Developing countries need $420 billion more each year to reach gender equality goals, but the money isn’t coming through, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) announced at a major financing conference in Sevilla, Spain. The huge funding gap shows how far behind the world is on meeting promises to women and girls under the Sustainable Development Goals. Most global financing continues to bypass the poorest countries, where the majority of low-income women live and where investment is most needed.
Only one in four countries has systems to track how public funds are spent on gender equality. Without this information, it’s nearly impossible to plan budgets and deliver on development goals. The money simply isn’t reaching the women and girls who need it most, despite growing use of gender-focused budgeting around the world.
UN Women Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda said governments can’t close gender gaps with budgets that lack a gender lens. She said governments must back their commitments with real investment and track how money is spent and what it achieves. Gender equality must move from the margins of budget lines to the heart of public policy, she added. It takes money, reform, and leadership that sees women not as a cost, but as the future.
UN Women wants countries to expand gender-focused budgeting, provide urgent debt relief, and reform tax systems to help women. The group also calls for more investment in public care systems like childcare and eldercare. Investing 10% of national income in care services would reduce poverty, boost household incomes, and create millions of decent jobs.
UN Women says continued underinvestment is stalling progress on gender equality and the rights of women and girls. The group wants world leaders to match political commitments with real financing to close the $420 billion gap and deliver on promises to half the world’s population.
