At the current pace of progress, full gender parity will not be achieved until 2158 – nearly five generations from now – according to the World Economic Forum.
This year, the call to Accelerate Action highlights the urgency of dismantling systemic barriers and biases that hinder gender equality. It is a rallying cry for decisive steps to ensure equal opportunities for women in both their personal and professional lives.
In the Euro-Mediterranean region, the escalating effects of climate change – rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation – exacerbate existing inequalities. Women, who already face structural barriers in land ownership, healthcare access, agricultural resources, and decision-making, are disproportionately affected. In conflict-prone areas, climate change acts as a stress multiplier, driving displacement and instability. Researchers have identified “ecomigration” – climate-induced migration – as a significant source of both physical and psychological hardship, with women being particularly vulnerable.
