If current trends continue, more than 340 million women and girls— 8 per cent of the world’s female population—will live in extreme poverty by 2030. The gender gap in power and leadership roles also persists, and if progress continues at the current pace, it will take another 286 years to reach gender equality in public […]

Even though women have made extraordinary contributions to Islamic civilization, in many countries they are still being left behind, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said during a speech in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Addressing an international conference in Jeddah on the rights and the role of women in Islam, she called for action in the […]

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) expressed alarm on Friday November 3, 2023 over reports that in Sudan, women and girls are being abducted, chained and held in “inhuman, degrading slave-like conditions” in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Darfur. The stark report comes against the backdrop of a sharp uptick in […]

Being born a woman in Benin doesn’t come with the same opportunities as being born a man. Being born a rural woman limits one’s prospects even further.  The Country Gender Assessment presents a comprehensive overview of gender disparities across different domains: endowments (health, education), economic opportunities and agency (the ability to make decisions and act […]

In 2021, the Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) program, with the support of the CIWA Program, empowered women and youth to become resilient Climate Change Champions. This training had a major positive effect on the lives of its participants, as exemplified by the story of Asia Namusoke. Asia found her training inspiring, prompting her to create […]

Briefing by Ms. Sima Bahous, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, to the UN Security Council annual open debate on women, peace and security, UN Headquarters, 25 October 2023. [As delivered.] It is an honour to present the Secretary-General’s annual report on women, peace and security to the Security Council. I do so with […]

“We must work together to formulate a clear vision to achieve the aspirations of the Sudanese people, bringing back security, peace, and the establishment of a civil state where all citizens are equal, and opportunities are provided regardless of their gender, ethnic, religious, or tribal backgrounds.” Those are the words of Samia Argawi, a lawyer […]

Immense strides have been made in the quest for gender equality, but major barriers thrown up by the patriarchal system must be dismantled so women can play a fuller role in politics and public life, the UN human rights chief Volker Türk told the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, June 30,2023. Speaking to the […]

Even before Niger’s political crisis this summer, an estimated 10.6 million people, or 41 per cent of the population, faced moderate to acute food insecurity. The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland took power on 26 July, and there are now more than 500,000 internally displaced people, 84 per cent of whom are […]

More than 600 million women and girls lived in conflict-affected countries in 2022, a 50 per cent increase since 2017. Civilians around the world need greater humanitarian aid than ever before—but countries are instead increasing military spending, which topped USD 2.2 trillion in 2022.  That is the picture painted by a new report by UN […]