Women empowerment and sustainable development

Women, who make up more than half the world’s population, have always been – and remain – the deciding influence on the quality of life and well-being of their families and communities. Although they continue to be represented excessively among the world’s most accessible groups, as admittance to resources and power remains greatly distorted towards men. Women empowerment is a goal in its own right but also a key factor for sustainable economic improvement, social advancement and environmental sustainability.
Gender equality and women's empowerment are human rights that lie at the heart of development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The centrality of women’s empowerment and the realization of women’s rights in achieving sustainable development have been increasingly recognized in recent decades. This recognition is evident in a number of international norms and agreements, International norms and standards on women’s and girls’ human rights and gender equality provide a solid basis for advancing action to strengthen the vital role of women in achieving sustainable development.
This paper focuses on women’s empowerment as a key process in reaching gender equality and, through that, sustainable development. It first discusses the concepts of women’s empowerment and sustainable development and shows how both are inter-linked through the lens of intra and inter-generational justice.