Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls in the UK: Meeting the Challenge of the Sustainable Development Goals

This research provides the first stocktake of gender equality in the UK from the perspective of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 17 goals adopted by world leaders in 2015 in order to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.

It focuses on the UK’s successes towards achieving gender equality, as well as gaps and priorities for further action in five key areas: participation, power and leadership; education; economy; justice and violence against women and girls and culture (including arts, sports and technology). 

There are many examples of good practice from the UK, such as strong legislation, data gathering and structures. However, the research also concludes that women and girls continue to lag behind men and boys on key rights, opportunities and well-being, with men over-represented in almost all positions of power and decision-making. It also explores the impact of international linkages and collaboration to determine whether as the UK’s cultural relations organisation, there is a role for the British Council in this.