No Women, No SDGs, Prof. Sohier Elneil

Professor Sohier Elneil
UCL Professor of Urogynaecology
Institute for Women’s Health, Faculty of Population Sciences
University College London
UK

Purpose: As we get closer to the finishing lines of attainment of the SDGs, the role of 51% of the planet - the women, needs to be re-defined.

Design/methodology/approach: Globally there has been a huge shift in Governments and other agencies to address gender inequalities in health, education, society and the economy. But, have they been successful? Using a systematic approach, we review the published literature to answer this question.

Findings: An unprecedented number of women are in leadership positions globally, and many are leading governments. However the pervasive inequities in economic stability, health access and literacy are still major stumbling blocks to reaching the SDG goals. But, the increasing abandonment of cultural practices such as FGM and child marriage is having a positive impact on women and girls steadily being more valued in society. Nevertheless, the pace is slow.

Originality: In addressing these issues, Governments and other agencies can now see where we are as one world and help them re-focus their efforts, re-energise their plans and policies and implement changes to get quicker and better wins for all by engaging and implanting policies that favour the role of women and girls. The 51% are key to the SDGs.

Research limitations/implications(if applicable): This is a retrospective look at the published literature, and not all individual country policies have been reviewed. Regional variations, the North-South divide, and the impact of globally shared issues such as climate change and wars need to also be reviewed in the context of Women and their role in SDG attainment.

Practical implications(if applicable): All governments and agencies need to put women at the heart of their SDG targets and ensure their voices are not only heard, but their vision is implemented. Without Women in the arena, it is unlikely the SDGs will be fully attained by 2030.