UN highlights urgent need for investment in women's economic empowerment
UNITED NATIONS, March 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Women on Thursday issued a stark reminder that significant investment in women is crucial to accelerating economic growth and creating more equitable societies.
"This year's theme -- invest in women -- reminds us that ending the patriarchy requires money on the table," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a message on the eve of International Women's Day, emphasizing the urgent need for financial mechanisms to support women and girls.
The agency estimated that an additional 360 billion U.S. dollars per year is required for developing countries to bridge the gender gap under the Sustainable Development Goals.
"This all depends on unlocking finance for sustainable development," Guterres said, highlighting the critical role of funding in ending violence against women and promoting their inclusion in various sectors.
Closing the credit gap for female-owned enterprises could boost annual incomes by 12 percent by 2030, said UN Women, noting despite their significant presence in the workforce, women often face barriers to owning resources like land and technology, which are essential for entrepreneurship and job opportunities.
Gender disparities, particularly in earnings, have profound economic impacts, costing more than double the value of global GDP in human capital wealth. Nearly 60 percent of women's employment globally is informal, with pay gaps persisting across various demographics, according to the agency.
Violence, conflict, and economic disparities pose significant threats to women's security and economic participation, said the agency, noting the global cost of violence against women is estimated at 1.5 trillion dollars.
UN Women stressed the importance of gender-responsive social protection systems, like cash transfers, in reducing mortality rates among women and enhancing their security and economic empowerment.
UN Woman urged stakeholders to challenge social norms that undermine women's economic contributions and to amplify their voices in decision-making processes.
Related articles
Patrick Reed withdraws from US Open qualifying and ends streak of playing the majors
DALLAS (AP) — Patrick Reed’s streak of playing every major since the 2014 Masters ended on Monday wh2024-05-22World's first mountaintop impact crater found in NE China
(Xinhua) 15:24, September 09, 2023BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have discovered th2024-05-22Stock market today: Asian stocks track Wall Street's decline as Middle East tensions escalate
HONG KONG (AP) — Asia stocks pulled back on Monday as worries about potentially escalating tensions2024-05-22Cyberspace pledges set to narrow divide
By Xu Wei (China Daily) 07:58, November 10, 2023A view of the World Internet Science and Technology2024-05-22BBC Countryfile star Adam Henson's wife wrote heartbreaking goodbye letters after cancer diagnosis
Countryfile star Adam Henson has bravely opened up about his wife Charlie's pancreatic cancer diagno2024-05-22Oti Mabuse shares 'sad' update as Saturday Night Takeaway comes to an end after 22 years on screens
Oti Mabuse shared a sad update on Sunday as Saturday Night Takeaway came to an end this weekend afte2024-05-22
atest comment