Legal Reform Progress Masks 300-Year Wait for Global Gender Equality
Examining the global fight for gender equality, highlighting the urgent need for legal reform efforts by organisations like Equality Now.
Despite significant strides in reforming discriminatory laws worldwide, the path to genuine gender equality remains dauntingly long, with current estimates suggesting it could take up to 300 years to achieve full parity. This sobering timeline emerges even as dedicated organisations continue their vital work in dismantling legal barriers that hold women back from reaching their full potential.
The Current State of Legal Equality
Recent data from the United Nations reveals that women globally enjoy less than two-thirds of the legal rights available to men, a figure notably lower than previous estimates. This disparity manifests across various spheres, from economic participation to personal safety, highlighting the urgent need for sustained legal reform efforts.
In this context, organisations like Equality Now have emerged as crucial catalysts for change. Their work has already led to the reform of 120 sex-discriminatory laws globally, spanning areas from child marriage and rape to inheritance and citizenship rights. This achievement has earned them recognition from the Elevate Prize Foundation, which has pledged $1 million over the next decade to support their continued efforts.
Economic Impact of Gender Inequality
The implications of legal inequality extend far beyond individual rights. Research indicates that enabling women to achieve their full economic potential could inject trillions into the global economy. However, current statistics paint a concerning picture – approximately 2.4 billion women worldwide lack equal economic opportunities, with 178 countries maintaining legal barriers that prevent their full participation in the economy.
Rising Challenges to Progress
‘This isn’t just about funding. It’s a call to action – especially to men’, notes Joe Deitch, Founder and Chairman of the Elevate Prize Foundation. ‘We are so much more, so much better, when we have access to each other’s perceptions and talents and strengths. Men need to step up, speak out, and stand beside the women who have carried this fight for too long’.
The urgency of this call to action is heightened by current global trends. Rising authoritarianism and shrinking civic spaces have begun to threaten hard-won gains in gender equality. According to S. Mona Sinha, Global Executive Director of Equality Now, ‘Legal equality is not just a technical goal—it’s a promise to women and girls everywhere. It means a girl can walk safely to school, a woman can own her own home, raise her voice, earn a living, and shape the society she lives in’.
A Five-Pillar Strategy for Change
To address these challenges, Equality Now has developed a comprehensive strategy built on five interconnected pillars:
1. Engaging with governments and international bodies to reform or adopt 75 laws and standards that strengthen multilateralism and human rights protections
2. Building women-led movements across 60 countries to sustain reform and resist democratic backsliding
3. Advocating for survivor-centred legal systems in 10 nations to combat gender-based violence
4. Championing women’s rights in digital spaces to protect privacy and fight tech-facilitated violence
5. Pursuing economic justice through reform of laws restricting land ownership, inheritance and divorce rights
The Path Forward
While the current timeline for achieving gender equality might seem discouragingly long, organisations like Equality Now demonstrate that focused, sustained efforts can yield meaningful results. Their success in reforming 120 discriminatory laws provides a blueprint for future progress.
‘Legal equality is a first step—but not the last’, explains Sinha. ‘The law must be a catalyst for cultural transformation. And that requires allies’. This perspective emphasises that achieving genuine equality requires not just legal reform, but a fundamental shift in societal attitudes and behaviours.
As the global community continues to work towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which aim for gender equality by 2030, the role of sustained, strategic legal reform becomes increasingly crucial. While the current pace of change may be slower than hoped, each reformed law represents a concrete step towards a more equitable future for women and girls worldwide.
Do you want to share your story and inspire our readers ? Make The GOOD NEWS with us . Let’s start paving the way for a fairer, happier society together!
