Report on Gender Disparities Affecting Boys and Men in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Call for Inclusive Gender Equality

An analysis of current societal trends reveals a significant crisis impacting the well-being and development of boys and men. This report examines these challenges through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), arguing that achieving true gender equality (SDG 5), quality education (SDG 4), good health (SDG 3), and reduced inequalities (SDG 10) requires addressing systemic failures that disproportionately affect the male population. A comprehensive approach is necessary, as progress for one gender at the expense of another undermines the universal principles of sustainable development.

Analysis of Key Development Areas

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Significant disparities in health outcomes for men represent a failure to meet the objectives of SDG 3. The data indicates a critical need for targeted interventions and institutional support.

• Mental Health Crisis: Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women and account for 71% of drug overdose fatalities. This points to a severe gap in mental health support systems, hindering progress toward SDG Target 3.4, which aims to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
• Physical Health Disparities: Men experience worse overall health outcomes, more frequent illness, and shorter lifespans compared to women.
• Institutional Inequality: The lack of any federal offices dedicated to men’s health, in contrast to the eight established for women’s health, highlights a systemic imbalance. This institutional gap is a direct barrier to achieving universal health coverage and equitable health outcomes as envisioned by SDG 3 and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

SDG 4: Quality Education

The principle of inclusive and equitable quality education for all is being compromised by a growing gender gap in higher education that disadvantages men. This imbalance threatens the achievement of SDG 4.

• Educational Attainment Gap: In the United States, nearly 60% of college students are women, who now earn the majority of associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. This gender gap in higher education is wider than it was in 1972, but in the opposite direction.
• Systemic Failures: The current education system may not be adequately designed to support the learning styles of many boys, who often benefit from active engagement and hands-on learning. This suggests a need for systemic reform to ensure educational environments nurture the potential of all students, in line with SDG Target 4.5, which seeks to eliminate gender disparities in education.

SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The core mission of SDG 5 is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. However, a truly universal application of this goal necessitates addressing the disadvantages and inequalities faced by boys and men. Overlooking these issues creates a societal imbalance that is inconsistent with the broader goal of reducing all forms of inequality (SDG 10).

• Societal Blind Spots: Research indicates that while parents of all political affiliations worry about their sons, public and political advocacy, particularly from liberal perspectives, remains predominantly focused on the challenges facing girls. This disparity in attention perpetuates a systemic bias that prevents the allocation of necessary resources.
• Harmful Narratives: Cultural narratives that attribute men’s struggles to “toxic masculinity” or a reluctance to “open up” oversimplify complex issues and can obstruct the development of effective, compassionate support systems. Achieving SDG 5 requires moving beyond blame and fostering empathy for all genders.

Recommendations for Policy and Systemic Reform

To align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a multi-faceted approach is required to address the interconnected challenges in education, health, and societal perception. The following actions are recommended:

1. Promote Equitable Health Institutions (SDG 3 & SDG 16): Advocate for the establishment of federal and state-level initiatives and offices dedicated to men’s health to ensure their unique needs are recognized and addressed through policy and resource allocation.
2. Reform Educational Systems for Inclusivity (SDG 4): Redesign educational frameworks to be more adaptable to diverse learning styles, ensuring that boys are engaged and supported throughout their academic careers to close the growing attainment gap.
3. Foster Inclusive Dialogue on Gender Equality (SDG 5): Expand the public and political discourse on gender equality to include the challenges faced by boys and men. Women and liberal advocates are uniquely positioned to champion this cause, reinforcing the principle that equality benefits everyone.
4. Invest in Targeted Mental Health Services (SDG 3): Develop and fund compassionate and effective mental health care systems that are accessible to boys and men, moving beyond cultural blame to provide tangible support and reduce rates of suicide and substance abuse.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article extensively discusses the mental and physical health crisis facing men, including higher rates of suicide, drug overdoses, and generally worse health outcomes compared to women. It calls for a healthcare system that recognizes the unique needs of boys and men.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The article highlights a significant gender gap in education, noting that the system is failing boys. It points out that women now constitute nearly 60% of college students and earn the majority of all degrees, indicating a disparity in educational attainment that disadvantages men.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: While often focused on empowering women and girls, the core principle of this goal is equality for all genders. The article argues that the current approach has become imbalanced, leading to systemic biases and disparities that negatively affect boys and men, thus failing the broader objective of true gender equality.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: This goal aims to reduce inequality within and among countries. The article directly addresses inequalities in outcomes for a specific demographic group (boys and men) in the areas of health, education, and social well-being, and calls for policy reforms to ensure equal opportunity.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
  • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article’s focus on the high suicide rates among men (“Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women”) directly relates to promoting mental health and reducing premature mortality.
  • Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. This target is relevant due to the article’s statement that men “make up 71% of drug overdoses,” highlighting a severe substance abuse crisis within this demographic.
• SDG 4: Quality Education
  • Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university. The article points to a failure to meet this target by stating that “nearly 60% of students are women” in U.S. colleges, indicating unequal access and attainment in higher education.
  • Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training. The article argues for this target by highlighting the widening gender gap in higher education favoring women and questioning why there isn’t a national campaign to address this imbalance.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
  • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article reframes this by arguing that a systemic bias and lack of attention towards boys’ and men’s issues constitutes a failure to achieve true gender equality for all, suggesting that policies and cultural narratives have created disadvantages for males.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
  • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The article calls for this by pointing out policy imbalances, such as the existence of “eight federal offices dedicated to women’s health — and none for men,” and advocating for systemic reforms to address these unequal outcomes.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG Target 3.4 (Promote mental health):
  • Indicator (Implied): Suicide mortality rate, by sex.
  • Explanation: The article provides a direct statistic for this indicator: “Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women.” This data point measures the disparity in mental health outcomes and can be used to track progress in reducing premature mortality among men.
• For SDG Target 3.5 (Strengthen prevention of substance abuse):
  • Indicator (Implied): Mortality rate due to drug overdose, by sex.
  • Explanation: The article states that men “make up 71% of drug overdoses.” This statistic serves as a clear indicator of the severity of the substance abuse problem among men and can be used to measure the effectiveness of prevention and treatment programs.
• For SDG Target 4.3 & 4.5 (Ensure equal access to education and eliminate gender disparities):
  • Indicator (Implied): Gender parity index for tertiary education enrollment.
  • Explanation: The article provides data that directly informs this indicator by stating, “In colleges across the United States, nearly 60% of students are women.” It also notes that “Women now earn the majority of associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.” These figures quantify the gender disparity in higher education.
• For SDG Target 10.3 (Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome):
  • Indicator (Implied): Number of government institutions or policies dedicated to health, by gender.
  • Explanation: The article provides a concrete measure of policy imbalance: “The United States has eight federal offices dedicated to women’s health — and none for men.” This serves as an indicator of whether the institutional framework provides equal opportunity and resources to address the health needs of all genders.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: latimes.com