From legal strides in LGBTQ rights to alarming rates of violence against women, Asia in 2024 witnessed progress in gender equality shadowed by stark reminders that systemic challenges remain. Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legally recognise same-sex marriages, paving the way for the fight for marriage equality in the region. Women achieved a significant milestone during this year’s Paris Summer Olympics, marking the first time in history that the games featured an equal number of male and female competitors. Meanwhile, South Korean author Han Kang also made history, becoming the first Asian woman to ever win the Nobel Prize in literature.