This paper reviews a decade of progress on Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality) and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), drawing on International IDEA’s Global State of Democracy Indices. While there have been modest gains in areas such as women’s parliamentary representation and gender equality, overall progress remains slow and uneven. All four democratic pillars under SDG 16—Representation, Rights, Rule of Law and Participation—have declined globally since 2015, with the largest declines in Representation and Participation, and the greatest number of countries experiencing setbacks in Rule of Law. The paper highlights the strong link between democratic backsliding and setbacks in gender equality, while also showcasing examples of countries where legal reforms and political will have driven positive change.