Patriarchy Is Regaining Ground: UN Chief Warns of Unprecedented Threats to Women's Rights

On March 11, 2024, at the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a shocking warning: “Patriarchy is far from vanquished; it is regaining ground.” This was not diplomatic rhetoric, but a stark assessment of the global state of women’s rights. From the Taliban’s gender apartheid to America’s abortion bans, from online hate to political exclusion, women are losing hard-won rights.

Evidence of Global Rollback

Alarming Statistics

The data Guterres presented paints a dark picture:

• Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed by an intimate partner or family member
• Global poverty increasingly has a “woman’s face”
• Maternal mortality is rising in some regions
• Child marriage outpaces population growth
• Women parliamentarians comprise only 26.7% of global legislators

At the current pace, achieving gender equality will take 300 years.

Afghanistan: Extreme Case of Gender Apartheid

Since the Taliban’s return to power, over 50 decrees have been issued to suppress women’s and girls’ rights:

• Banning girls from secondary and higher education
• Prohibiting women from working (with minimal exceptions)
• Forbidding women from traveling alone
• Banning women from parks and gyms
• Requiring head-to-toe covering
• Prohibiting women from appearing on television

Guterres called this “systematic gender apartheid,” blatant oppression of half the population.

United States: Democratic Backsliding

Even in the supposed beacon of democracy, women’s rights are in sharp decline:

• 14 states have implemented near-total abortion bans
• 28 states have restricted abortion rights
• The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending 50 years of constitutional protection
• Transgender rights face unprecedented legislative attacks

Global Trends

Patriarchal resurgence is not limited to specific regions:

Europe

• Poland and Hungary restricting abortion rights
• Anti-gender movements rising in multiple countries
• Far-right parties leveraging anti-feminist agendas for support

Latin America

• Nicaragua and El Salvador completely banning abortion
• Women imprisoned for miscarriages
• Femicide rates surging

Asia

• India’s persistent high rates of sexual violence
• Japan and Korea’s severe workplace gender discrimination
• China’s increased “leftover women” discourse pressure

Africa

• Female genital cutting still prevalent
• Child marriage rates remaining high
• Conflict-related sexual violence increasing

Autocrats and Populists’ “Traditional Values” Agenda

Weaponizing “Traditional Values”

Guterres specifically noted that autocrats and populists are promoting so-called “traditional values” to attack women’s rights:

Russia

• Decriminalizing domestic violence
• Banning “LGBTQ+ propaganda”
• Promoting “traditional family values”

Brazil

• Bolsonaro attacking gender education
• Cutting women’s health programs
• Denying gender violence

Turkey

• Withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention (preventing domestic violence)
• Restricting women’s clothing choices
• Encouraging women to bear children rather than work

Rise of Religious Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism across religions is attacking women’s rights:

• Christian fundamentalism driving anti-abortion laws in the US
• Islamic fundamentalism restricting women’s freedom in the Middle East
• Hindu nationalism attacking women’s autonomy in India
• Buddhist extremism marginalizing women in Myanmar and Sri Lanka

Digital Spaces as New Battlegrounds

Proliferation of Online Hate

Digital technology has become patriarchy’s new tool:

• 87% of women experience online harassment
• Deepfake pornography targeting women politicians and activists
• Coordinated harassment campaigns silencing women’s voices
• Algorithms amplifying sexist content

Abuse of Surveillance Technology

• Period tracking app data used for prosecution
• Location tracking monitoring women seeking abortions
• Facial recognition enforcing dress codes
• Social media surveillance of feminist activists

Deepening Economic Inequality

COVID-19’s Disproportionate Impact

The pandemic exacerbated gender inequality:

• Women’s unemployment higher than men’s
• Unpaid care work dramatically increased
• Domestic violence cases surged
• Girl’s school dropout rates rose

Labor Market Discrimination

• Global gender pay gap at 20%
• Women overrepresented in informal economy
• Glass ceilings remain firmly in place
• Motherhood penalty pervasive

Persistent Political Exclusion

Underrepresentation

Despite progress, women remain marginalized in politics:

• Only 13 countries have women heads of state
• 26.7% of parliamentary seats held by women
• Even fewer women leaders in local government
• Women frequently excluded from peace negotiations

Violence Against Women Politicians

• Surging online harassment and threats
• Physical attacks and assassination attempts
• Gendered smear campaigns
• Family members threatened

Weaponization of Sexual Violence in Conflict

Systematic Rape as War Tactic

Guterres emphasized that sexual violence is rising in global conflicts:

• Ukraine reporting Russian forces’ sexual violence
• Mass rape in Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict
• Myanmar military’s sexual violence against Rohingya women
• Ongoing crises in Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo

Culture of Impunity

• Perpetrators rarely prosecuted
• Victims stigmatized and marginalized
• Justice systems failing to deliver
• International community’s inadequate response

Rise of Resistance Movements

Global Feminist Awakening

Despite setbacks, resistance movements are growing:

Iran’s “Woman, Life, Freedom” Movement

• Challenging mandatory hijab
• Demanding regime change
• Inspiring global solidarity

Latin America’s Green Wave

• Fighting for abortion legalization
• Opposing gender violence
• Building transnational coalitions

#MeToo’s Continuing Impact

• Continuing to expose sexual violence
• Driving legal reforms
• Changing cultural norms

Young Generation’s Leadership

Gen Z and millennial women are leading change:

• Using social media to organize
• Refusing to accept inequality
• Creating new forms of resistance
• Building intersectional movements

UN Response and Recommendations

Guterres’ Call to Action

The Secretary-General outlined specific steps:

Invest in Women and Girls

• Increase education funding
• Support women’s entrepreneurship
• Provide social protection
• Ensure health service access

Reform Discriminatory Laws

• Repeal laws restricting women
• Enact equality legislation
• Enforce existing protections
• Hold violators accountable

Increase Women’s Leadership

• Quotas and affirmative action
• Support women candidates
• Address structural barriers
• Create safe political spaces

End Gender-Based Violence

• Resource survivors
• Prosecute perpetrators
• Change social norms
• Engage men in prevention

2030 Goals

The UN reaffirms commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality):

• End all forms of discrimination
• Eliminate violence against women
• Ensure sexual and reproductive health rights
• Recognize unpaid care work
• Ensure equal participation in leadership

Reasons for Hope

Irreversible Consciousness

Despite setbacks, certain changes are irreversible:

• Women won’t accept returning to the past
• Young generations reject patriarchal norms
• Global solidarity stronger than ever
• Digital tools make organizing easier

Economic Imperative

Gender equality is not just a moral imperative:

• Gender equality could increase global GDP by 26%
• Women’s leadership in companies improves profitability
• Women’s education boosts economic growth
• Gender diversity drives innovation

Arc of History

History shows progress, though not linear, has a clear direction:

• Women’s suffrage now nearly universal
• Education gaps closing
• Legal equality expanding
• Social norms evolving

Urgency for Action

Tipping Point

We are at a critical moment:

• Can consolidate gains or lose them
• Can advance or regress decades
• Can build equality or deepen injustice
• Can choose justice or accept oppression

Everyone’s Responsibility

Achieving gender equality requires everyone:

Governments must:

• Enact and enforce equality laws
• Fund gender equality programs
• Ensure women’s participation
• Hold violators accountable

Businesses should:

• Ensure equal pay
• Promote women’s leadership
• Provide family-friendly policies
• Address harassment

Individuals can:

• Challenge sexism
• Support women leaders
• Educate others
• Vote for equality

Conclusion: Fighting for Our Rights

Guterres’ warning is clear: patriarchy is not dead, it’s adapting, evolving, and fighting back. From the Taliban’s extremism to America’s abortion bans, from online harassment to political violence, the attacks on women’s rights are real, coordinated, and dangerous.

But history tells us that every time patriarchy tries to reassert control, women fight back — and harder. Today’s resistance movements, from Iran’s streets to America’s ballot boxes, from Latin America’s Green Wave to Africa’s #MeToo movements, show the unstoppable force of change.

As Guterres said: “Gender equality is not a favor to women. When women’s rights flourish, the whole world benefits.”

The fight is not over. In fact, it may have just begun. But one thing is certain: patriarchy may be regaining ground, but it faces the strongest, most united, most determined global feminist movement in history.

The future doesn’t belong to those who want to push women back into the past. It belongs to those fighting for equality, justice, and freedom — for everyone.

This article is based on the UN Secretary-General’s speech at the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women