Gender Equality Under Siege: The Unpublished Reports and Global Backlash

International efforts to promote women's rights face a setback as four critical reports remain unpublished, a U.N. document reveals. This delay, part of what experts label a global backlash against gender equality, includes a marked drop in funding for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

With a $60 million decrease in voluntary funding this year, partly due to U.S. foreign aid cuts, the U.N. has stalled 13 human rights reports, four focused on women. This has halted initiatives to refine policies combatting domestic violence and discrimination, critical areas needing attention, according to human rights advocates.

Echoing concerns, U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk highlighted the damaging effects on human rights protection due to funding challenges. In response, the U.N. calls for a reassessment of financial priorities, as rising global efforts threaten to sideline gender equality at a policy level.

(With inputs from agencies.)