AAUW of Michigan’s Post

In Africa, gender equality in principle faces barriers in practice. The personal costs of women’s participation in politics may be one of many reasons women remain vastly underrepresented in the halls of power. Read our latest here: https://lnkd.in/exnUuRyh

📢 Women's empowerment at the G20 📢 📍 Meeting in Brasilia discusses gender equality, autonomy, and empowerment 🔍 The focus of the Women's Empowerment WG negotiations is to conclude the text of the Ministerial Declaration 💬 Emphasis has been placed on combating political violence against women🔗 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gB4-TSQF

Did you know that Denmark ranks at the top for gender equality? According to the UN's Gender Inequality Index, Denmark boasts impressive strides in women's rights, with a GII score of 0.013. What sets Denmark apart? With a maternal mortality rate of four per 100,000 live births and 39.7% of parliamentary seats held by women, it's clear that Denmark prioritizes gender parity. And with 95.1% of women aged 25+ receiving secondary education and a robust 57.7% labor force participation rate, Danish women are empowered across various spheres. Notably, Denmark made history with the appointment of the world's first female minister in 1924 and continues to lead with its female Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, in office today. Despite strides towards progress, systemic barriers in the U.S. still persist. Our country faces challenges such as disparities in healthcare access and education, as well as persistent gender biases in political representation and the workforce. While Denmark's achievements serve as an inspiration, they also underscore the need for continued efforts to overcome obstacles and advance gender equality on a global scale. #GenderEquality #GenderEquity

The historical record of gender disparities in politics underscores a pressing need for transformative change. Cultural stereotypes and patriarchal structures still sideline women in Africa and beyond. The clamor for equality reflects a collective determination to challenge ingrained norms, recognizing that true progress requires breaking free from the chains of discrimination and marginalization. #WomenInPolitics #GenderEquality #InclusiveGovernance #SustainableDevelopment #InternationalWomensDay #BreakTheBias https://lnkd.in/e3WkJrGE

The UN reports $10 trillion lost each year due to the global failure to invest in women and girls. Our recently published ‘Gaining Ground?’ 2024 report echoes this, revealing that just 28% of health organisations have clear commitments to gender equality in leadership. The cost of inaction is too high. We need systemic change and greater accountability to bridge the gender gap and unlock the potential of women and girls worldwide. Read The Guardian article here➡️ https://lnkd.in/dt5EvHh4 and discover our report findings to learn how we can make real progress➡️ https://lnkd.in/gsYFA83n #GenderEquality #GainingGround #GH5050 #LeadershipEquality #InvestInWomen #GlobalHealth Rebecca Root UN Women Women Deliver Helen Clark WomenLift Health Sustainable Development Goals Ltd Papa Seck Fawcett Society Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR)

Commonwealth leaders are being urged to work harder to get rid of the barriers and biases that continue to hold back women and girls in the 56 member countries. This urgent appeal comes from a report that represents the voices of more than 400 delegates, including prime ministers, ministers, women’s rights advocates and business leaders, who attended the Commonwealth Women’s Forum in Apia, Samoa, from 21 to 22 October 2024. The report will be presented to Commonwealth leaders this week to urge stronger action on transforming the status of women in government, business and society. A recent United Nations study reveals that, while gender equality is achievable, the progress remains alarmingly slow. At the current rate, it could take 137 years to lift all women out of poverty and gender parity in parliaments will not be reached until 2063. In their report to leaders, delegates responded with calls for greater protection from gender-based violence, policies to get more women into leadership, increased economic opportunities, and investment in women-led climate solutions. #womeninleadership #womeninpoliticsmatter #womeninbusiness #womenempowerment #inclusivity

"Why is it a big deal if the first 5 speakers are women? I saw so many people say “feminists are making a big deal”, “the entire meeting is for them what does it matter if a male speaks.” I couldn’t be more disappointed at the sheer lack of understanding. This is why it is a reason for worry: - It perpetuates the tokenization of women's voices, reducing their presence to a mere symbolic gesture. - In a gathering specifically focused on addressing issues affecting women and girls, the absence of female speakers among the initial lineup undermines the purpose and credibility of the event. It sends a message that women's perspectives and experiences are secondary or less valued. - The imbalance in speaker representation reinforces traditional gender stereotypes and power dynamics, suggesting that men are more qualified or authoritative to speak on issues related to women's rights and equality. - The exclusion of women from prominent speaking roles perpetuates systemic patterns of exclusion and marginalization. - Such instances highlight ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality and suggest that token gestures of inclusion are prioritized over substantive efforts to address systemic barriers and biases. - Women possess valuable expertise and leadership in various fields, and their voices are essential for crafting effective policies and initiatives that promote gender equality and empower women and girls. - Women's experiences are diverse and intersectional, and failing to include their voices in the initial speakers' lineup overlooks the complexity and intersectionality of gender inequality and discrimination. According to the UN secretary general, Guterres, achieving legal gender equality could take 300 years. When the oppressors are questioned, they aren’t going to be happy, when they are challenged, they feel threatened. Their status quo threatened. And I’m here to say, that’s okay. Threaten that status quo. Women are long told to not question and not make others feel inadequate. It’s time to break that. https://lnkd.in/gBmQS2Jm

UN Women’s research and data section, said: “The cost of not achieving gender equality is just way too high but at the same time, the potential returns of doing so are also too high to ignore for societies.” The annual report, which assesses progress of gender equality across the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs), also found that 47.8 million more women than men face moderate or severe food insecurity; that it could take a further 137 years to end extreme poverty for women; and that climate change could force 158 million more women and girls into poverty than men and boys. Global cost of failing to invest in women and gender equality is $10tn a year – UN https://lnkd.in/d9WvF6XK

Advocacy groups and stakeholders are spearheading a crucial dialogue on increasing the percentage of women in Nigerian politics, aiming for greater representation in the 2027 general elections. This initiative reflects a proactive step towards gender equality and inclusive governance. Wondering what it would take to get to the 35% benchmark for women’s political participation as per the National Gender Policy! #WomenInPolitics #NigeriaElection2027 #GenderEquality #PoliticalInclusion #WomensPoliticalParticipation #NationalGenderPolicy https://lnkd.in/enQnKYsH

US$ 10 Trillion 💰 That is the extra yearly income we would generate globally if we would invest in women and gender equality worldwide, according to a study by UN Women. that The Guardian writes about: https://lnkd.in/ebA5qVdw. So to put this in perspective for the men in my network: this is the money we lose each year. For instance, by not educating our daughters, nieces, and girls next door. Because reducing drop out rates by 1% will lead to $470 Billion more income. Investing in better internet access: $500 mio over 5 years. Investing in female health: Another $1 Trillion. The benefits just keep adding up. So when are we (men) going to do the smart thing and invest in a US$ 10 Tn per year investment opportunity?