Ask an athlete: How can we empower women and girls in sport?

Date: Thursday, April 4, 2019

Marta Vieira da Silva is a Brazilian soccer player and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for women and girls in sport. Marta, as she is popularly known, is widely regarded as the best female soccer player of all time. She is the all-time top scorer of the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament and has been named Player of the Year six times. More

From where I stand: “We need more female umpires so that I’m not the exception”

Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Po Chun Liu, 40, is the first woman international baseball umpire from Chinese Taipei. She was awarded this year’s World Trophy at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Women and Sport Awards, co-hosted by UN Women and the IOC, for her advocacy for female empowerment through sport. More

Op-ed: Empowering women through sport

Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2019

In an op-ed for Olympic Review UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka describes sport as one of the great drivers of gender equality. More

IOC and UN Women celebrate women and girls’ empowerment through sport

Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2019

On the margins of the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women, UN Women and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) co-hosted the Women and Sport Awards celebrating the role models and change makers in advancing women and girls in and through sport. More

“Sport is a very powerful tool for achieving gender equality”—Marta Vieira da Silva

Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Remarks by UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for women and girls in sport Marta Vieira da Silva, at the International Olympic Committee Women in Sport Awards on 19 March in New York. More

Sport paves the way for skills and jobs for young mothers in Brazil

Date: Monday, October 8, 2018

After empowering hundreds of girls and young mothers in poor communities across Rio de Janeiro, the joint programme by UN Women and International Olympic Committee enters its second phase More

In the words of Marta Vieira da Silva: “Believe in yourself and trust yourself”

Date: Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Brazilian soccer player Marta Vieira da Silva is UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for women and girls in sport. Marta, as she is popularly known, wants to inspire people to challenge stereotypes, overcome barriers and follow their dreams and ambitions, including in the area of sport. An icon and role model for many, Marta is widely regarded as the best female soccer player of all time and a top scorer of the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament. During her recent visit to UN Women headquarters in New York, Marta spoke about her personal journey, motivation and what she hopes to do as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. More

From where I stand: “Not being able to see was not an obstacle”

Date: Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Palmira Martínez, a blind professional runner from Mexico, is among the 70,000 women who ran for gender equality as part of the largest 5K race for women in the world. More

In Mexico, female soccer players take centre stage to break gender stereotypes

Date: Monday, July 16, 2018

The HeForShe Flash Tournament brought together women’s soccer teams from eight major universities in Mexico, aiming to break gender stereotypes, promote women’s participation in sport and inspire actions to end violence against women. More

Press release: UN Women announces Marta Vieira da Silva as Goodwill Ambassador

Date: Thursday, July 12, 2018

UN Women today announced the appointment of world-renowned Brazilian soccer player Marta Vieira da Silva as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for women and girls in sport. Ms. Vieira da Silva, popularly known by her fans as Marta, will dedicate her efforts to support UN Women’s work for gender equality and women’s empowerment across the world, inspiring women and girls to challenge stereotypes, overcome barriers and follow their dreams and ambitions, including in the area of sport. More

Running for a cause in Mexico

Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2018

More than 70,000 women ran for gender equality in Mexico as part of the Carrera Bonafont con Causa [Bonafont Race for a Cause], the largest 5K race in the world for women in the world. More

Six women athletes who are changing the game

Date: Wednesday, February 7, 2018

As athletes from 93 nations fly to Pyeongchang County in the Republic of Korea to compete from 9-25 February, women are set to make their mark on the 2018 Winter Olympics like never before. To celebrate women in sport, we bring you some inspirational women who are breaking down gender barriers. More

Levelling the playing field for gender equality in the Pacific region through rugby

Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Rugby — traditionally a male dominated sport—is starting to make strides in the Pacific towards gender equality, with a record number of women’s teams taking their talents to the field and joining the rugby workforce. More

UN Women carries the Olympic Torch, calls for gender equality in sport

Date: Friday, January 19, 2018

Today, UN Women Country Programme Manager in China, Julie Broussard carried the Olympic Torch in Paju, South Korea, leading up to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games. She called for gender equality in sport, following in the footsteps of UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who had carried the Olympic Torch at the 2016 Rio Games. More

UN Women and the International Olympic Committee renew partnership on sport for gender equality

Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2017

After five years of successful collaboration on women and sport, UN Women and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have renewed their commitment through a second Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU lays out the vision for the next five years of partnership, which will empower women and girls through sport and increase women’s leadership and gender equality in the sport industry. More

From where I stand: “It is important to show women athletes can be anywhere and can do anything”

Date: Thursday, November 9, 2017

Raphaela Barbosa, a handball player from the northern region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aspires to play for Brazil’s national team one day. She believes that female athletes must be more visible, so that society changes its attitudes about men and women. More

Georgian language has no gender prejudice, get it out of your head!

Date: Friday, September 29, 2017

UN Women Georgia’s new social campaign focuses on promoting gender equality and empowering women through sport More

Scoring goals for gender equality at the Global Goals World Cup

Date: Thursday, September 21, 2017

Balls were flying high and goals were scored for gender equality across the river from the United Nations, as the Global Goals World Cup took place on 19 September in Brooklyn, New York, to raise awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals More

World Rugby U20 Championship joins HeForShe

Date: Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Hosted by Georgia, the World Rugby U20 Championship 2017 saw its participating teams and the World Rugby Organization declare their support for HeForShe, the UN Women solidarity movement for gender equality. More

Gender equality at new heights: Kanchhi Maya Tamang summits Mount Everest for gender equality in sports

Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2017

After an 11-hour-climb from Camp 4 on Everest’s South Col route, Kanchhi Maya Tamang, together with Pemba Dorje Sherpa, and their Sherpa teammates reached the 29,035 feet (8,848 metres) summit of the world’s highest peak on 20 May. It was the first time someone has climbed Mount Everest for gender equality and women’s empowerment. More