Photo via UN
The UN's Sustainable Development Goals are 17 encompassing objectives meant to address the world's most pressing health, educational, social and economic issues by 2030. This month, the UN General Assembly, as well as many of the governing bodies behind the UN's SDGs, will be convening and we'll be breaking down a goal a day.We've got a long way to go before gender equality is a reality. Women continue to be disproportionately vulnerable to violence in the home, with 35 percent of women reporting sexual assault or violence across the globe and roughly half of all female homicides being connected to intimate partner violence or a family member, compared to only 6 percent of male deaths. Women continue to spend disproportionate amount of time on unpaid domestic work, and hold less than one-third of managerial positions worldwide.The UN's Sustainable Development Goal wants to fight gender inequality by targeting violence against women, forced and childhood marriages, valuing female labor and encouraging leadership, and ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health care.The notorious gender pay gap is slowly beginning to decrease worldwide, yet women still make an average of 24 cents less than their male counterparts across the globe. And even with more women in public office than ever, less than 23 percent of all national parliamentarians were women in 2016 -- up less than 2 percent from the mid 90s.Think we've got it covered in the US? Think again. Women make up only 19 percent of Congress, and 21 percent of the Senate, and while the gap between male and female earnings has decreased for white and Asian women in the U.S. women of color make as little as 58 cents to every dollar made by a white man as of 2015. We have a long way to go. Let's get started.At HomeShe Should Run has it's own goal for 2030 -- get 250,000 women to run for public office -- and have those who get elected serve as an example for others women considering a run. She Should Run provides resources, community, and training materials to encourage women to pursue their political dreams. They've even created a guide to help parents talk to their daughters about their own leadership potential. Join the cause now.You can also check out Girls Who Code, an organization fighting gender inequality in the tech sector by empowering young women with the technical and leadership skills needed to thrive in an overwhelmingly male-dominated industry and beyond. Get coding or find out how to support them.
SDG# 5: Gender Equality
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The Effect
The "You" FactorWe all have a role to play in decreasing gender inequality. Here's how you can get involved.AbroadMadre focuses on empowering grassroots, women-powered organizations around the world to create community change on issues like women-focused violence, the use of rape as a weapon of war, and women's health. Host a speaker or volunteer yourself.You can also check out organizations like FRIDA, who are working to empower and connect the next generation of global feminist organizers. Their site about taking action says it best: "With your donation, you're making a huge impact on the lives of young women, girls and trans youth by supporting organizations that wouldn't otherwise get funding."
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To learn more about the SDGs, head to the Goalkeepers site created by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which highlights an event in New York City on September 19 and 20 that convenes activists, world leaders, and the public to share their successes and challenges in advancing the SDG agenda. And September 25 is a global day of action on the SDGs -- find an event or opportunity near you.