Progress of the World's Women 2019-2020: Families in a Changing World

"Around the world, we are witnessing concerted efforts to deny women's agency and their right to make their own decisions in the name of protecting 'family values'. Yet, we know through research and evidence that there is no 'standard' form of family, nor has there ever been." - UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Drawing on global, regional, and national data, this report from UN Women proposes an agenda for key policy actors - including gender equality advocates, national governments, and international agencies - to make human rights a reality for all women and girls, no matter what kind of family they live in. The report approaches families as institutions where both cooperation (solidarity and love) and conflict (inequality and violence) can coexist. It is based on the premise that understanding the gender dynamics of families and the diversity of forms they take across regions, over time, and even within women's and men's own lifetimes is essential for good policymaking.

The report analyses issues such as family laws, employment, unpaid care work, violence against women, and families and migration. It draws on insights from feminist economics to explain how unequal outcomes within families are influenced by family members' unequal bargaining power - for example, in the sharing of resources or the division of unpaid care and domestic work - and proposes solutions.

Interspersed throughout the report are various case studies, such as one focused on SASA!, a community mobilisation intervention that was started by a non-government organisation (NGO) in Uganda called Raising Voices. In addition to focusing on the dynamics of, and communication patterns within, individual relationships, it works to change community attitudes, norms, and behaviours that result in gender inequality, violence, and increased HIV vulnerability for women.

As suggested by that example, while the report identifies governments as the principal actors, duty bearers, and champions of gender equality and women’s rights, other key agents of change also have a role to play. Chief among these are women's rights and feminist organisations, which have effected change by, for instance, building alliances with labour unions, faith organisations, and the private sector to modify and implement laws and policies that advance gender equality within and outside the family.

Specifically, the report calls on policymakers, activists, and the public to transform families into places of equality and justice, where women can exercise choice and voice, and where they have physical safety and economic security. Some of the recommendations put forth by the report to achieve this include:

• Establish family laws that recognise diversity and promote equality and non-discrimination.
• Ensure high-quality, accessible public services to support families and gender equality.
• Guarantee women's access to an adequate, independent income.
• Support families to care by providing time, money, and services.
• Prevent and respond to violence against women in families.
• Implement policies and regulations that support migrant families and women's rights.
• Invest in gender-sensitive statistics on families and households.
• Ensure resources are in place for family-friendly policies.

An analysis produced for this report found that most countries could implement a package of policies, including income support throughout the life course, healthcare, and care services for children and older persons for less than 5% of GDP. Thus, for UN Women, when families are places of equality and justice, economies and societies thrive and can unlock the full potential of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).