SWIMMING AGAINST THE TSUNAMI: THE STRENGTH WE NEED TO HAVE!

How can we make something work with so many barriers? The answer: the United Nations. This week’s theme, Planetary Education, comes with a cry for attention! Inequality continues to undermine our prospects of advancing toward an improvement in the Global Human Condition. Differences have always existed, but we now live in new times of connectivity, and with this, the Millennium Parameter is reinforced: Interest = Collectivity.

Collective interest is something that opens doors within the framework of Humanitarian Capitalism. Differences do exist, but it is equally true that we can shape our future. One of the main elements we must pay attention to is equality between men and women in all aspects of life. Gender difference is merely organic, for in reality we are all Human Beings—Women and Men—moving toward a destiny shaped by a wide range of factors, especially cultural ones.

To be more precise with numbers, in 2025 we reached about 68.5% gender parity, which means there is still significant inequality between Women and Men in the most sensitive areas of society, such as Politics, Health, and the Economy. In the Global Gender Inequality Panorama of 2025, the Economy shows only 60% equality in participation, Education is nearly complete at 96%, while Politics is alarmingly low at just 22% parity.

Regional differences are striking: while Northern Europe (Iceland, Norway, Finland) registers 90% parity, the Middle East and North Africa fall below 62% parity. In Latin America, the figure is somewhat higher, around 74% parity, thanks to advances in Education, but with major gaps in the political sphere—gaps that undoubtedly generate severe economic impacts.

UN estimates indicate that gender inequality costs trillions to the Global Economy, and that full equality could yield about US$ 342 trillion in cumulative growth by 2030. Thus, Women and Men must stand on the same level of equality and opportunity for Planetary Education to be truly effective. Even if effectiveness is compromised, we must move forward from where we are to envision indicators at 100% parity.

For this to happen, Planetary Education must be seen as a key theme to unlock the closed doors of equality, so that, consequently, we may all live in a better, more equitable world. Politics and the Economy are the most sensitive sectors of this problem: in the Economy, with 60% parity, Women still earn less and occupy fewer leadership positions; in Politics, the situation is even more devastating, with Women holding less than one-quarter (25%) of parliamentary and executive positions. This is our current reality.

The main challenges involve political participation, wage disparity, and unpaid labor. Women are consistently disadvantaged in these parity indicators. They remain a minority in governments and parliaments, earn 20% less than Men in equivalent roles, and dedicate nearly twice as much time to domestic tasks and family care.

Therefore, in Planetary Education, there must be planning to ensure parity indicators reach 100%. Social policies of encouragement, recognition of the need for equality, isonomic social structuring, and the expansion of opportunities through the opening of spaces in society must be fundamental elements of what we call Planetary Education. It is possible that these indicators be incorporated into the global school curriculum to prevent future economic crises—which will certainly come if we do nothing today. By recognizing equality in parity, our social lifeboat can arrive and save us from drowning in our own afflictions.

These are the paths we must and need to follow, for otherwise the crises to come will be unprecedented. From here, a cry for attention: collectivity—the Primary Millennium Parameter—can only be achieved if interests are aligned with 100% gender parity indicators. Otherwise, we will perish before reaching the shore.