Stories
- Ending Violence against Women and Girls (323)
- Executive Director (321)
- Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (213)
- Economic Empowerment (163)
- Leadership and Political Participation (135)
- Post-2015 Development Agenda and SDGs (123)
- Peace and Security (105)
- Deputy Executive Director, Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships (87)
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (77)
- UN Women Administration (65)
- Show More
UN Women’s celebratory event for the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, with musical performances, high-powered speakers and celebrities including President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Academy Award-winning actress Patricia Arquette, Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio, global philanthropist Melinda Gates, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and actor-director from India Farhan Akhtar, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and luminaries from politics, the arts, activism and philanthropy. More
Media advisory: International Women's Day March for Gender Equality and Women's Rights
MARCH FOR GENDER EQUALITY: STEP IT UP! PLANET 50-50 BY 2030. The event is co-hosted by UN Women and the City of New York, with the UN Women for Peace Association, NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY (NGO CSW/NY), Man Up and The Working Group on Girls NGO. Marking International Women’s Day, the event will bring together diverse partners on the eve of the 20-year anniversary commemoration of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. More
Message of the Executive Director: We call on countries to “step it up” for gender equality
In her message for International Women's Day 2015, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says gender parity must be reached before 2030, so that we avert the sluggish trajectory of progress that condemns a child born today to wait 80 years before they see an equal world. She calls on all countries to “step it up” for gender equality, to reach ‘Planet 50:50’ before 2030. More
In celebrating 2015 as the European Year of Development, the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union is hosting a conference titled “Post-2015 and Beijing+20: Women’s Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Development –the Synthesis for Success” in Riga, Latvia from 2-4 March. More
In her closing statement at the high-level event on "Women Power and Decision Making”, held on 28 February in Santiago, Chile, UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, praised the dialogue and contributions the event has generated, and encouraged attendees to further act on the suggestions and ideas brought to the table. More
Women leaders call to ‘step it up’ for gender equality
“It’s time to step it up for gender equality. We have waited long enough!” With this call to action, global women leaders gathered at the high-level event on “Women in power and decision-making: Building a different world,” held in Santiago, Chile, on 27–28 February 2015. They urged governments and the private sector to take stronger measures to close the gap of inequalities in order to achieve the goals established 20 years ago during the Fourth World Conference on Women that resulted in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. More
Lakshmi Puri calls upon women leaders to act for gender equality
Introductory statement for the call for action entitled “Women Leaders: Time to Step it up for Gender Equality” by Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Lakshmi Puri on 28 February, in Santiago, Chile. More
Coverage: UN Women Executive Director visits Chile and takes part in high-level Beijing+20 event
During her first official visit to Chile this week, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is meeting with key officials and activists, and co-hosting a High-Level event on “Women in power and decision-making: building a different world,” with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. Taking place from 27-28 February in Santiago, Chile, the event is one of the major Beijing+20 events being organized around the world. More
More than 300 global leaders gathered today in Santiago, Chile, to take part in a high-level conference on women in power and decision-making as part of UN Women’s global Beijing+20 campaign. It aims to galvanize political support to achieve gender equality and honour commitments made by 189 governments to uphold the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. More
In her opening address at the "High-level Event on Women in Power and Decision-making", held on 27 February, in Santiago, Chile, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka urged bolder action to fulfil the commitments made at the World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 to increase women’s representation in leadership positions in all important sectors of society. More
The year 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Considered the most comprehensive blueprint on advancing women’s rights, the 1995 Beijing roadmap was adopted by 189 governments. But 20 years on, the commitments made are only partially fulfilled. More
During Brazil’s Carnival, parade-goers promote respect for women
Using an explosion of colour and audacious costumes to tell the story of brave women everywhere, the traditional samba school of Mangueira paid tribute to the women who fight every day to overcome gender inequalities in their parade. It is one of several national events for UN Women’s global Beijing+20 "Empowering Women - Empowering Humanity: Picture It!" campaign. More
UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will make her first official visit to Chile this week to co-host a High-Level event on “Women in power and decision-making: building a different world,” with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. Taking place from 27-28 February at Estaciόn Mapocho in Santiago, participants will include global women leaders, presidents, parliamentarians, businesswomen, UN and government representatives, activists and a Nobel Laureate. More
The potential that technology has to open up the world for women and girls – Executive Director
Opening address by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at Mobile Learning Week 2015: “Leveraging technology to empower women and girls”, 24 February, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France. More
UN Women Executive Director addresses UNESCO Member States at Mobile Learning Week
Statement by Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at Mobile Learning Week co-hosted by UNESCO and UN Women, on 24 February, in Paris. More
Peoples’ march on 8 March: Take to the streets for gender equality and women’s rights
Peoples’ march on 8 March: Take to the streets for gender equality and women’s rights On International Women’s Day (8 March), the march for gender equality and women’s rights in New York City, will be organized by UN Women and the City of New York, together with the UN Women for Peace Association, NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY (NGO CSW/NY), Man Up and The Working Group on Girls NGO. In November last year, the City of New York signed an MOU with UN Women... More
Op-ed: Achieving gender equality is the challenge of our times
This oped was originally published in the Irish Times on 20 February, as the “A Women’s Place is in the World. Have Your Say on Beijing+20” conference was held in Dublin. More
Fund for Gender Equality issues call for proposals
Innovative civil society initiatives seeking to spur women’s economic and/or political empowerment are invited to apply for funding. More
Shaping the next generation of STEM leaders, TechWomen visit South Africa
On the way to the 24th Session of the African Union Heads of States’ Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Executive Director took the opportunity to spend time with delegates of TechWomen, who visited South Africa. More
UN Women launches comic competition on gender equality
On World Day of Social Justice, UN Women together with the European Commission, Belgian Development Cooperation and UNRIC, are launching a Comic and Cartoon Competition on Gender Equality. The competition is part of the UN Women Beijing+20 campaign “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture It!” which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the historic Fourth World Conference on Women that took place in Beijing in 1995. More