Two billion women, girls worldwide lack access to social protection: UN report

A staggering 2 billion (200 crore) women and girls worldwide have no social protection, according to a report released by UN Women. The report, titled 'World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 2024', reveals a widening gender gap in social protection — the raft of policies including cash benefits, unemployment protection, pensions and healthcare — leaving women and girls more vulnerable to poverty.

While levels of social protection have increased since 2015, gender gaps in such coverage have widened in most developing regions, suggesting that the recent gains have benefited men more than women, shows the report published ahead of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October, Xinhua news agency reported.

Despite advancements, more than 63 per cent of women worldwide still give birth without access to maternity benefits, with the figure soaring to 94 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa. The lack of financial support during maternity leave not only places women at an economic disadvantage but also compromises their health and well-being and that of their children, perpetuating poverty across generations, it shows.

The report paints a stark picture of the gendered nature of poverty. Women and girls are overrepresented among the poor at every stage of life, with the largest gaps during their childbearing years. Women aged 25-34 are 25 per cent more likely to live in extremely poor households than men in the same age group.

Conflict and climate change exacerbate this inequality. Women in fragile contexts are 7.7 times more likely to live in extreme poverty compared to those in non-fragile environments. The report said gender-specific risks and vulnerabilities are often neglected in the aftermath of shocks.

"The potential of social protection for gender equality, resilience and transformation is enormous. To harness this, we need to centre the dignity, agency and empowerment of women and girls at every stage of the process, from policy and programme design to delivery and financing," Sarah Hendriks, director of the policy, programme and intergovernmental division at UN Women said while presenting the report at a joint event with the UN department of economic and social affairs.

The report spotlights examples of progress. Countries such as Mongolia have extended maternity leave benefits to informal workers, including herders and the self-employed, while also strengthening paternity leave to support gender equality in caregiving responsibilities. In countries like Mexico and Tunisia, steps have been taken to include domestic workers in social security systems.

The report calls on governments to provide women and girls with sustainable pathways out of poverty, by prioritising the needs of women and girls in their social protection measures and crisis responses.

The 'World Survey on the Role of Women in Development' is presented every five years to the economic and financial committee of the UN General Assembly to provide a unique opportunity to put gender equality issues on the economic policy agenda and bring together perspectives on human rights and sustainable development.