Global leaders have called for investments in solutions that would advance the health, rights and well-being of girls and women.
These investments, they said, would drive economic growth and development as well as ignite change across communities.
A statement by Daniel Cohn of the Global Health Strategies said that the call was made at the Women Deliver 2016 Conference taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Women Deliver is a gathering on girls’ and women’s health, rights and well-being to drive progress, particularly in maternal, sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as gender equality, education, environment and economic empowerment.
According to the statement, more reliable data about women’s lives, such as time spent on unpaid work or farming is however needed to inform policy and programmes to accelerate progress for women and girls.
It said that Melinda Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, also announced a three-year $80 million commitment to close the gender data gap.
This funding will help fill critical gender data gaps, improve the accuracy and reliability of data collection, equip decision makers with better evidence and support civil society’s efforts to hold leaders accountable for their commitments.
“It is great that women and girls are at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“But right now there is insufficient data to build a baseline for nearly 80 per cent of SDG 5 indicators.
“If advocacy for women and girls is about giving voice to the voiceless, gathering and analysing data is about making the invisible visible,’’ the statement quoted Melinda Gates as saying.
According to the statement, the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) said that achieving the economic potential of women and making progress toward the United Nations’ recently-adopted SDGs will require $1.5 to $2 trillion.
It said that this would be in annual spending on essential services in 2025 but the potential economic gains could be six to eight times this outlay.
Vivian Hunt, Managing partner of McKinsey’s United Kingdom and Ireland offices, said: “Narrowing the gender gap can unleash massive growth.
“But in order to realise the $12 trillion opportunity that comes from advancing gender equality in the world of work, we have to tackle gender gaps in society more broadly.
“Our new analysis finds that the economic benefits of narrowing gender gaps far outweigh the additional social spending required.’’
The statement said that MGI key findings identified six areas where improved access to services could unlock economic opportunities for women.
They included education, family planning, maternal health, financial inclusion, digital inclusion and assistance with unpaid care work.
Katja Iversen, CEO of Women Deliver, said “investing in gender equality and girls’ and women’s health is investing in human progress’’.
“A woman multiplies investments made in her future by creating a better life for herself, family, community and society,’’ the statement quoted Iversen as saying.
(NAN)