In 2015, United Nations member states unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda comprises 17 Sustainable Development Goals, of which No. 5 is to "achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls." Results of surveys show that no country is on course to meet gender targets in 14 of the 17 goals. Aside from the social and cultural costs of failure to progress, results of a recent study by the International Monetary Fund indicate that abolishing stunted hiring practices and discriminatory laws against women could boost the GDP in the least equitable countries by as much as 35%. Worldwide barriers to social, economic, and political equality for women warrant scrutiny, as do regional differences in such barriers. Identifying a model for best practices could help countries approach gender equality by 2030.