United Nations Women Report

Syllabus: Multilateral institution and Women

Source: Down to Earth

Context: A new report from United Nations Women has unveiled a significant gender gap in social protection worldwide, leaving billions of women and girls vulnerable to poverty.

Data points and status:

• 2 billion women and girls worldwide lack access to social protection (e.g., cash benefits, healthcare, pensions).

• 18% of nearly 1,000 social protection measures introduced by governments across 171 countries focus on women’s economic security.

• 63% of women globally give birth without maternity benefits, with the figure rising to 94% in sub-Saharan Africa.

• 25% more likely: Women aged 25-34 are more likely to live in extreme poverty compared to men of the same age.

• 7.7 times more likely: Women in fragile settings face a much higher likelihood of extreme poverty due to factors like conflict and climate change.

Examples from the Report:

• Mongolia: Extended maternity leave to informal workers like herders and self-employed individuals; also introduced paternity leave to promote caregiving gender equality.

• Mexico and Tunisia: Included domestic workers in social security systems, ensuring better protection.

• Senegal: Expanded the National Health Insurance scheme to meet rural women’s needs, with support from UN Women.

Challenges:

• Gender-specific vulnerabilities: Women face compounded risks due to conflict, economic shocks, and climate change, which are not adequately addressed in existing social protection schemes.

• Inflation: Rising food and energy costs since 2022 have disproportionately impacted women, worsening their financial situation.

• Gaps in maternity benefits: Lack of maternity leave and financial support leaves women vulnerable during childbearing years, contributing to gender inequality in economic stability.

• Extreme poverty: Women, especially in fragile settings, are far more likely to experience poverty, making gender-responsive policies essential.

• Funding gap: Low-income countries need $77.9 billion (or 15.9% of GDP) to implement basic social protection systems, but lack the fiscal capacity to do so.

Way ahead:

• Gender-responsive social protection: Governments must design systems addressing the unique challenges faced by women and girls to ensure inclusivity.

• International support: Financial aid from global bodies may be needed to help low-income countries close funding gaps for comprehensive social protection.

• Innovative policies: Targeted policies in countries like Mongolia, Mexico, and Senegal show the effectiveness of extending benefits to informal workers.

• Prioritizing economic security: Governments should focus more on measures that improve women’s access to resources and benefits, enhancing their economic security.

Conclusion:

The UN Women report highlights the urgent need for gender-responsive social protection policies to bridge the gap in economic security for women and girls globally. Countries should prioritize inclusive social protection measures and collaborate internationally to ensure sustainable development that addresses gender inequality.

Insta Links:

• UN- Women

1. 1.Which of the following gives ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ ranking to the countries of the world? (UPSC-2017)

a) World Economic Forum

b) UN Human Rights Council

c) UN Women

d) World Health Organization

Answer: a)

1. 1.“Empowering women is the key to control population growth”. Discuss. (UPSC-2019)