This publication is the latest edition in an annual series produced by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Covering all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the report highlights new data and evidence on gender equality trends and gaps. It finds that the world is still falling short on its commitments to women and girls.

There are some points of light. They include declining poverty, narrowing of gender gaps in education, and a push for positive legal reforms. Yet, just six years before the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, not a single indicator under Goal 5, gender equality, has been fully achieved.

Ending extreme poverty among women could take 137 more years at the current rate of change. No country has all relevant laws to prohibit discrimination, prevent gender-based violence, uphold equal rights in marriage and divorce, guarantee equal pay, and provide full access to sexual and reproductive health.

Gender parity in parliaments may not be reached before 2063. The report stresses the high cost of not investing in women’s rights and calls attention to proven solutions that benefit women, girls, and entire societies. It champions radical action to shift the current trajectory and dramatically accelerate progress on gender equality and women’s rights.