♀️ Significant progress for women's rights over 30 years

• 90 percent of the world's countries have enacted laws against violence against women and girls, with progress occurring across all regions.
• The proportion of women in parliaments has more than doubled since 1995, demonstrating increased political representation.
• 53 percent of member countries have implemented gender-responsive laws and policies for climate and environmental measures.

Historic evaluation shows positive trends

Thirty years after the groundbreaking Beijing Conference in 1995, UN-Women has published a comprehensive assessment showing significant progress for women's rights and gender equality worldwide. The report "Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing" draws on contributions from 159 member countries and constitutes the most comprehensive review of progress in this area to date.

Legal reforms and strengthened protection against violence

One of the greatest successes is that 88 percent of countries have adopted laws and established services to eliminate violence against women and girls over the past five years. Since 1995, the number of countries with laws prohibiting gender-based discrimination in employment has increased from 58 to 162 countries.

These legal protections have proven effective. Growing evidence suggests that where comprehensive rights-based laws are in place, they help reduce the incidence of these crimes.

Women's representation in decision-making

Political representation for women has made great strides. The proportion of women in parliaments has more than doubled since 1995. This development has been anchored by more than half of countries implementing gender quotas to increase women's participation in national or local legislative bodies.

In 2024, 38 percent of countries reported measures to counter violence against women in public roles, more than twice as many as in 2019. This shows an increased awareness of the importance of women's safety in the public sphere.

Digital progress and education

A positive trend is that 70 percent of countries report initiatives to increase women's and girls' access to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and digital skills, up from 59 percent in 2019.

The proportion of women using the internet globally has increased from 50 to 65 percent between 2019 and 2024, indicating narrowing digital divides. Initiatives such as Chile's national gender equality policy for science, technology, and innovation, and the regional alliance for the digitalization of women in Latin America and the Caribbean have already resulted in digital training for 3.8 million women.

Climate and environment

More countries than ever are now including gender aspects in environmental and climate work. 53 percent of member countries have introduced or strengthened gender-responsive laws and policies for disaster risk management and climate and environmental resilience, compared to 39 percent in 2019.

Innovative projects combining indigenous women's knowledge with scientific methods for climate adaptation show successful paths forward. In Kenya, for example, Maasai women are working to restore degraded landscapes in Amboseli National Park.

National and international commitments

Almost all countries report that they have integrated gender equality into national sustainable development plans. A record number of 112 countries have adopted national action plans on women, peace, and security.

Sima Bahous, head of UN-Women, emphasizes in the report's foreword: "We understand today, as they did then, that a gender-equal world is both possible and within our reach – if we act decisively."

The way forward with Beijing+30 Action Agenda

Based on the progress achieved, UN-Women has developed the Beijing+30 Action Agenda with six key actions to further accelerate gender equality. The agenda builds on the positive results achieved and creates a roadmap for continued progress for the world's women and girls.

Large-scale investments in inclusive care services could generate nearly 300 million jobs globally by 2035, 78 percent of which would be held by women, demonstrating the economic potential of gender equality work.

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