Findings from the 2024 SDG Gender Index | A gender equal future in crisis?

The 2024 SDG Gender Index by Equal Measures 2030 evaluates gender equality across 144 countries, using indicators from 14 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It highlights slow and uneven progress, with no country on track to achieve gender equality by 2030. High-income nations face challenges like pay gaps and gender-based violence, while lower-income countries struggle with systemic issues such as limited access to education and healthcare.

The report identifies gaps in gender-related data, especially in areas like unpaid care work and climate impacts. Addressing these gaps is vital for effective policymaking. The Index also stresses the need for investment in care systems, legal reforms and women’s leadership. Climate change policies must incorporate gender perspectives to create inclusive solutions.

Global crises such as economic instability, climate change and democratic erosion have exacerbated inequalities. The report calls for urgent, collaborative action to reverse setbacks and prioritise gender equality as essential to sustainability.

The 2024 SDG Gender Index underscores that achieving gender equality is not only a moral imperative but essential for sustainable development. Addressing the deep-rooted challenges requires coordinated global efforts, particularly in investing in care systems, removing legal and systemic barriers and ensuring women’s leadership in all sectors. Governments, organisations and individuals must prioritise policies that close gender gaps, respond to overlapping crises and integrate gender perspectives into every level of decision-making. By turning commitments into measurable action, the global community can pave the way for a more equitable and inclusive future.