Gender Justice and Equality

As we recognize the great progress that has been made, we must also acknowledge that for many women, young women, adolescent girls, and girls, progress is not happening nearly fast enough. No country in the world has achieved gender equality, and many are still far behind.

The youth upsurge represents a tremendous strategic opportunity to tap into the talents and skills of young people to advance global and national development goals. By actively supporting the fulfillment of the right to full and equal participation of young men and young women, particularly young women and adolescent girls, in leadership and decision-making at all levels and in all spaces by implementing gender-just and youth accountable policy, laws, national action plans and programmes.

Considering the current pace of change towards a world free of gender-based discrimination, it will take 50 years to achieve parity in political participation and 118 years for true pay equality. To break these trajectories and achieve Planet 50-50 by 2030 requires us to take bold and decisive actions. With youth leading the charge to ensure that the agenda for sustainable development delivers for all women and girls, especially those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization.