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Women's contributions to the global environmental movement are widely viewed. In its 1988 report titled "Our Common Future," “the World Commission on Environment and Development made a connection between the environmental crisis and unsustainable development.And financial practices that were widening the North-South gap, with women accounting for the majority of the poor and illiterate people in the world.” In almost every nation, women share “primary responsibility for household management, child care, and nutrition. Additionally, they are involved in environmental management.” Women hold significant positions as farmers, animal handlers, and collectors of fuel and water in the majority of developing nations. However, despite their roles, women are underrepresented in local, national, and international decision-making processes related to environmental and development issues.

Active roles played by women in SDG Policies

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2015, as the agreed-upon framework for international development.”[1]

“The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)” are its predecessors. The 2030 Agenda, on the other hand, presents a much broader scope than the MDGs “by deliberately and more fully incorporating economic and environmental sustainability, as well as the aspiration of many nations for peaceful and inclusive societies. This is in contrast to the MDGs.In addition, the agenda applies to all nations as opposed to just developing nations.”

“The UN Women Communications and Advocacy Section in New York” examined the implications of the “17 SDGs for women in order to inform strategic interventions based on the principles of localization at the country and regional levels.In this publication, this study has been compiled and linked to priorities of the UN Women Eastern and Southern Africa Regional and Country Office.The following examples provide specific examples of programming interventions that are pro-led in relation to particular SDGs and the potential for those streams of interventions to lead to localization efforts by UN Women country offices in the region.In order to identify work streams that contribute to the localization of sustainable development objectives, all annual reports submitted by regional, multi-office, and country offices have been analyzed..”[2]

Women actively participated in the “Rio Earth Summit process”, which resulted in the inclusion of a “chapter on women and sustainable development as well as over one hundred references and recommendations” “regarding women in the final agreement known as Agenda 21”.[3]The United Nations has focused its efforts “on the environment, population, human rights, poverty, and gender, as well as the connections between these topics, since the 1992 Rio Summit, the 1993 Human Rights Conference, the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, the 1995 Social Summit, and the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women.”[4]

“Empowerment, full participation, and equality for women were emphasized “at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in September 1995” as the foundations for peace and sustainable development.” The arrangement additionally recognizes that economic advancement approaches that don't include ladies and men the same won't prevail over the long haul. [5]

All such steps that being taken formulate the idea of “role of women in sustainable development.” The reference to women has also been given in various conferences related to women. This also states the necessity of gender equality not only for women empowerment but, also for “achieving the sustainable development goals.” Hence, the requirement for the same stands in achieving all the SDGs some of them are directly related to welfare of the women in society.

Goal for women empowerment: SDG 5

Apart from all the discussions, the UN has one major goal that only focuses on gender equality. Not only is gender equality “a fundamental human right”, but it is “also a prerequisite for a world that is peaceful, prosperous, and long-lasting.”[6] Over the past few decades, there has been progress: In order to advance gender equality, “more women are serving in parliament and other leadership positions, more girls are attending school, and fewer girls are forced into early marriage.”

Numerous obstacles remain despite these advancements: “Women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of political leadership, discriminatory laws and social norms persist, and one in five women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 report experiencing physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner within the past year.” To have a look on all such situations, there are indicators that have been inculcated to look after all the circumstances.

Gender equality and women's rights have made only modest progress, but the COVID-19 pandemic could reverse that.Inequalities that already exist for women and girls are exacerbated by the coronavirus outbreak in “every sphere, from health and the economy to security and social protection.”

Sustainable development, according to the United Nations Development Programme, is one in which people are empowered rather than marginalized, the environment is regenerated rather than destroyed, and economic growth is distributed fairly. The poor are given priority by development, which expands their options and opportunities and allows them to participate in decisions that affect their lives.[7]

The current patterns of economic development and globalization, which benefit men more than women, are causing environmental degradation and widening the wealth gap, which worries many women's groups. “The imperatives of the global economy appear to be outrunning the post-Rio agenda five years later," reads one report from the “Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO).”The issue at hand is how to bring them closer together. Gender-sensitive research in this area is being demanded by women. In addition, they are advocating “for increased access to land, credit, education, technology, and information so that women can participate in the same manner as men in major decisions that have an impact on their lives and the lives of all other life on Earth.”[8]

Positive facets for poverty, hunger and health

The United Nations has stated some of the information via surveys and researches that state the role of women in achieving SDGs. The three aspects of poverty, hunger and health are related to women primarily. These are the three of all the goals of sustainable development. The researchers suggest for some of the data bases too that help in understanding the role of women. The end of gender-based discrimination is the only way to end poverty. Gender inequality causes and perpetuates poverty worldwide, denying women “basic rights and opportunities for well-being.”

“Women make significant contributions every day”, whether it's providing for their families and elders, creating jobs as an entrepreneur, or bringing in an income for their household. However, because she does not “have the same access to seeds, credit, technology, and extension services as a man farmer, a woman farmer may not be able to ensure the success of her crops. She probably won't own her land because only 20% of landowners worldwide are women.”

In households all over the world, women prepare up to 90% of the food, but “when times are tough, women and girls may eat less first.” Because women earn less and are less prepared to deal with sudden crises, households led by women may not eat enough.Quality food is just as important as quantity when it comes to nourishment. Women may be “less likely to receive the nutrients they require, including those necessary to manage the physical demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding, in poor households. To drive these deprivations, gender inequality intersects with inadequate health care, inadequate education, and limited income.”

Food inequalities contrast with women's significant contribution to agricultural production. In developing nations, they make up 43% of the agricultural workforce on average. In order to fulfil the right “to health, health systems must fully respond to women and girls” by providing services that are of higher quality, more comprehensive, and easily accessible. All forms of gender-based violence, among other practices that seriously threaten women's health and well-being, must be eradicated from society as a whole.[1]

AIDS is currently the “leading cause of death worldwide among women of reproductive age.” Not just are ladies naturally more vulnerable to “HIV transmission,” yet entirely their inconsistent social and monetary status undermines capacities to safeguard themselves and go with enabled decisions. All such circumstances count in development of women and their role that they play for eradicating health issues, poverty and hunger.

Role in economic and other increments

Some progress has been made in all the sectors regarding women. “Twenty years ago, 40% of women were employed for wages and salaries; today, wages are available to 48% of women. However, women continue to work at lower rates than men worldwide. Gender stereotypes frequently define what "women's work" is and cansteer women toward undesirable occupations.” At least 90% of the 143 nations surveyed have some kind of legal restriction on the employment of women.

Everyone benefits from economies that prioritize “women's rights and gender equality, such as more equitable societies and increased economic dynamism. Equal access to decent work, productive resources, and financial services, as well as a voice in economic decisions, must be available to women.”"“gender discrimination can coexist with other forms of discrimination, such as age, disability, ethnicity, economic status, and so on, substantially increasing inequality. In many instances, social norms that treat women as second-class citizens result in structural barriers to progress, such as laws that do not punish those who commit gender-based violence. Or budgets that do not cover the most important services for women.”

1. ‘The 17 Goals’ (SDGS) 2. Prajal Pradhan, ‘A systematic study of sustainable development goal (SDG) Interactions’ (2017) 5(11) AGU 3. ‘Agenda 21’ (Sustainable development) 4. ‘International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)’ (UNFPA, 5 September 1994) 5. ‘The Fourth World Conference on Women met in Beijing in September’ (FMPRC) 6. ‘Achieve gender equality and empower women and girls’ (SDG Tracker) 7. ‘Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’ (United Nations) 8. SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’ (Congress of local and Regional Authorities) 9. SheebaPakkan, ‘A correlation study of sustainable development goals interactions’ (2022) 10. ‘Indigenous peoples: Defending on Environment for all’ (IISD)