Attachments
FOREWORD
In 2023, the world faced compounding shocks, where governing in a state of emergency became the norm, longstanding democracies came under pressure, and courts became the new frontiers for climate change. We also witnessed growing conflicts and rising polarization within and between countries. Perceived differences were magnified, basic gender equality principles were often targeted, deepening divides, and reversing long-held rights, often overshadowing countries’ progress in implementing new laws and measures to improve women’s economic rights in 2023. The situation for millions of women and girls, especially those in conflict and crisis settings, became not just dire but devastating.
In this complex context, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) completed the second year of implementing our Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025. I can affirm that today, UNDP is better prepared to address the complexities of gender inequalities. Our interventions are designed more consciously to shift power dynamics, we are making larger and more consistent programmatic investments, and developing stronger partnerships with grassroots and women’s organizations. We remain convinced that investing in gender equality is one of the most important contributions we can make to human and sustainable development.
This report offers a glimpse of the many results that have emerged from the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy in 2023. That encompasses providing over 90 million women with access to essential services and helping some 5.4 million women in crisis settings to access jobs and livelihoods. Yet ending poverty requires rethinking economic structures and approaches. To this end, we launched our flagship EQUANOMICS initiative, which has already supported 23 countries in initiating gender-responsive fiscal policy reforms and strengthening gender responsiveness in local and state budgeting. We also accelerated progress towards a green transition, including supporting 14 million women to gain access to clean, affordable energy while investing in energy policy frameworks that facilitate women’s participation in energy planning and increase their economic opportunities.
These often life-changing results are only possible with support from all of you: partners from the UN family including UN Women, women’s organizations, and civil society. In this context, and given the stark challenges faced by women’s activists, in 2023 UNDP has forged new alliances and partnerships with women human rights defenders, working with champions of climate justice and environmental human rights defenders in at least 27 countries.
The commitment we witnessed in 2023, including within government ministries, civil society organizations and other institutions to fundamentally transform ways of working to advance a more equal world is a key source of inspiration and motivation for UNDP to keep going and do more. It is based on the recognition that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a prerequisite to ultimately break through to a greener, more sustainable, and more inclusive world for all.
Achim Steiner
Administrator
United Nations Development Programme