Why gender equality is key to sustainable development

The authors assert that inclusive sustainable development is impossible without protecting gender equality, noting that women are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change due to lack of land rights and income. They argue that women's firsthand knowledge of water, food, and energy challenges makes them critical leaders for climate-change mitigation and sustainable development decision-making.

• Gender equality is a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for any society to develop economically, politically, or socially, as marginalizing half the population hinders overall progress.
• Women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and unsustainable practices because they frequently lack independent income or land rights, and often bear the primary responsibility for providing food and water for their families.
• Because women are central to the household management of water, food, and energy, they possess unique insights and solutions that should place them at the forefront of decision-making for climate-change mitigation and sustainable development.
• Climate change and unsustainable development patterns pose a risk that could erase the progress made in recent decades, necessitating urgent action from both developed and developing nations.

APA

Robinson, M., Figueres, C., & Mohammed, A. J. (2015). Why gender equality is key to sustainable development. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-gender-equality-is-integral-to-sustainable-development/

Chicago

Robinson, Mary, Christiana Figueres, and Amina J. Mohammed. Why gender equality is key to sustainable development. World Economic Forum, 2015. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-gender-equality-is-integral-to-sustainable-development/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Robinson |first1=Mary |last2=Figueres |first2=Christiana |last3=Mohammed |first3=Amina J. |title=Why gender equality is key to sustainable development |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=10 March 2015 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-gender-equality-is-integral-to-sustainable-development/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{robinson2015why, author = {Robinson, Mary and Figueres, Christiana and Mohammed, Amina J.}, title = {{Why gender equality is key to sustainable development}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/why-gender-equality-is-integral-to-sustainable-development/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }