5. Gender equality

While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world.

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.

Links with 8.7

8.7 linkages to be analyzed

Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate, occupations usually reserved for women and, within the framework of child labour, for girls and adolescent women. One of the worst forms of unpaid domestic labour is that performed by girls and adolescent women delivered by their parents to families who care of them in exchange for help with the household chores. These girls are often referred to as “criaditas”, “ahijadas”, “filhas de criação” or “restàvek”. In many cases “they become domestic child labourers, with no opportunity for study and a healthy childhood and adolescence. They are also the frequent victims of moral and sexual harassment and ill-treatment.”(ILO, 2011: p. 2 and IPEC 2013: pp. 29 and 35).