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“We must break down barriers that push girls away from studying scientific subjects at an early age”

UN Chief Antonio Guterres, to mark International Women’s Day. Around the world, progress on women’s rights is vanishing before our eyes. The latest forecasts estimate that on our current track, it will take another 300 years to reach full gender equality. Today’s cascading crises, from the war in Ukraine to the climate emergency, affect women […]

Digital technology new source of discrimination against women: Guterres

During a dialogue with women civil society leaders in the UN General Assembly Hall on Monday, Secretary-General António Guterres heard about the critical need to make the internet safer for women and girls – and to ensure that they are equal participants in global conservations, both online and in-person.  The town hall with representatives from […]

UN deputy chief warns of faltering progress towards SDGs

Multiple interconnected global crises are putting achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at risk – both in the Arab region and the rest of the world, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed warned on Tuesday 14th march 2023.  “Let me be frank: we are not doing well. Our progress towards the SDGs has faltered and even […]

Statement: Defiant and steadfast for full equality in the digital world

Statement for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2023, by Ms. Sima Bahous, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Women and girls have just as much right to access the digital world and prosper in it as men and boys. Their creativity, knowledge and perspectives can shape a future where technology contributes to transforming […]

Transforming internet governance to eliminate online inequalities

Esther Mwema is a 28-year-old digital inequalities expert and artist from Zambia. A long-time activist on gendered safety issues, her current work grew out of the desire to increase girls’ representation in the digital governance sphere. Tech has shaped the lives of young people in profound and unique ways, says Esther, so when it comes […]

Cracking the code to a fairer digital future for women

The inequalities faced by women in the real world are also prevalent online. On International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March, the UN is raising awareness of these disparities, and putting forward a vision of fairer digital future for all. Despite the increasing digitalization of everyone’s daily lives, the digital gender gap has grown; globally around […]

INTERVIEW: ‘Every other young girl you see in The Gambia has undergone female genital mutilation’

Women in The Gambia face high levels of female genital mutilation (FGM), period poverty (an inability to afford menstrual hygiene products), and domestic violence. In an interview with UN News, Ndeye Rose Sarr, the head of the UN reproductive and sexual health agency (UNFPA) in the country, underlines the challenges they face, and the efforts […]

LDC5 spotlights contributions of women and girls in tech, despite tough odds and nagging barriers

The Fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) joined the world in marking International Women’s Day, celebrating the achievements of women and girls everywhere. Strong calls for empowerment rang out in the massive convention center, with young women scientists and innovators, like the Afghan Girl’s Robotics Team, urging: “Never give up!”  At noon on […]