Report on a Broader Framework for Gender Equality and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Institutional Impact on SDG Attainment

A presentation by Meagan Kohler at the 2025 FAIR Latter-day Saints Conference proposed a broader framework for understanding gender equality, emphasizing the formative role of institutions in shaping character and behavior. This perspective directly correlates with the objectives of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), suggesting that institutional structures can be a key mechanism for their achievement.

The analysis presented by Kohler links the programs and doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to tangible progress on core global development targets, including:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Personal Testimony as a Case Study for SDG Progress

Background: Addressing Systemic Disadvantage

The report draws upon the speaker’s personal history, which involved challenges directly targeted by the SDGs. These included:

1. Poverty and Lack of Opportunity: Aligning with the goals of SDG 1 (No Poverty).
2. Domestic Violence: A direct contravention of SDG 5 (Gender Equality), specifically Target 5.2, which aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
3. Substance Abuse and Trauma: Issues central to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, including mental health.

Institutional Intervention and Positive Outcomes

Kohler’s subsequent engagement with the church is presented as a case study in positive intervention. The stability, support, and ethical framework provided by the institution facilitated significant life improvements, including marriage, family stability, and the pursuit of higher education. These outcomes represent individual-level progress toward the broader societal aims of the SDGs, demonstrating a pathway from personal healing to empowerment.

Re-evaluating Gender Equality (SDG 5) Beyond Structural Metrics

Critique of Narrow “Structural Egalitarianism”

The presentation critiqued a common view of gender equality that focuses primarily on structural metrics, such as ensuring men and women are featured in equal numbers and roles within a hierarchy. While acknowledging the value of this perspective, Kohler argued it is “too narrow” to address the root causes of abuse, degradation, and violence that undermine SDG 5.

A Broader Vision for SDG 5

A more comprehensive vision for achieving gender equality was proposed, one that evaluates “how men’s moral and emotional development impacts women.” This framework suggests that true progress on SDG 5 requires not only structural change but also the cultivation of an environment where men are taught to be responsible, committed, and non-violent partners in society. The report posits that the costs of men “falling through institutional cracks”—manifesting as violent crime, sexual assault, and substance abuse—are disproportionately borne by women and children.

The Role of Strong Institutions (SDG 16) in Fostering Responsible Masculinity

The Institution as a Formative Program

A central argument is that the church functions as a “strong institution,” aligning with the aims of SDG 16. It acts as a “training program” that actively shapes men to be their best selves by placing them in roles that require sacrifice and service. This formative process is designed to instill key character traits:

• Restraint
• Responsibility
• Commitment
• Service and Sacrifice
• Love and Virtue

Priesthood as a Mechanism for Service, Not Domination

Kohler advocated for a “perceptual shift” in viewing institutional roles, such as the priesthood. Rather than interpreting these roles as positions of power and control, they should be understood in “formative terms” as responsibilities for service. This model directly supports SDG 16‘s call for effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions. The doctrine explicitly states that power and influence are a function of love and virtue, and any attempt to exercise control or dominion results in the revocation of authority.

Impact on Reducing Violence and Promoting Justice

By fostering “governed” and “caring” men, the institution directly contributes to SDG 16.1 (Reduce all forms of violence) and SDG 5.2 (Eliminate violence against women). The report concludes that an institution dedicated to teaching men restraint, responsibility, and love is a powerful tool for addressing the systemic issue of men dominating or harming women.

Conclusion: Institutional Purpose and Continuous Improvement for SDG Achievement

The report concludes that the existing organizational structure serves a distinct purpose in advancing key Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 and SDG 16. It does so by creating a culture of responsibility and service that mitigates harmful behaviors disproportionately affecting women. While acknowledging that there is room for continued evolution and a greater incorporation of women’s voices and perspectives at all levels, the fundamental argument is that the institution’s formative influence on men is a vital, if often overlooked, component of achieving genuine gender equality and building a just and peaceful society.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

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

The article discusses several interconnected social issues that are directly relevant to a number of Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis identifies the following SDGs:

• SDG 1: No Poverty: The article begins by describing the speaker’s early life, which was marked by “poverty,” establishing a direct connection to this goal.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The text touches upon “substance abuse” in the speaker’s family and the “trauma” and need for “healing” resulting from violence, which are key concerns of SDG 3.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The speaker’s “college graduation” is presented as a pivotal moment and a symbol of her improved life, highlighting the role of education in empowerment and overcoming vulnerability.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: This is the central theme of the article. It explores different frameworks for “gender equality,” discusses claims of sexism, and focuses extensively on eliminating violence against women by shaping men’s character and behavior.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The core argument of the article is that strong institutions, like the church described, can serve as a “training program” to reduce violence and promote peace. It explicitly mentions “domestic violence,” “violent crime,” and “sexual assault,” and discusses how institutional frameworks can foster responsibility and prevent abuse.

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

Based on the specific issues discussed, the following targets can be identified:

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article addresses this by discussing claims that the church is “sexist” and “prioritizes men over women,” and then presents a counter-narrative focused on protection and empowerment.
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. This is a primary focus. The speaker recounts her personal experience with “domestic violence” and cites statistics on “sexual assault.” The article’s main thesis is that certain institutional structures can teach men “restraint, responsibility, commitment and love,” thereby reducing violence against women.
2. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty. The speaker’s personal journey from “poverty” to a more stable life directly illustrates a pathway out of poverty, connecting her experience to the ambition of this target.
3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. The article mentions “substance abuse” as part of the speaker’s difficult family background and cites it as a societal problem that institutions can help mitigate.
4. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education… for the vulnerable. The speaker, who came from a vulnerable background marked by trauma and poverty, highlights her “college graduation” as a significant achievement, demonstrating the importance of access to higher education for empowerment.
5. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article directly addresses this by discussing “violent crime” and “sexual assault,” and proposing that the “formative aspects of institutions” can help reduce these harms.
   • Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. The article notes that the costs of negative male behavior are “disproportionately borne by women and children,” linking the issue directly to the protection of children.

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

The article provides several qualitative and direct indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• For Targets 5.2 and 16.1 (Violence against women): The article explicitly names key indicators of violence. The prevalence of “domestic violence,” “sexual assault,” and “violent crime” are mentioned as the problems to be solved. A reduction in these incidents would measure progress.
• For Target 3.5 (Substance abuse): The incidence of “substance abuse” is mentioned as a key societal problem. Progress would be measured by a reduction in its prevalence.
• For Target 1.2 (Poverty): The speaker’s personal narrative moving from “poverty” to a stable life with a family and education serves as a qualitative indicator of poverty reduction for an individual.
• For Target 4.5 (Education): The achievement of a “college graduation” is used in the article as a tangible indicator of educational attainment and personal advancement for someone from a vulnerable background.
• For SDG 16 (Strong Institutions): The article implies a novel qualitative indicator: the degree to which an institution successfully fosters positive character traits in men. Progress could be measured by the presence of “restraint, responsibility, commitment and love” and the absence of behavior that is “unrestrained, irresponsible, uncommitted and uncaring.” The speaker’s experience with “trustworthy males” who “were sacrificing their time and energy” is presented as evidence of this indicator.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: deseret.com