Published by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) on April 16, 2025, the Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: A Gender Snapshot of the Arab Region 2024 provides a comprehensive analysis of gender equality across the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), examining the Arab region’s progress, challenges, and setbacks in achieving gender parity by 2030. Despite notable advances in education, health, and essential services, critical disparities persist in employment, economic empowerment, and the prevalence of violence and conflict, slowing progress towards gender equality.
This report underscores the pivotal role of gender equality in driving SDG achievements and highlights the centrality of women and girls in shaping sustainable futures. It also addresses the interconnections between the SDGs, providing regional and subregional evidence of progress and persistent inequalities. A key focus is the importance of sex-disaggregated data, particularly from administrative sources and specialized gender surveys, which remain limited in the region. By emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive gender-related data, the report offers strategic policy recommendations aligned with the Beijing Platform for Action, calling for concrete governmental action to close the gender gap and advance women’s empowerment.
