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Gender inequality is a tax that pays for nothing. In fact, gender-based discrimination could cost the global economy US$6 trillion. On International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting stories that may surprise you – including broad support for women’s rights hiding in plain sight, a vaccine saving hundreds of thousands of women’s lives, and women-led resistance in the face of atrocities in Sudan.

Read on and you’ll be up-to-speed in 4 minutes.

Top news

Attitude vs. action: New research suggests we may be underestimating support for women’s basic rights amongst the public. For example, 80% of men in Tanzania support women’s freedom to work outside the home, and 90% of men in South Africa believe women should be explicitly prioritised in policies. Majorities in 32 African countries endorse gender equality in employment. This is despite broad misperceptions to the contrary, and for good reason: this support is not turning into meaningful policy action. Between 2015 and 2020, 1 in 3 countries either made no progress on gender equality or went backwards.

Surprise, surprise: Women enjoy just 64% of the legal protections that men do, and no country provides true equal opportunity. The World Bank previously estimated that women had 77% of the protections of men – but recently adjusted this measure downward to account for childcare burdens and threats of violence as de facto blockers from employment. The news surprised literally no women. 🤷 Eliminating the gender opportunity gap in the next decade would essentially double the current global growth rate, raising global GDP by 20%.

Unjust climate: When average temperatures increase by just 1°C, female-led households’ incomes drop by 34% compared to those headed by men, according to a new study. Yet only 6% of 4,164 national climate adaptation plans even mention women. This dynamic makes women more vulnerable to climate risks, especially hunger. A rage-inducing 1 in 4 women and girls globally are already undernourished. The real kicker? Women produce up to 90% of the food consumed in impoverished, rural areas – but typically eat last and least in their households, because... sexism.

One-shot wonder: Donors pledged nearly US$600 million to combat cervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer in women globally. A woman dies from this disease every two minutes, amounting to 350,000 deaths in 2022. 90% of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. Yet an astonishing 70% of cervical cancer cases can be prevented by a single dose of a vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV).💥 The pledged funds will cover this one-shot wonder, plus screening and treatment.

Defining and despicable: Sudan’s resistance communities – many of which are led by women – are providing critical social services to the ravaged country. This is despite a vacuum of accessible humanitarian support and a constant threat of sexual violence – a “defining and despicable characteristic” of the conflict, according to the UN. The war has killed more than 13,000 people and pushed nearly 25 million people – half of Sudan’s population – into urgent need of food and medical aid. In times of crisis, women are pivotal and under-appreciated first responders, due in part to their overrepresentation in medical and care fields.

Cost of oppression: Ghana’s Finance Ministry warned that the country could lose US$3.8 billion in international financing if President Nana Akufo-Addo signs new anti-LGBT legislation into law. The proposed legislation, which prohibits queer and transgender activities and their promotion, was passed unanimously by Ghana’s parliament last month. There’s a high economic cost to oppression: Losing this financing would adversely affect Ghana’s foreign exchange reserves and rate stability, dealing a nasty blow to the Ghanaian cedi, which has struggled to stay afloat in recent years.

From the ONE Team

• ONE’s Micaela Iveson and Luca Picci explore the many hurdles women face, and how they fight for equality in a world built for men.

The numbers

• 150 million people could be lifted out of hunger if women had the same access to productive farming resources as men.
• 2.4 billion women of working age do not have the same economic opportunities as men.
• Women and girls spend 3x more hours on unpaid domestic labour than men and boys globally.

Quote of the week

"You strike a woman, you strike a rock."

–Proverb borne from apartheid-era South Africa.

What you should read, watch, and listen to:

Stories from ONE’s Data Journalism fellows, brought to you by the Africa Women’s Journalism Project:

• Jenifer Gilla looks at how climate change is driving increased gender violence against Maasai women. (IPP Media)
• Justina Asishana on the challenges people with disabilities face in Nigeria. (The Nation)
• Jenifer Gilla on how a women’s collective is turning waste into opportunity in Dar es Salaam. (Habitat Media)
• Justina Asishana explores how “brain drain” is undermining Niger State’s health system and contributing to the country's high maternal and child mortality rates. Her reporting prompted the Niger State governor to commit to expediting the hiring of additional doctors. (The Nation)

A look ahead

8-23 March: 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

11-22 March: 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York, US.

14 March: Policies for the Planet Conference 2024, virtual.

18 - 22 March: Global Days of Action on Tax Justice for Women's Rights.

The ONE Campaign’s data.one.org provides cutting edge data and analysis on the economic, political, and social changes impacting Africa. Check it out HERE.

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