Tlaleng Mofokeng: Gender discrimination is holding everyone back

Development strategies recognise the pivotal role of women — but neglect to systemically protect them from sexual violence, and provide medical/legal systems which do not effectively re-victimise survivors. Picture: istockphoto.com

Equality is the key to development because, for as long as women are merely struggling to survive, they and their communities will never truly thrive, writes Tlaleng Mofokeng

The main barrier to global development is not hunger and it’s not disease. It is gender-based discrimination and violence. That is why achieving United Nations sustainable development goal 5 — gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls — is a prerequisite for progress on the other 16 SDGs.