Gender Equality and Sustainable Development

Abstract

The article discusses gender equality as an integral part of democratic values. It is a democratic state that should be based not only on political and social, but also on the idea of gender equality, which means ensuring equal rights and responsibilities, responsibilities and equal participation in socio-political life. The 5th goal of the United Nations-Sustainable Development is to ensure gender equality in society. Therefore, the Government of Georgia is actively working to ensure economic empowerment of women and equal economic opportunities in the country by 2030 and to protect the gender balance in the decision-making process. According to global studies, female potential is the least used economic resource in the world, and a pandemic exacerbates this problem. According to world studies, globally, the rate of job losses in women due to pandemics is about 1.8 times higher than the same rate in men. The article extensively covers additional risk factors for gender equality, such as poverty, as women often do not have access to adequate nutrition, fresh air, water, doctor visits, and housing. For example, the production of textiles is one of the most important polluting industries in the world. 90% of the employees in this field are women. Similarly, in Georgia, the majority of employees in garment factories are women. Our observations show that women earn an average of 400-500 GEL per month, in return for having to work hard, working overtime, which also increases their health risks. Similar problems exist in other industry conditions. For example, the city of Rustavi, where the degree of air pollution is 3-4 times higher than the allowable norms. That is why most women complain of weak immunity, various allergic and oncological diseases. It should also be noted that in Georgia, the integration of gender issues in the development of legislative policies, laws, strategies and programs does not happen often and, unfortunately, the state puts the interest of business profit ahead of the needs of society. The UN Office in Georgia has set up an Extended Gender Thematic Group (GTG) to achieve the goals and objectives set out in the 2021-2025 Partnership Agreement, which brings together all gender contacts and works to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in the country. Keywords: Gender equality, sustainable development, cooperation agreement, women's empowerment, women's rights.