal opportunities. Here a girl has to go through all the struggles from birth till she moves ahead in her life. Whether it is the education or politics of the country, gender inequality remains everywhere. India’s lowest rank in the health sector at the time of the pandemic paints a grim picture of the country’s healthcare system.
In the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 also, India was ranked 135th out of a total of 146 countries. Not only this, according to this index released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), India is among the last eleven countries in the world where the highest gender inequality exists. India is the third worst performer in South Asia. India is only ahead of Afghanistan and Pakistan. India lags far behind its neighboring countries Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan in terms of gender inequality.
However, at present, the government may make claims of saving daughters and protecting women, but the ground reality report shows the seriousness of the gender gap in the country. In such a situation, the big question is whether the government will show seriousness on this issue or ignores it and turns its back on the truth.
Read also: Issue: Why is gender-based discrimination not ending in the country!