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International Day of Rural Women: Empowering Africa’s Rural Women for Sustainable Development

Dr. Jemimah Njuki is Director for Gender, Women and Civil Society at the African Development Bank Group. Here she discusses the Bank’s commitment to gender equality, its results in supporting rural women, and how this work advances President Sidi Ould Tah’s Four Cardinal Points. Why is the International Day of Rural Women important to the African […]

Deputy UN chief pays tribute to Beijing’s key role in advancing women’s rights

UN Deputy-Secretary General Amina Mohammed has acknowledged the Chinese capital’s enduring association with the fight for women’s rights and gender equality, 30 years on from the adoption of the landmark Beijing Declaration, a foundational international treaty. Ms. Mohammed was speaking at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, co-hosted by China and UN Women, which aims to reignite […]

Statement: The girl I am, the change I lead – Girls on the frontlines of crisis

UN Women statement for the International Day of the Girl, 11 October 2025 On this International Day of the Girl, we celebrate the courage and leadership of girls everywhere, especially those facing crisis and conflict. Girls like Sandra Patricia Aguilar Carabalí in northern Cauca, Colombia, are defying exclusion and leading efforts to protect land, peace, and their […]

Women’s leadership role in peace and security issues ‘going in reverse’, UN chief warns

More women must have a role in shaping peace agreements, security reforms and post-conflict recovery plans, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Monday October 6, 2025.  Members met for their annual open debate on the women, peace and security agenda just ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Council’s landmark resolution 1325 (2000) on […]

Landmark ruling finally brings justice for survivors of wartime sexual violence in DRC

Nairobi, Kenya, October 6, 2025: Women’s rights advocates have welcomed a landmark decision by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights holding the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accountable for widespread sexual violence committed by its military forces. The ruling is in response to Communication 686/18, a case seeking justice following atrocities committed by Congolese military personnel on […]

STATEMENT BY THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL SAFE ABORTION DAY

Banjul, The Gambia, 28 September 2025 – On the occasion of International Safe Abortion Day, observed globally on 28 September, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) underscores the critical and urgent message of the 2025 theme: “Safe Abortion is Life-Saving Healthcare.” Across our continent, unsafe abortion remains a devastating public health crisis and […]

High-level week opens with celebration of women’s empowerment

Only the fifth woman to preside over the UN General Assembly in its 80-year history has praised the courage of those “who fought for every phrase, every word in the Beijing Declaration,” marking the 30th Anniversary of the pivotal international conference on women’s empowerment. During the landmark 1995 event in the Chinese capital, countries came together […]

30 years of advancing gender equality: Achievements, setbacks, and the road ahead

In the three decades since the groundbreaking Beijing Declaration on women’s rights was adopted by the nations of the world, great progress has been made but women and girls still face unacceptable levels of violence and discrimination. At this year’s General Assembly, UN delegates will reflect on the achievements made and raise awareness about the huge amount […]

Gender equality in 2025: Gains, gaps, and the $342T choice

2025 is a crossroads. One road leads to deeper poverty, weaker economies, and human rights stripped away. The other, propels economies forward, building safer societies and fairer futures for everyone. What makes this year pivotal is the timeline: Just five years remain before the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development deadline, which the world set to […]