Gender Equality as a Global Challenge: Structural Inequalities, Gender-Based Violence, and Pathways to Sustainable Develop

Gender equality is often discussed through separate indicators, such as women’s employment, political representation, or exposure to violence. This article argues that these outcomes are connected by the way societies distribute rights, resources, time, safety, and decision-making power. Using a qualitative desk review of international conventions, policy commitments, and institutional reports, the study examines the mechanisms that allow formal equality to coexist with persistent disadvantage. The analysis focuses on five linked areas: the gap between legal guarantees and implementation; unequal responsibility for unpaid care; gender-based violence and access to safety; women’s participation in leadership; and unequal access to digital opportunities. Evidence from the United Nations, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the International Labour Organization shows that substantial gaps remain, despite decades of international commitments. The article’s central finding is that progress is unlikely to be sustained through isolated interventions. Legal reform must be accompanied by accessible services, adequate financing, fair labour-market institutions, prevention of violence, and accountability for measurable outcomes. Policies should also reflect differences among women and girls rather than assume that they experience inequality in the same way.