Gender equality remains an unfinished global priority, and the private sector is essential for closing the gap, according to a new report from UN Women. The study, “Unfinished Business: Private Sector and Gender Equality,” draws on data from thousands of companies across 117 countries. It shows that businesses can either entrench inequality or drive transformative change.
“Thirty years have passed since the Beijing Declaration. We have just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We are called to deliver on the promise to half of the world,” said Kirsi Madi, UN Women Deputy Executive Director.
The report highlights modest progress: laws and regulations are encouraging pay transparency, diversity, and safer workplaces, and companies with gender-balanced leadership are 25% more likely to outperform in profitability. Globally, achieving gender parity could add USD 342 trillion to the economy by 2050.
Yet inequality persists. Women make up only 39% of the workforce, face wage gaps averaging 20%, and continue to experience high rates of workplace harassment. Lifetime earnings disparities between men and women represent USD 160 trillion in lost global wealth.
The report emphasizes that action works when mandated, measured, and resourced. Examples from Tanzania, Canada, Bolivia, and Jordan demonstrate how gender bonds, inclusive supply chains, and workplace reforms can drive meaningful change.
Madi concluded, “Historical change is within reach, but no single actor can close gender gaps alone. We must all act together, now, to close the gap between commitment and actual outcomes.”
The report calls for governments to enforce enabling environments for equality, businesses to embed measurable gender strategies into their core operations, and improved data collection to drive accountability.
Global Gender Inequality Snapshot, 2025
- Poverty: 9.2% of women and girls live in extreme poverty versus 8.6% of men and boys.
- Unpaid Care Work: 708 million women are outside the labour force due to excessive care responsibilities.
- Sexual Violence at Work: 8.2% of employed women report experiencing sexual violence and harassment, compared to 5.0% of men.
- Leadership: Women occupy only 30% of managerial positions; projected to reach 32% by 2050 at current rates.
- Access to Markets: Women entrepreneurs remain largely absent from private sector supply chains.
- Digital Gap: 70% of men use the Internet versus 65% of women.
- AI Impact on Jobs: 27.6% of women’s employment is exposed to generative AI, compared with 21.1% of men’s.