Gender equality and women's empowerment

Gender equality and women's empowerment play a vital role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations. Acknowledging the significance of SDG 5, which explicitly targets gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, it's worth noting that these elements are fundamentally tied to all 17 goals. Each goal, whether it pertains to poverty eradication, quality education, or climate action, is directly or indirectly affected by gender dynamics. Gender inequality inhibits economic growth (SDG 8) by depriving economies of the full potential of half its population, thereby exacerbating poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2). Additionally, gender-based discrimination can limit access to quality education (SDG 4) and decent work (SDG 8) for women and girls, further perpetuating inequality. In health matters, gender roles and stereotypes often result in disparities in healthcare access and outcomes (SDG 3). With respect to environmental sustainability (SDGs 13, 14, and 15), women, particularly those in rural areas, bear the brunt of climate change impacts, but they also hold unique knowledge and skills crucial for mitigation and adaptation strategies. Likewise, women's underrepresentation in decision-making roles limits their influence on peace and justice (SDG 16) and partnerships for goals (SDG 17). Thus, achieving gender equality isn't only about justice for women and girls, but also about progress on every SDG. Women's empowerment creates a multiplier effect that boosts economic growth and promotes sustainable development, thereby setting a direct path towards achieving the SDGs. Encouragingly, concerted efforts worldwide are recognizing and amplifying women's roles in society, placing gender equality and women's empowerment at the heart of the SDGs. Such advancements signify a positive stride towards a balanced and equitable world.

This Viewpoint looks at the reasons that females tend to be less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, are diagnosed later in life, and are less likely to be prescribed medication. It considers potential biological factors including genetic factors, the influence of diagnostic factors such as diagnostic overshadowing, and sociocultural explanations including sex differences in presentation and compensatory behaviour.
The latest global prison trends from Penal Reform International suggest that approximately 740 000 women are in prison and that the number is rising in most regions. Neither the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development7 nor the UN definition of vulnerability make explicit reference to human rights of people deprived of their liberty.
This Article supports SDG 5 by showing that women nurses aspiring to become healthcare leaders face multiple barriers, including cultural, professional, organisational, and individual barriers. The findings should help to inform workplace policies that can lessen these barriers.
In this Viewpoint, an international panel of clinicians, scientists, and community members with lived experiences of autism reviewed the challenges in identifying autism in individuals who are assigned female at birth and proposed clinical and research directions to promote the health, development, and wellbeing of these individuals.
Elsevier,

The Lancet, Volume 402, 2 December 2023

Women interact with cancer in complex ways, as healthy individuals participating in cancer prevention, as patients, as health professionals, researchers, policymakers, and as unpaid caregivers. In all these domains, women often are subject to overlapping forms of discrimination, such as due to age, race, ethnicity and socio-economic status, that render them structurally marginalized. Women, power and cancer: A Lancet Commission recommends that sex and gender be included in all cancer-related policies and guidelines, making these responsive to the needs and aspirations of women in all their diversities. It identifies ten priority actions stakeholder groups can take towards lasting and impactful change.
This article highlights the impact of climate change on health, especially in the context of menopause and aging populations.
This chapter advances Goals 3 and 5 by discussing how pediatric health-care providers and systems can create healing-centered spaces to support IPV survivors and their children.
Elsevier,

Pediatric Clinics of North America, Volume 70, Issue 6, 2023, Pages 1087-1102

This chapter advances Goals 3 and 5 by discussing health care providers' opportunity for ARA prevention using a universal education approach that provides information on healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors and ARA resources.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, Volume 7, November 2023

Stella Chan's interest in psychology began when she went through a tough time as a teenager. The experience gave her a sense of direction: “I wanted to learn more about psychology and how feelings work...I hoped I could do something constructive about mental health.”
The study unveils a significant occurrence of sexual violence among recently arrived asylum-seeking women in France, especially notable among those who had previously experienced sexual violence. It underscores the heightened risk linked to the absence of support for accommodation.

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