Giving Compass' Take:

• Geeta Rao Gupta reports that gender equality is much better than it used to be, but there is still progress to be made and the challenge is to keep pursuing change against the backlash and resistance.  

• Why do we face so much backlash and resistance towards achieving gender equality and how do we make the change long-lasting? How can we disrupt the gender norms that force unfair patriarchal divides on women in the first place? 

• The fight for gender equality is changing as the landscape of challenges women face changes with it. 

As the international community gathers at the United Nations for the annual Commission on the Status of Women, it’s a fitting time to ask, “What is the status of women in the world?” The short answer: Despite the incredible progress women have made, we are experiencing a strong backlash, which we must resist if we are to keep moving forward to achieve gender equality.

Progress is rarely a straight path forward: Change is often met with resistance. While I used to describe the march toward gender equality as two steps forward, one step back, increasingly it is two steps forward, three steps back!

To keep the momentum for equality moving forward, we must identify the root causes. What is pushing us three steps back? Here are a few of the roadblocks we must overcome:

  • The misperception that the sharing of political and economic power is a zero-sum game; that giving more power to some, means less power to others.
  • Damaging gender norms continue to impose a cost on women and men. If the cultural definitions of masculinity continue to emphasize dominance and power over compassion and respect, everyone loses. 
  •  The lack of funding to sustain grassroots momentum. Creating and sustaining meaningful opportunities for girls and women takes time, effort, and organization – all of which require resources.
  • Gaps in data on girls and women. If we don’t count women, women don’t count.

With the barriers to progress in full view, we can navigate toward gender equality. It is time to now focus on the “how” – specify the actions on how we get there from here. This includes:

  • Focusing on the most vulnerable
  • Collecting and using quality data and evidence
  • Investing in grassroots movements to push for change
  • Changing norms early

Read the full article about progress towards gender equality by Geeta Rao Gupta at United Nations Foundation.