UN report says gender equality could take 171 years at current pace

A United Nations report released this week warns that, if current trends continue, achieving full gender equality worldwide will require 171 years. The analysis, produced by UN Women in partnership with the UN Development Programme, calculates the timeline based on progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 5 and recent data on women’s participation in education, employment, political representation and health outcomes.

The report highlights a slowdown in momentum as several institutions created to promote gender parity are experiencing funding cuts and operational downsizing. Notable examples include the reduction of budgets for national gender equality ministries, the scaling back of UN Women’s country‑level programmes, and the closure of regional advocacy hubs. Analysts attribute these setbacks to shifting fiscal priorities, economic pressures and, in some cases, political resistance to gender‑focused policies, which together undermine advances made over the past two decades.

UN officials say the findings underscore the urgency of reinvesting in gender‑equality mechanisms and accelerating policy implementation. They call on governments, donors and the private sector to restore and increase financial support for existing institutions, integrate gender considerations across all development agendas, and adopt measurable targets that can shorten the projected 171‑year horizon.