Stories
- Access to justice post-conflict (43)
- Peace and security (37)
- Sexual violence in conflict (25)
- Conflict, war (21)
- Reparations (16)
- Ending violence against women and girls (14)
- Executive Director (9)
- Post-conflict recovery (7)
- UN Women administration (7)
- Peacebuilding (6)
- UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (5)
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Monday, October 29, 2018
UN Women spoke with Jean Arnault, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, about gender parity within the Mission and its priorities over the next year. The Verification Mission in Colombia has made impressive strides towards gender parity; 58 per cent of its professional level field staff are women and 65 per cent of field office teams are led by women. The Final Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) was signed in 2016, ending more than 50 years of conflict. Contrary to most peace negotiations in history, women had a significant influence in the peace process in Colombia. The resulting peace agreement addresses core issues that impact women, such as women’s representation in decision-making bodies, access to land restitution or justice and reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. More
Sepur Zarco case: The Guatemalan women who rose for justice in a war-torn nation
Friday, October 19, 2018
During the 36-year-long Guatemalan civil war, indigenous women were systematically raped and enslaved by the military in a small community near the Sepur Zarco outpost. What happened to them then was not unique, but what happened next, changed history. From 2011 – 2016, 15 women survivors fought for justice at the highest court of Guatemala. The groundbreaking case resulted in the conviction of two former military officers of crimes against humanity and granted 18 reparation measures to the women survivors and their community. The abuelas of Sepur Zarco, as the women are respectfully referred to, are now waiting to experience justice. Justice, for them, includes education for the children of their community, access to land, a health-care clinic and such measures that will end the abject poverty their community has endured across generations. Justice must be lived. More
Take five: Uncovering the untold stories of sexual and gender-based violence in conflict
Friday, October 27, 2017
Aurélie Roche-Mair is the Director of the International Bar Association (IBA) Hague Office, where she manages the International Criminal Justice Programme. As a member of the Justice Rapid Response-UN Women Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Justice Experts Roster, Ms. Roche-Mair served as the Gender Adviser to the judges during the trial of the former President of Chad, Hissène Habré, in 2016. Habré was convicted of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including rape and sexual slavery. The ground-breaking case marked the first African Union-backed trial of a former Head of State. More
Expanding women’s leadership requires changing masculinities
Thursday, October 26, 2017
On 25 October, women leaders and experts gathered at the UN Headquarters to discuss issues of masculinities, violence against women, and women’s participation in peace and justice in transitional societies. With 2 billion people across 35 countries and territories affected by fragility, conflict and violence, women’s active participation and leadership in preventing conflict and sustaining peace is critical. More
Investigating conflict-related sexual and gender-based crimes—lessons from Iraq and Syria
Thursday, October 26, 2017
In the lead-up to UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security, experts discuss what it takes to document and investigate conflict-related sexual and gender-based crimes and pathways to justice for the crimes committed in Iraq and Syria. More
Sepur Zarco: In pursuit of truth, justice, and now reparations
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Sepur Zarco was the first case of conflict-related sexual violence challenged under Guatemala’s penal code. It was also the first time that a national court anywhere in the world had ruled on charges of sexual slavery during an armed conflict—a crime under international law. In its path-breaking judgment, the Guatemalan court noted that sexual violence against indigenous Maya Q’eqchi’ women was part of a deliberate strategy by the Guatemalan Army. More
In Kosovo, legal recognition of war-time sexual violence survivors after 18 years
Thursday, October 19, 2017
After almost two decades of silence and stigma, Kosovo women survivors of sexual violence during the armed conflict of 1998 – 1999 will soon get legal recognition and reparations, including financial assistance. More
Coverage: Towards justice and gender equality to build peace
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Today, at an event in New York, UN Women Deputy Executive Director Yannick Glemarec joined María Emma Mejía, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations; Margarita Cabello, President of Colombia’s Supreme Court of Justice and other dignitaries to discuss Colombia’s progress and challenges in the pursuit of peace and gender equality. More
Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the conviction of Hissène Habré
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
In a statement welcoming the historic conviction for crimes including rape and sexual slavery by the former President of Chad, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said UN Women stands in solidarity with the survivors of his crimes. She signals that “UN Women is committed to ensuring that this global momentum for accountability continues to grow, until there is an unstoppable force for justice which makes these crimes a relic of the past.” More
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
UN Women welcomes the landmark conviction of Jean-Pierre Bemba by the International Criminal Court on 21 March 2016, for his failure to prevent and punish the rape, murder and pillage committed by his troops in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. More
Reparations soon for conflict-related sexual violence survivors in Kosovo*
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Kosovo begins implementation of the law that gives legal recognition to civilian survivors of the armed conflict and allows them to claim survivor benefits. More
Landmark ruling in Guatemala a victory against sexual violence in armed conflict
Thursday, March 3, 2016
On 26 February, a Guatemalan court convicted two former military officers of crimes against humanity against 11 indigenous Q’eqchi’ women who were subjected to sexual violence, sexual and domestic slavery, the forced disappearance of their husbands, as well as the murder and cruel treatment of a woman and her two small daughters. The historic verdict is being hailed by human rights experts as a major victory in accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. More
Thursday, December 17, 2015
This statement is attributable to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, and Zainab Hawa Bangura, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. More
Monday, October 12, 2015
The United Nations Security Council willconduct an all-day Open Debate in commemoration of resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. The historic review comes at a moment when the world is grappling with rising violent extremism that places the subordination of women at the centre of the ideology and war tactics, and violence and conflict are costing the planet over USD 14 trillion. In direct contrast, striking new research shows that peace endures when women can participate meaningfully in peace talks, and States are more resilient in the face of conflict and extremism when gender equality is prioritized. More
“Reparations are not just about justice. They are also about empowerment” – Executive Director
Friday, August 1, 2014
Speech by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to present the Secretary-General’s Guidance Note on Reparations for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence during a Dialogue with Member States on the Rule of Law at the International Level, New York, 1 August 2014. More
In the words of Evelyn Amony: “I was forced to become one of his 27 'wives' ”
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Evelyn Amony was abducted by the Ugandan rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) when she was only 12 years old. For nearly three decades, this rebel group has committed a range of atrocities including the abduction of children, rape, killing, maiming and sexual slavery. Today Evelyn is Chair of the Women’s Advocacy Network, comprised of over 400 formerly abducted and war-affected women, many of whom are speaking out and effectively advocating for gender justice in Uganda. In her own words, she tells her story… More
Ugandan Parliament adopts resolution to address needs of war-affected women
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Years of advocacy by women’s rights groups including those monitoring justice for women with disabilities in northern Uganda pays off. Justice for conflict-affected women in Uganda took a big step forward as the Parliament unanimously passed a resolution calling for establishment of special programmes for people affected by the LRA war in northern Uganda. More
Thursday, January 23, 2014
UN Women welcomes the election of Catherine Samba-Panza as the Head of State of the Transition of the Central African Republic, the first female Head of State in CAR, and expresses hope that the transition will pave a path to peace and justice in the country. More
Trainings in Colombia build expertise on investigating gender-based crimes
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
With 25 participants from around the world, including public prosecutors, investigators, human rights researchers, forensic experts and public policy advisors, a special training course on “Investigating Cases of Sexual and Gender-based Violence as International Crimes” is taking place in Bogota, Colombia from 19-25 January. More
Friday, October 18, 2013
By unanimous vote, the Security Council adopted a resolution that sets in place stronger measures to enable women to participate in conflict resolution and recovery, and puts the onus on the Security Council, the United Nations, regional organizations and Member States to dismantle the barriers, create the space, and provide seats at the table for women. More