Reaching gender equality is imperative. However, a 2015 study found that factors relating to gender inequality positively correlate with the prevalence of partner violence across 44 countries.
As gender inequality is a key driver of violence against women and girls, achieving global gender parity is essential. The 2020 Gender Gap report, however, estimated that we are still 99.5 years away from reaching global gender equality. Yet even though we still have a long way to go, it is important to highlight how far we have already come.
Gender Equality Milestones
Victoria, Australia: Its Gender Equality Act
Even though Victoria’s Gender Equality Act will only come into effect in March 2021, its passing is a significant step towards reaching gender equality.
The bill will reinforce improved gender equality in universities, local councils, schools, and across the entire public sector. Implementing a Gender Equality bill will challenge structures and norms that lead to discrimination, gender inequity, – and violence.
Increase in Contraceptive Users
Photo by Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition on Unsplash
Over the past decade, there has been an expansion in contraceptive choices, now including vaginal rings, implants, and patches. But, more importantly, there has also been an increase in users of contraception.
Since 2012, Family Planning 2020 has reported an additional 53 million women and girls using modern contraception, helping avert an estimated 134.000 maternal deaths.
As of July 2019, an approximate total of 314 million women and girls are modern contraception users in 69 high-priority countries.
Girl’s School Enrolment
Over the past decade, a continued rise in girl’s and women’s education levels has been observed. Globally, secondary school enrolment for girls has increased from just under 70% in 2010 to 75% in 2018. Furthermore, over the past 25 years, girls’ enrolment rates in primary and secondary education have almost doubled in low-income countries.
Global Gender Parity Scores
The Global Gender Gap report, published annually by the World Economic Forum, evaluates gender equality in 153 countries. While it still reports a global gender gap of 31.4%, 101 countries have increased their gender parity scores. 35 countries have reportedly reached gender parity in education.
For the 11th time in a row, Iceland has been found to be the most gender-equal country, with a gender parity score of 88%. Iceland is followed by Norway (84.2%), Finland (83.2%), Sweden (82%), Nicaragua (80.4%), New Zealand (79.9%), Ireland (79.8%), Spain (79.5%), Rwanda (79.1%), and Germany (78.7%).
Among the most improved countries are Ethiopia, Spain, Mali, Albania, and Mexico. All managed to close their gender gaps by 3.4% percentage points or more.
Same-Sex Marriage
Photo by Jean-Baptiste Burbaud from Pexels
Another step towards equality, 25 countries have legalized same-sex marriage since 2010:
2020 – Costa Rica
2019 – Northern Ireland, Ecuador, Taiwan, Austria
2017 – Australia, Malta, Germany
2016 – Colombia
2015 – US, Greenland, Ireland, Finland
2014 – Luxemburg, Scotland
2013 – England, Wales, Brazil, France, New Zealand, Uruguay
2012 – Denmark
2010 – Argentina, Portugal, Iceland
Steps Towards Gender Equality
Photo by Monica Melton on Unsplash
Over the past decade, the world as a whole has taken important steps towards reaching gender equality. This timeline is a selection of noteworthy moments for women’s and girls’ rights, and gender equality.
2019
- The World Health Organization changed its global manual of diagnoses to no longer include “transgender” as a mental disorder.
- National Geographic reported that over 60% of members in parliament in Rwanda are women; in Namibia, South Africa, Senegal, and Mozambique, women account for at least 40%.
- Brazil held its first-ever indigenous women’s march. Women made their voices heard and denounced the policies of Brazil’s far-right president Bolsonaro, which have prompted violations of indigenous rights and racism.
2018
Photo by Elyssa Fahndrich on Unsplash
- The Times Up movement united and still unites millions of women and allies around the globe, and aims to create safety and equity in the workplace
- In May 2018, Ireland successfully appealed to the Eighth Amendment, which prohibited abortion. Previously, women have been forced to travel abroad or buy pills illegally, risking a 14-year long jail sentence. This outcome now enables them to end their pregnancy safely.
2016
- In 2016, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and The Gambia raised their marrying age to 18, banning child marriage.
- Following Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Colombia, Bolivia passed a law allowing trans people to change their photo, name, and gender on identity papers to reflect their gender identity.
2017
- The #MeToo movement became prominent when multiple actresses opened up on their experience with sexual harassment in the film industry. Having become a global phenomenon, #MeToo has allowed women’s voices to be heard and provided thousands of women and girls with the strength to speak out on harassment and abuse.
- With women earning 23% less than men globally, Iceland has implemented a policy requiring companies to prove pay equality.
2015
- Sweden added a gender-neutral pronoun to its dictionary, ‘hen’. This new pronoun allows referring to people without knowing their gender. As such, it includes gender non-conforming people and can be used in situations when someone’s gender is seen as superfluous. ‘Hen’ is not only a step towards gender equality but more importantly, a step towards gender neutrality.
- In March 2015, Germany passed a law requiring at least 30% of the supervisory board seats to be occupied by women.
- Nigeria’s then-president, Goodluck Jonathan, signed into a nationwide law banning female genital mutilation (FGM). As the practice still finds large cultural support, it can be difficult to prevent. A ban is nonetheless a step in the right direction.
2014
Photo by Allie on Unsplash
- A law on transgender rights approved by the Dutch Senate in late 2013 now allows transgender people to change the gender marker on their identity papers. Making that change had previously required surgery or hormonal therapy, both of which fall away under the new law.
- In 2014, the Council of European Convention, a human rights treaty, came into force. This marked the first legally binding instrument on preventing and combating violence against women and girls on an international level. As of March last year, it has been signed by 45 countries and the European Union.
2013
- Following the rape and death of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi, in an effort to strengthen India’s anti-rape laws, the Justice Verma Committee was formed. In its report, the Committee details suggested amendments to the existing laws, aiming to make India safer for all women and girls.
2012
- Prior to 2012, women in Algeria comprised only 8% of the members of parliament. Following the 2012 election, however, women hold more than 30% of the seats in parliament – as the first country in the Arab region.
- For the first time, every sporting event at the Olympic Games included both women and men, as women were represented in all national teams. By comparison, 16 years ago, 26 countries’ teams exclusively consisted of men.
2010
- The UK classified “gender reassignment” as a protected characteristic, taking a step towards ensuring transgender people to be protected against harassment, victimization in employment, and discrimination.
Highlighting Some Women’s Achievements
Photo by Chelsi Peter from Pexels
Though there are thousands of noteworthy women, this selection highlights particularly noteworthy moments for gender equality.
- As the youngest prime minister in the world, Sanna Martin was elected Finland’s new head of state in 2019, at age 34.
- With Beyoncé as the main performer, 2011’s Glastonbury was headlined by a woman for the first time in 20 years.
- In 2017, Patty Jenkins directed Wonder Woman, making her only the second woman to command a budget of more than $100m dollars.
- In October 2019, two female astronauts, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir set out on the first-ever all-female spacewalk.
- German politician Ursula von der Leyen was elected the first female European commission president in 2019.
- Also in 2019, Katie Bouman developed an algorithm, helping to create the first-ever image of a black hole.
We still have a long way to go
Photo by Christina Winter on Unsplash
Even though the world as a whole has made great progress towards reaching gender equality over the past decades, we are still far from reaching gender parity.
Though the Gender Gap report’s estimation of needing another 99.5 years to reach gender parity might already seem daunting, if we progress at the speed of the last 14 years, we will need approximately 257 years.
So what can we do?
At an individual level, it is important to educate the people around you and raise awareness for the misogyny still prevalent in today’s society.
Small but important steps include being aware of gender stereotypes, avoiding reinforcing them, and standing up against any form of harassment.
To reach gender equality, it is essential to empower girls and boys through education and to create space for women’s voices to be heard.
Written by Samira Rauner, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, visit our blog page at https://safeharborim.com/articles/.
Gender Equality Milestones of the Past Decade – Safe Harbor IM
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