Keynote by Thoraya Obaid

Gender Economic Equity and the SDG 2030 Agenda: Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond We are within the final decade of the SDG 2030 Agenda and far short of attaining the targets. Since Goal 5 – Women’s economic empowerment cuts across all of the SDGs, “We will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals if there is no accelerated action to empower women economically” (United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, March 2017). The challenge therefore is to identify and implement policy solutions to address gender inequities, since “eliminating gender inequities can lead to faster economic growth” (IMF, 2017) and improve social, health, and political outcomes for T20 countries and globally. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic is sharply increasing income gaps and structural inequities across the globe with devastating economic and social implications for women and girls. The goal of this session is to highlight the inter-sectionalities and importance of gender economic equity across the SDGs, particularly as we work on policy responses to address the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, the discussion will identify key issues, propose solutions, and draw from lessons of experience where relevant.