New York , USA16 September 2025
A new report from UN Women and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, released today, has revealed a sobering reality: global progress on gender equality has stalled, with female poverty rates failing to improve over the past five years. The report, titled “Gender Snapshot 2025,” calls on world leaders to demonstrate renewed political will and accelerate global action to close the significant and persistent gender gaps.
The findings indicate that the world is at a crossroads, with hard-won gains in women’s rights being jeopardized by a combination of global conflict, economic uncertainty, and a backlash against gender equality. The report notes that for the last half-decade, the proportion of women and girls living in extreme poverty has remained static at around 10%, with over 350 million women and girls projected to remain in that condition by the end of the decade if current trends persist. This stagnation in poverty alleviation is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia.
The report links this lack of progress to several key factors. First, the escalating number of conflicts globally has had a disproportionate impact on women and girls, with 676 million living near a deadly conflict in 2024—the highest number since the 1990s. In these war zones, women and girls face heightened risks of violence, food insecurity, and health crises. The report also highlights the pervasive issue of gender-based violence, noting that more than one in eight women worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner in the past year.
In addition, the report points to a notable retreat in women’s political representation. As of the start of 2025, the proportion of women in ministerial positions has declined, and while the number of women in national parliaments has increased, the pace of change is alarmingly slow. The UN estimates that at the current rate of progress, it will take over 100 years to achieve full gender equality in positions of power and leadership.
Despite the grim outlook, the report also identifies a clear path forward. It emphasizes that ending poverty for women and girls is entirely feasible through bold, targeted investments. A key recommendation is investing in gender-responsive social protection, quality public services, and the care economy. Such investments, according to the report, could create millions of jobs and significantly boost global GDP. The report also stresses the need for legal reforms to eliminate discriminatory laws and for political leaders to commit to gender-responsive budgeting that allocates funds directly toward meeting the specific needs and rights of women and girls.
The report was launched on the margins of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, serving as a stark reminder to world leaders that a different path is still possible. It urges governments to prioritize a new agenda that translates promises into tangible actions, warning that without a concerted effort and an acceleration of political will, the global community risks failing to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals by the 2030 deadline.
Headline Points
* Progress on Gender Equality Has Stalled: A new UN Women report reveals that global progress on gender equality has stagnated, particularly in the fight against extreme poverty.
* Female Poverty Unchanged: The report states that female poverty has remained at a stagnant 10% for the last five years, with over 350 million women and girls at risk of remaining in extreme poverty by 2030.
* Conflict and Backlash as Key Drivers: The report attributes this stagnation to increasing global conflicts and a broader backlash against women’s rights, which has put hard-won gains at risk.
* Call for Political Action: The report issues a strong call to action, urging governments to demonstrate greater political will and make bold investments in social protection and gender-responsive budgeting to reverse the negative trends.
* Pace of Change is Too Slow: At the current pace, it will take over a century for women to achieve equal representation in leadership positions.
