Stories from the Field
Aty Cuña: Indigenous women’s assemblies tackling cases of violence and rights violations
On the Brazil-Paraguay border, women leaders of the indigenous Guarani-Kaiowa and Ayoreo communities are organizing themselves to protect their rights and their dynamic women’s assemblies are preventing and documenting violence against women cases. A third gathering will be held 6 March in Sombrerito, Paraguay.
From play-acting to real-life action: a journey to end harassment on public transit in Egypt
Rush hour subway and bus commuters watch sexual harassment scenarios acted out by theatre youth groups as part of a transit campaign by UN Women’s Safe Cities programme in Cairo. They urge commuters to break their passivity and act to prevent violence against women.
In the words of Chi Yvonne Leina: How I stopped grandma from ironing my budding breasts
Cameroonian journalist and women’s rights advocate Chi Yvonne Leina is the founder and coordinator of Gender Danger, a grassroots women`s organization that is fighting to end the practice of breast ironing in Cameroon. She will be attending the upcoming CSW this year as a World Pulse correspondent, in the hopes of raising awareness and creating partnerships to help her NGO expand its work to prevent breast ironing in Cameroon. We bring you her first-hand account of the practice of breast ironing as part of UN Women’s “In the Words of…” series.
As elections approach, school kids cast their vote against violence in Kenya
On the eve of Kenya’s Presidential elections on 4 March, schools and communities are raising awareness to prevent both electoral and domestic violence. Using theatre, art and an essay-writing competition, kids are tackling how to identify and report incidents of violence.
Women’s collectives foster access to justice in India
Through special women’s courts and justice committees, women’s collectives in eastern India have forged an increasingly respected system to access justice, which also addresses cases of violence against women. They resolve disputes through both formal and informal channels, while providing emotional support and counselling.
Better services for survivors of domestic violence in Kosovan municipalities
Three municipalities in Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244) are implementing a joint UN programme to better respond to domestic violence by coordinating municipal authorities, women’s organizations and front-line service providers such as police, the judiciary, social services and hospitals.
Calling out: companies join efforts to end violence and empower women
Assisting acid attack survivors in Bangladesh and incorporating mass communications to combat violence against women in Turkey, we profile two of the more than 500 companies around the world that have signed the Women’s Empowerment Principles. On 6 March, some will receive leadership awards.
In Viet Nam, a new study reveals domestic violence costs 1.78 per cent of GDP
In efforts to address violence against women, a new study by UN Women Viet Nam calculates the economic cost of domestic violence, on household income and the economy. It also estimates that the earnings of women who experience domestic violence may be 35 per cent less than others.
Dublin joins the UN Global Safe Cities Initiative
As local decision-makers gather in Dublin on the occasion of the 8th Biennial Forum of the World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty (WACAP), co-organized by the City of Dublin and UNDP, in partnership with UN Women and UNITAR, UN Women speaks with Lord Mayor of the City, Mr. Naoise Ó Muirí, who is committed to [...]
Burns Violence Survivors rebuild their lives in Nepal
In a country where an estimated 50 per cent of suicide cases follow burns violence, an NGO supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is helping survivors of burn attacks access treatment, counseling and legal aid they need.
