As delegates meet at the UN for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the state of equality for many women in the world remains dire. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Index shows the world at about 69% of the way to achieving gender parity, and at the current trend, needing a staggering 123 years for full equality to be achieved. Few countries are moving forward at a pace, with analysis carried out ahead of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women warning that women’s rights are regres...
As delegates meet at the UN for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the state of equality for many women in the world remains dire. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Index shows the world at about 69% of the way to achieving gender parity, and at the current trend, needing a staggering 123 years for full equality to be achieved. Few countries are moving forward at a pace, with analysis carried out ahead of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women warning that women’s rights are regressing in many contexts, as laws have been reshaped to restrict women’s freedoms, silence their voices and allow abuse without consequence. In this week’s episode we take stock of the huge gap for women achieving equality and fair access to justice, seeing where we may hone in with our intentions and prayers. We explore what’s behind the global backsliding, including legal barriers and threats from restrictive laws and technology, and in a specific case that will resonate with many of our listeners, assess the disproportionate impact on women inherent in the SAVE Act legislation currently being proposed in the USA.
Intentions and prayers start at 25 minutes 16 seconds.
Suggested Intention Focus for this week
This week, as we reflect on the reversal of moves toward women achieving equality with men in many countries, we suggest holding as our main intention:
We will that all who have influence within UN member nation governments and their justice systems to implement and uphold equality protections will be moved and guided by the pleas of UN Women to ensure and strengthen access to justice for all women and girls.
Please join us in holding this.
Find out about UN Women and the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/in-focus/the-70th-session-of-the-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women-csw70
Chapter markers
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:02 Analyzing Global Gender Equality Trends
00:03:00 A Brief History of Women’s Day
00:04:05 Current Gender Equality Gains and Setbacks
00:08:39 Voting Rights and Women’s Representation
00:12:06 Barriers to Justice for Women
00:14:34 Understanding Backsliding in Women’s Rights
00:18:04 The Importance of Gender Equality
00:19:51 Emerging Issues in Gender Equality
00:20:36 The Need for Mindset Change
00:25:16 Intentions and Prayers
00:31:39 Closing Thoughts and Community Connection
Sources referenced in this episode:
https://www.refworld.org/document-sources/un-entity-gender-equality-and-empowerment-women-unwomen
https://research.un.org/en/CSW
https://docs.un.org/en/E/CN.6/2026/3
https://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/html/beijing30-taking-stock-progress-gender-equality-using-global-state
https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/iwd/106417888
https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2025/in-full/benchmarking-gender-gaps-2025/
https://www.edge-cert.org/article/wef-publishes-global-gender-gap-report-2025/
https://equalmeasures2030.org/2024-sdg-gender-index/
https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167081
https://www.statista.com/statistics/244387/the-global-gender-gap-index/
https://www.icj.org/hrc35-srijl-srvaw/
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/gender-snapshot/2025/
https://desapublications.un.org/publications/gender-snapshot-2025
https://19thnews.org/2025/04/save-act-house-voting/
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/sep/07/joe-biden/are-women-disproportionately-impacted-voter-id-law/
https://www.eui.eu/research-hub?id=feminist-judgments-in-central-and-eastern-europe-as-a-response-to-gendered-democratic-backsliding
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000396066
https://www.ijraset.com/best-journal/global-covid19-research-networks-collaboration-and-authorship-trends-2024-2025
https://edintegrity.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s40979-025-00187-6
https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5475
https://knepublishing.com/index.php/KnE-Social/article/view/19403
https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2025/
Join us in person for intention holding:
https://www.legacylabyrinthproject.org/events-1 Labyrinth Activist Network Zoom calls
https://insighttimer.com/cliverj Daily intention holding with Clive on Insight Timer.
Our websites:
www.heartfulimpact.com/ Our show website.
https://globalhealingresponse.com/ Global Healing Response ~ Offers a wealth of prayers, suggested practices and prompts in response to environmental catastrophe, conflict, and other world events.
https://www.legacylabyrinthproject.org/ Legacy Labyrinth Project ~ Creating global energetic connections through the labyrinth; inspiring active intention sending using the labyrinth via labyrinth activism.
https://www.clivejohnsonministry.com/ Clive Johnson Ministry ~ Events and offerings aimed at building beloved community, including weekly energy holding vigils and Power of Eight group.
https://insighttimer.com/cliverj ~ Daily intention holding.
Impact! Is presented by Ellen Bintz and Clive Johnson. It is produced by Impact Productions.
Our show content is hosted by Podbean and available from all major podcast platforms.
Our theme music is by Chris Collins. indiemusicbox.com.
Our logo artwork is by AltoClassic (Getty Images/istock).
Contact us via Facebook Messenger from the Impact! Facebook group, or using any of the contact methods mentioned on our websites.
Impact! www.heartfulimpact.com.
