Yes, We Can!
Yes, We Can! Achieving Gender Equality
Project At A Glance
Gender equality is a fundamental human right, a global policy priority, and good economics. United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls by 2030, covering 9 targets and 14 indicators across discrimination, violence, reproductive rights, economic participation, and political representation. The economic case is stark. The World Bank estimates that $160 trillion in income potential is lost globally due to gender bias, equivalent to $23,620 per person on earth. This collection explores the data behind that goal, tracking progress across women in government, digital access, workplace equality, and economic indicators across 190 countries. The data shows measurable progress since 2015 and reveals where the most important work still needs to happen.
United Nations Sustainability Goal 5
Gender equality is good economics and a fundamental human right. This hub brings together projects exploring United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030.
The economic case is stark — $160 trillion in income potential is lost globally due to gender bias, equivalent to $23,620 per person on earth. The projects here explore the data behind that gap, tracking progress across women in parliament, digital access, reproductive rights, Olympic participation, and economic indicators across 190 countries.
Gender Equality
Index
Gender Equality is good economics. A $160 Trillion in loss of income potential occurs due to gender bias. The World Bank’s Gender Equality Index tracks changes over on key indicators.
“When women do better,
economies do better.”
Christine Lagarde
President of the European Central Bank
Background UN Sustainability Goals
In 2015, the United Nations (UN) member countries adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are also known as the Global Goals. The SDGs focused on eliminating discrimination against women and girls, protecting the planet, and ending poverty by 2030. Countries have shown measurable improvement in gender equality indicators. More work remains, particularly on eliminating sexual violence, unequal division of labor, and discrimination in public office. These projects bring clarity to that progress and to what still needs to change.
United Nations Sustainability Goal Number Five is for achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. When women and girls have equality, a country improves its economic growth and development.
Gender Equality is also a fundamental human right. This goal has 9 Targets and 14 Indicators.
Gender equality is essential to the United Nations Sustainable Development goals. Since 2015 countries have shown improvement in gender equality.
More work needs to be done, especially in eliminating sexual violence and sexual exploitation, unequal division of labor, and discrimination in public office. In addition, conflict, migration, climate change, and disasters disproportionately affect women and children.
References:
List of Targets and Indicators UN SDG5
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END DISCRIMINATION
Target 1: End Discrimination against women and girls
Indicator 1.1: Legal frameworks for gender equality and non-discrimination based on sex exists and are enforced.
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END VIOLENCE
Target 2: End all violence against and exploitation of women and girls in public and private spaces, including trafficking, sexual and other types of exploitation.
Indicator 2.1: End physical, sexual or psychological violence against women from an intimate partner
Indicator 2.2: End physical, sexual or psychological violence against women from persons other than an intimate partner
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END CHILD MARRIAGE AND GENITAL MUTILATION
Target 3: Eliminate forced marriages and genital mutilation
Indicator 3.1: Reduce the number of women married or in a union before age 15 or 18
Indicator 3.2: Eliminate Female genital mutilation/cutting
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VALUE UNPAID CARE
Target 4: Value unpaid care and promote shared domestic responsibilities
Indicator 4.1: Reduce time spent on unpaid domestic and care work
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FULL LEADERSHIP PARTICIPATION
Description goes here
Target 5: Ensure full participation in leadership and decision-making in political, economic, and public life
Indicator 5.1: Increase women in political positions in (a) national parliaments and (b) local governments
Indicator 5.2: Increase women in the top, senior, and middle management positions
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ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS & HEALTHCARE
Target 6: Universal access to sexual and reproductive rights and health
Indicator 6.1: Women have decision-making on contraceptive use and healthcare
Indicator 6.2: Guarantee of equal access to sexual and reproductive health care under the law
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EQUAL RIGHTS TO ECONOMIC RESOURCES & OWNERSHIP
Target A: Equal rights to economic resources, property ownership, and financial services
Indicator A.1: Female agricultural land rights or ownership
Indicator A.2: Equal rights to land ownership
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TECHNOLOGY EMPOWERMENT
Target B: Promote empowerment of women through technology, in particular information and communications technology
Indicator B.1: Increase mobile telephone ownership by women
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ADOPT & STRENGTHEN POLICIES ON GENDER EQUALITY
Target C: Adopt and strengthen policies and enforceable legislation for gender equality
Indicator C.1: Systems to track gender equality and make public allocations for gender equality and women's empowerment
I raise up my voice—not so that I can shout,
but so that those without a voice can be heard.
We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.
Malala Yousafzai
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
For The Curious
What is UN Sustainable Development Goal 5?
UN SDG 5 aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. It includes 9 targets and 14 indicators covering discrimination, violence, child marriage, reproductive rights, economic participation, and political representation across United Nations member countries.
Why is gender equality important for sustainable development?
Gender equality is both a fundamental human right and a driver of economic growth. The UN identified it as one of 17 global goals in 2015 because closing gender gaps in education, employment, and political participation accelerates progress across all other development goals.
What does the data show about gender equality progress since 2015?
Countries have shown measurable improvement across gender equality indicators since 2015. However, significant gaps remain, particularly in pay equity, the elimination of sexual violence, political representation, and access to reproductive healthcare in many economies.
What is the World Bank Gender Equality Index?
The World Bank's Women, Business and the Law index measures legal protections for women across 190 economies. It covers 35 questions across 8 indicators, including pay, mobility, parenthood, workplace protections, and property rights, tracked annually from 1971 to the present.
Why is gender equality good economics?
The World Bank estimates gender bias causes $160 trillion in lost global income potential, equivalent to $23,620 per person. When women have equal access to education, employment, property rights, and political participation, entire economies grow faster and more sustainably.