This report is a comprehensive tool to explore the state of gender equality across 129 countries (covering 95 percent of the world’s girls and women), 14 of the 17 SDGs, and 51 targets linked to issues inherent in the SDGs. The 2019 SDG Gender Index finds that, with just 11 years to go until 2030, nearly 40 percent of the world’s girls and women – 1.4 billion – live in countries failing on gender equality. Another 1.4 billion live in countries that “barely pass.” Even the highest scoring countries have more to do, particularly on complex issues such as climate change, gender budgeting and public services, equal representation in powerful positions, gender pay gaps, and gender-based violence. No country has reached the “last mile” on gender equality. Overall the index finds that the world is furthest behind on gender equality issues related to public finance and better gender data (SDG 17), climate change (SDG 13), gender equality in industry and innovation (SDG 9), and – worryingly – the standalone “gender equality” goal (SDG 5).

While the index presents a challenging picture, it also presents a hopeful message about the power of international efforts and public investment. Countries, overall, have performed best on issues where coordinated and concerted policy focus and funding have been directed over the past 20 years. So, where do we go from here?