Certificates for girls and boys aged – in Ntui and Yoko, Cameroon. In this photo, two girls proudly display their newly issued birth certificates, opening the doors for them to attend school, take national exams and apply for a national ID cardPhoto: © Ryan Brown/UN WomenDespite these advances and constitutional guarantees, a report by the African Development Bank, ECA and UN Women revealed that the continent scored % on the Africa Gender Index, which measures the status of gender equality in of the African countries. The score indicates a significant gender disparity in critical areas of development, revealing that more work needs to be done to ensure that all women have equal rights.

This situation has worsened with

Which threatens to roll back the progress made towards gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa. The impact of the pandemic has been serious in relation to SDG , as the virus has aggravated pre-existing gender inequalities. Hong Kong Phone Number List Furthermore, restrictions on mobility, the interruption of programs to end gender-based violence, COVID–induced stress and the negative impact on household incomes have led to an increase in reports of gender violence around the world, including in Africa.

The UN Women report Measuring the

Shadow pandemic Violence against women during COVID-, based on data from a survey conducted in countries, revealed that almost in women reported that they or a woman they knew had suffered some form of violence since the outbreak Iran Phone Number List of the COVID- pandemic. The United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA ) also warned in its studies that the pandemic could lead to some million more child marriages in years and two million more cases of female genital mutilation. Gender-based violence not only harms women and girls, but society as a whole, and also any prospect of achieving all the SDGs by , as well as Agenda