Steps and Policies Incorporated by Different Countries to Promote and Empower Women in The Last Decade.

Apr 12

Over the past decade, the global movement for gender equality has gained significant momentum, with countries around the world implementing various steps and policies to empower and uplift women in all spheres of life. From legal reforms and education initiatives to economic incentives and political representation, governments have increasingly recognized the importance of fostering inclusive environments where women can thrive. This blog explores the diverse strategies adopted by different nations to promote women’s rights, showcasing how targeted efforts have led to meaningful progress—and where challenges still remain.

United States of America

Affordable Care Act

Over the last ten years, the U.S. has taken some big steps to support women and work towards equality. One big change was with the Affordable Care Act—it made sure that women could access things like regular health check-ups and birth control without having to worry about extra costs. The idea was to make healthcare more accessible and fair for everyone. On top of that, there was a push to make women's voices heard in government decisions. They set up the White House Council on Women and Girls and even appointed representatives to focus on women’s issues worldwide. There was also funding poured into testing old sexual assault kits, showing a commitment to fighting violence against women.

National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality

More recently, in 2021, the U.S. rolled out its first-ever National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, which had a big impact. The government got all departments on board to tackle things like economic challenges and discrimination that women face. There’s also been a focus on helping women succeed in business—whether it's getting funding, better education, or more opportunities. All in all, these moves have shown how America is actively working to promote and empower women all over.

Nigeria

Looking at the past decade, Nigeria has implemented various policies and initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women, whether by directly or indirectly targeting them at the female gender. Some of them have been moderately successful, while some are more dormant. Let’s use these two as an example:

National Gender Policy (NGP) of 2006 (Revised in 2021)

This was introduced in 2006 to promote gender equality across all sectors. In 2021, the policy was revised to strengthen its provisions and align with global commitments like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.

Like any policy, it has its main objectives: eliminating gender discrimination in politics, education, employment, & healthcare; addressing gender-based violence (GBV) & harmful traditional practices; and strengthening women’s land and property rights. It focuses on key areas like political participation & affirmative action (including a provision mandating 35% representation of women in government appointments [not legally binding though]), economic empowerment, education & health, and legal & social protection.

However, this has only achieved partial compliance. Only few out of the 36 states in the country have adopted the policy because the policy’s enforcement is generally weak, Women hold less than 7% of National Assembly seats, far below the 35% target, patriarchal norms limit women’s political and economic participation, and many gender programs suffer from poor budgetary allocations.

Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) of 2015

Signed into law on May 25, 2015, it was designed to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence in Nigeria, addressing gaps in existing laws that previously failed to protect women, girls, and other vulnerable groups adequately.

The VAPP Act was influenced by rising cases of domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriages, and harmful widowhood practices, particularly in rural communities. Before its enactment, Nigeria relied on state laws and outdated punitive measures that often failed to prosecute offenders effectively.

The VAPP Act criminalises a wide range of violent acts (like rape & sexual assault, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, child marriage, etc.) and provides legal protection, punishment for offenders, and support for survivors. Survivors can obtain court-issued restraining orders against abusers, and courts can order offenders to pay damages to survivors. The punishments vary from a minimum of 3 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment.

The Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development oversees the policy’s implementation. As of 2024, at least 34 states have domesticated the VAPP Act, meaning they have passed their versions and are actively enforcing the law. More women are reporting abuse due to GBV hotlines and advocacy by NGOs, and the police now have Gender Desks to handle GBV cases sensitively. Many women have been beneficiaries of this Act, which has empowered women to protect themselves from crimes against their gender, thus allowing them to function more freely in society.

Pakistan

While Pakistan has ways to go in terms of empowered women, the strides it has made cannot and should not be ignored. Despite the numerous cultural and legal difficulties, Pakistani women are succeeding and thriving in their newfound environment.

Legal Reforms and Legislation

Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act: First implemented in 2016, the Punjab Protection Act helped establish violence against women centers across the province and integrated police, medical, legal and shelter services for victims. The legislation helped protect millions of women from domestic violence and furthered their ability to flee their abusers safely and easily.

Criminal Law Amendment Act: Similarly, another act was introduced in 2016 which made honour killings a punishable offense without the possibility of family pardons. While long overdue and far too necessary, the act paved the way for murders to no longer be classified as justified and for victims to finally receive justice.

Economic Empowerment Initiatives

Ehsaas Kafalat Program: Launched in 2019, the ehsaas (empathy) program provides monthly stipends and savings accounts to 7 million low income women, ensuring both financial and digital liberation.

Women Entrepreneurship and SME Programs: To support women entrepreneurs, the State Bank introduced numerous policies offering concessional loans for women in specific. Moreover, the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority [SMEDA] further helped promote business incubation for women and helped provide financial independence for young Pakistani women.

United Kingdom

Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has made significant strides in promoting gender equality and empowering women through well-targeted policies. From narrowing the gender pay gap to supporting survivors of domestic abuse, the UK has demonstrated a clear commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable society. Two standout policies that have contributed to this positive change are the Gender Pay Gap Reporting Legislation and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Gender Pay Gap Reporting Legislation (2017)

In 2017, the UK became one of the first countries to introduce mandatory gender pay gap reporting for companies with over 250 employees. Under this legislation, employers are required to publish annual data on the differences in pay between male and female employees, including mean and median hourly pay, as well as bonus disparities.

The primary aim of this policy was transparency. By requiring companies to disclose pay data, the government encouraged public accountability and motivated firms to take action toward achieving greater pay equity and equal career advancement opportunities for women.

Impact:

The introduction of this policy sparked widespread conversations across industries. By 2023, 78% of UK companies reported that gender pay reporting had prompted internal reviews of their pay structures and recruitment practices. As a result, many companies introduced initiatives such as mentorship programs for women, bias-free hiring, and equal promotion pathways.

According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), the gender pay gap among full-time employees dropped from 9.1% in 2017 to 7.7% in 2023, marking steady progress though there’s still work to be done.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021

Introduced in April 2021, the Domestic Abuse Act marked a major step forward in protecting women and survivors of abuse. The law expanded the legal definition of domestic abuse to include emotional, coercive, and economic abuse, not just physical violence. It also established the role of a Domestic Abuse Commissioner, responsible for monitoring institutional responses and driving improvements across agencies.

Importantly, the Act placed a legal duty on local authorities in England to provide support services, such as safe accommodation, for survivors, many of whom are women and children fleeing dangerous environments.

Impact:

In its first year alone, more than 33,000 people accessed safe accommodation through the new framework. The broader definition of abuse empowered many survivors particularly women to seek help and protection who may not have qualified for assistance under previous laws.

Additionally, by 2023, over £125 million was allocated toward services like emergency housing, trauma counseling, and support programs for children affected by domestic violence.

This policy not only offered legal and physical safety, but also acknowledged the multidimensional nature of abuse. It reinforced the principle that women deserve protection, dignity, and resources to rebuild their lives.

In conclusion, the past decade has seen the United Kingdom make meaningful progress in its efforts to empower women through targeted legislation. The Gender Pay Gap Reporting policy has increased transparency and driven corporate accountability, allowing women to challenge unjust pay structures and gain better access to leadership roles. Meanwhile, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 has redefined how the nation supports survivors, making crucial services more accessible and comprehensive.

Although challenges like workplace inequality and gender-based violence persist, these measures have laid a strong foundation for continued progress. They reflect a larger commitment to ensuring that women across the UK are not only protected but positioned to thrive in every sphere of life.

Germany

Strong for the Future (2020)

Gender equality is enshrined in Germany’s constitution. An article within the Basic Law says that men and women have the same rights. Governing parties of the federal government agreed to both promote and work on gender equality. The agreement said that equality between men and women must be achieved within the decade. In order to do this, the government created the 2020 “Strong for the Future” strategy, unveiled by then Families Minister Franziska Giffey. Within this strategy are nine goals. These goals include improving employment opportunities for women, reducing the pay gap and pension gap between men and women - making sure to keep in mind the likelihood that women were working part-time hours due to family commitments. The plan also aims to increase the number of women holding management positions, such as by requiring executive boards with four or more members to include at least one woman. In addition to this, the law required that women should make up 30% of supervisory boards, expanded to apply to 600 German companies rather than the then current 105. The CDU party also committed to filling half of the key party positions by 2025.

Maternity Protection Act

Another piece of German legislation is the Maternity Protection Act, also known as “Mutterschutz”. This law outlines rights and protections expecting and new mothers are entitled to. It helps ensure that mothers are able to prioritize their health and well-being of newborns, without the fears of losing a job or other workplace discrimination. A key part of this is the eligibility, because all you have to do to qualify for this is to be employed in Germany, with no requirement for being full-time (even part-time and temporary are covered). Additionally, this also extends to trainees and apprentices (although freelance and self-employed women are not covered). Standard maternity leave duration is 14 weeks, covering 6 weeks before the due date and 8 weeks after birth, although special considerations can be made for premature and multiple births. For example, if you give birth to twins, the post-delivery portion of your leave is extended to 12 weeks. There is the option to choose whether you work during the pre-birth time of the leave, although the 8 week post-birth period of leave is mandatory. Recommendations made by doctors to start the leave earlier due to complications or making the leave period longer, and this is generally respected and accepted. Another aspect of this is the maternity allowance, which provides financial support aimed at helping your day-to-day expenses while not working. To qualify for this piece, you must be under statutory health insurance and have worked for your employer for at least 12 weeks before the due date. If privately insured or not eligible for the statutory insurance you may still be eligible for a lower amount of assistance from the German Federal Insurance Office. There are also other assistance options available like parental allowance (Elterngeld) and the child allowance (Kindergeld).

Furthermore, supporting women is a key priority within Germany’s foreign and development policy. According to the German government, this follows from the conviction that women and girls are particularly important for a country to make progress. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has committed that from 2025 onwards, 93% of all BMZ funding will either directly or indirectly benefit gender equality.