Ever since former US First Lady and human rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt inspired the first UN sub-commission on the status of women in the 1940s, thousands of women around the world meet at UN Headquarters in New York every March to take the pulse of the planet and make their voices heard. The annual UN […]
In 1995, the world united behind the Beijing Platform for Action — a revolutionary plan for gender equality that set the stage for change on a massive scale. From laws protecting women from domestic violence to programmes empowering women and girls, the Beijing Platform for Action continues to shape our world and pave the way for a […]
Civilians sheltering in the vast Zamzam displacement camp in Sudan’s North Darfur region are now “nearly impossible” to reach, the UN’s top aid official in the country warned on Thursday, March 6th, 2025. “I am deeply worried about reports of destruction of homes and livelihoods in North Darfur,” said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UN Resident and Humanitarian […]
The basic rights of women and girls are facing unprecedented growing threats worldwide, from higher levels of discrimination to weaker legal protections -and less funding for programmes and institutions which support and protect women. UN Women’s latest report Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing, published ahead of the UN 50th International Women’s Day on […]
A decline in democracy and harmful content spread on social media platforms are helping to drive a backlash against feminism, and the growth of misogynistic and retrograde ideas about the roles of men and women and society. The pushback against gender equality is one of the findings in a major report from UN Women, the […]
As conflict rages across Sudan, armed men are raping and sexually assaulting children, including some infants as young as one, according to the UN children’s agency (UNICEF). Data from gender-based violence service providers in Sudan reveals the scale of the horror: more than 220 reported cases of child rape since the start of 2024. “Children […]
Gender inequality is the greatest challenge of our times. Gender equality is the greatest opportunity. The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action is an unmissable chance to remind global leaders and activists that our shared future depends on gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Everyone has a role to play in […]
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, february 13th, 2025 issued a stark warning over escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where hundreds of civilians have been killed and tens of thousands displaced as M23 rebels continue to attack and seize control of towns and villages. Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, […]
“Despite the progress, women still make up only one-third of the global scientific community and face significant barriers in funding, publishing and leadership roles in STEM,” said Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for the day. As the world marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February, […]
Sakina Sani was married off when she was 12 years old amid conflict and food shortages in northern Nigeria. She became pregnant at 15 but miscarried and then had two children in rapid succession. “I will never allow my daughter to go through what happened to me,” she told UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health […]
