Over the next few weeks we are going to have a series of posts on women’s participation in international development, with a particular focus on the peace and security sector. This is leading up to what will be a very exciting announcement.
Today, we begin with a brief exploration of gender equality, recognising it not only as a moral challenge, but an economic, social and political one.
Equal rights between women and men are derived from the principles of individual equality, enshrined in international human rights law. Society’s appreciation for universal human rights has transformed the principle of gender equality into a moral imperative. Further, a transition toward greater gender equality will contribute to more far reaching and tangible impacts on society.
It has been widely acknowledged in academic literature and work produced by multilateral organisations that, globally, women are not currently reaching their economic potential. Women’s underrepresentation in the workforce, particularly in leadership positions, limits national and global growth. The McKinsey Global Institute has shown that advancing gender equality could lead to up to US$12trillion of growth in global markets by 2025.
In politics too, women continue to be underrepresented in almost every nation. There are 37 UN member nations with less than 10 per cent female politicians in their lower house of parliament, six of which have no female representation. This is in spite of evidence that shows the positive impact of women’s political participation, particularly in areas of social policy such as health and education.
The participation of women in all areas and at all levels of government and civil society is essential for sustainable social, economic and political change.
This has been a focus in international development over the last several decades, with gender equality and women’s empowerment featuring in the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals and subsequently as a central element of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In the context of peace and security, the role of women is the focus of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. It is to UNSCR 1325 and its key themes of women’s participation in the peace and security sector that we turn our attention next time.