BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SDG 5

Argentina has developed an extensive legal and institutional framework addressing gender equality and women’s rights. Over the past decades, the country has adopted measures concerning political participation, gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and equality in employment, making gender equality an important part of its public policy agenda.

Political participation represents one of Argentina’s areas of progress. Gender quotas and subsequent parity legislation have increased women’s presence in national political institutions. The country has also adopted significant legislation on gender-based violence and reproductive health, including the legalisation of abortion in 2020.

Nevertheless, important inequalities continue to affect women’s lives. Women face unequal access to economic opportunities, a disproportionate share of unpaid care work, and persistent gender-based violence. Economic and social inequalities can further increase these disadvantages, particularly for women in vulnerable situations.

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Domestic and sexual violence remain significant concerns in Argentina, with femicide continuing to represent one of the most severe forms of gender-based violence. Although the country has developed legislation and support mechanisms, ensuring effective prevention, protection, and access to justice remains an important challenge.

Women also continue to face disadvantages in the labour market. Female labour-force participation remains lower than men’s, while women are more likely to work in informal or lower-paid employment. The unequal distribution of household and care responsibilities can further affect career progression and economic independence.

The country has also experienced important changes in the area of reproductive rights and political participation. The legalisation of abortion in 2020 marked a major legislative development, while gender parity measures have increased women’s representation in political institutions. These reforms provide an opportunity to examine how changes in legislation can contribute to broader and more substantive gender equality.

LIST OF REFERENCES

International Organization for Migration. (n.d.). SDG 5: Gender equality. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://argentina.iom.int/en/sdgs/sdg-5-gender-equality

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (n.d.). Argentina. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/argentina

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (n.d.). Accession: Argentina. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.oecd.org/en/countries/argentina.html

SDG Knowledge Hub. (2021, March 3). Buenos Aires indicator system mainstreams SDG 5 into public policy. International Institute for Sustainable Development. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://sdg.iisd.org/news/buenos-aires-indicator-system-mainstreams-sdg-5-into-public-policy/

The Borgen Project. (2025, October 2). Updates on SDG 5 in Argentina. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://borgenproject.org/sdg-5-in-argentina/

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (n.d.). SDG Country Profile: Argentina. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/arg

United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.). Argentina. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/ARG

UN Women. (n.d.). Argentina: Americas. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://data.unwomen.org/country/argentina

UN Women. (n.d.). Argentina. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from  https://open.unwomen.org/ar/country-results/AR 

USEFUL LINKS

• Country report/Voluntary National Reviews

  • https://sdg.iisd.org/news/buenos-aires-indicator-system-mainstreams-sdg-5-into-public-policy/ 

  • https://borgenproject.org/sdg-5-in-argentina/ 

• Bibliography and UN pages about this country:

  • OIM: https://argentina.iom.int/en/sdgs/sdg-5-gender-equality 

  • UNPD:https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data?utm_source=chatgpt.com#/countries/ARG  

  • OECD: https://www.oecd.org/en/countries/argentina.html 

  • UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/arg 

  • UN human rights:https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/argentina 

  • Index: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/argentina/ 

  • UN WOMEN count: https://data.unwomen.org/country/argentina 

  • UN women: https://open.unwomen.org/ar/country-results/AR