Global Scans · Gender Equality · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.

• [New] If current trends continue, gender parity on corporate boards would not be reached until 2043, 19% of which still have no female representation. / Mexico Mexico Business
• [New] Employers will need to create action plans for gender equality and menopause which will be voluntary until some time in 2027. Small Business UK
• [New] Across the world, gender is central to authoritarian populists' efforts to generate public support, justify power expansion, and enact discriminatory actions that threaten everyone's rights and freedoms. Kettering Foundation
• [New] The Trump-Vance administration last month announced it will expand the global gag rule, which bans U.S. foreign aid for groups that support abortion and/or offer abortion-related services, to include organizations that promote gender ideology. Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, G
• Legislative work, engagement with the UN on policy development, gender equality, youth engagement, leadership renewal and inter-cooperative collaboration will remain priorities, alongside continued support for cooperatives operating in fragile or crisis-affected contexts. ICA
• This month, House Republicans passed one of the most extreme anti-trans bills in modern American history, advancing legislation that would criminalize gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth and threaten doctors with severe penalties for providing evidence-based treatment. Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, G
• California students are likely to see fewer cellphones and more gender-neutral bathrooms in 2027 as new state education laws go into effect. San Mateo Daily Journal
• There are increased risks of gender-based violence, child marriage and exploitation. Secretary-General
• As pressure mounts and we see more drive from governments, investors, and professional bodies to address longstanding gender health gaps, 2026 could be the time we start to see tangible change. FemTech World
• Apply a gender lens to economic change: Global trade shifts and economic disruptions often affect women disproportionately. CourtHeath Consulting
• In 2026, nearly one-third of surveyed philanthropy leaders plan to scale back racial equality initiatives, with reductions also planned for environmental justice and gender equality. The Conference Board
• New Zealand's ban on new puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria in minors will undergo a judicial review in 2026 after it was delayed from December. Context
• The companies that lead in 2026 will be the ones whose boards combine gender diversity with deep technology fluency. Forbes
• Women rights defenders face additional risks online, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence: In a global survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit, 38% of women reported personal experience with violence online, from hacking and stalking to image-based sexual abuse. Just Security
• The vision of Thailand's WPS NAP is clear and ambitious: gender equality is a key driving force in preventing and resolving conflict and in addressing threats to human security, ultimately leading to sustainable peace and development. Peace News Network

Last updated: 22 February 2026