UNICEF warns of USD 160 trillion human capital loss if gender equality goals are not implemented.

The world, including India, is falling behind in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5, which focuses on gender equality, and the consequences could result in a USD 160 trillion human capital loss, UNICEF warned on Friday. Although enrolment in primary schools has reached record highs in India and around the globe, the numbers sharply decline in higher classes, Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF’s India representative, said. She urged stakeholders to reimagine solutions that address transport barriers, school infrastructure, and poverty-linked dropouts.

“We still have miles to go. For example, Sustainable Development Goal number five is off track around the world, including in India. And the fact, that it is not implemented means that there is a potential loss of human capital that is a staggering USD 160 trillion, which is twice the value of the global GDP. It’s not a cost that we can afford, and it is preventable“, she said.

McCaffrey has stressed that India has made remarkable strides in women’s empowerment, calling it “the place to be” for global partnerships that aim to accelerate change. She welcomed India’s budgetary increase for women-focused initiatives — from 6.8% last year to nearly 9% in the 2025-2026 Union Budget — as well as the landmark constitutional amendment reserving one-third of legislative seats for women. “That’s empowering 1.5 million women, the largest cohort of women political leaders in the world“, she said.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations and UNICEF, McCaffrey also acknowledged schemes that have impacted more than 100 million rural women through access to credit, livelihood training, and financial literacy. “This supports women’s economic independence but also uplifts entire families and communities”, she said.

While citing examples of grassroots innovation, she praised two schoolgirls from Chhattisgarh — Anjali and Kavita — who built a robotic pipe-cleaning machine to improve safety for sanitation workers. They brought their studies to life with support from their school’s Atal Tinkering Lab and partners like UNICEF. Kavita said, “I can dream bigger. That’s what this is all about“, McCaffrey said. Calling India’s National Education Policy 2020 an “enabling environment”, she urged further investment to keep girls in school and ensure comprehensive learning.

Team Maverick