UN Women - United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

A woman in Cameroon. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

In Focus: International Day of Rural Women

This year on International Day of Rural Women (15 October), we’re celebrating the vital role that rural women play in climate action with a spotlight on “Rural women and girls building resilience”. Learn more

Nooretet Lenchoe (right) with one of the participants from a nearby village who came to learn about biogas. Photo: UN Women/ Tsitsi Matope

Climate-friendly biogas becomes ‘fashionable’ in rural Tanzania

In Ngorongoro, a remote district in Arusha, Tanzania, more than 100 adolescent girls and young women have learned to build small-scale biogas plants. Learn more

Women and the SDGs

Take a look at how women are affected by each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, as well as how women and girls can – and will – be key to achieving them. Learn more

Generation Equality

Join UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign to accelerate gender equality actions and mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most visionary agenda for women’s rights and empowerment everywhere. Learn more

Highlights

Infographic: End the stigma. Period.

Periods. Menstruation. Monthlies. Call it what you want. But there’s a whole lot to talk about. More

Generation Equality

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN Women is launching a new campaign, “Generation Equality—Realizing women’s rights and an equal future”. The campaign demands equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to sexual harassment and all forms of violence against women and girls, health-care services that respond to their needs, and their equal participation in political life and decision-making in all areas of life. More
International Day of the Girl Child

On the International Day of the Girl (11 October), join UN Women to celebrate girls everywhere as they inspire, break boundaries and take charge of their own future. More
In Focus: Women and the SDGs

Gender equality is a right. Fulfilling this right is the best chance we have in meeting some of the most pressing challenges of our time—from economic crisis and lack of health care, to climate change, violence against women and escalating conflicts. Check out new data, stories, videos and more illustrating how and why gender equality matters across all the Sustainable Development Goals. More
SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Achieving gender equality and sustainable development by 2030 will require stepping up efforts at all fronts. UN Women works to empower women and girls through all of its programmes and advocacy. More

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Coverage: UN Women Executive Director visits Ethiopia
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From where I stand: “My dream is to own my own garage”
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Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women for the International Day of Rural Women

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Spotlight

The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign will mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, from 25 November to 10 December, under the theme, “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands against Rape”. Join us in galvanizing actions around the world to take a stand against sexual violence in all contexts and spark a global conversation about what it will take to prevent and end rape.

Rural women and girls building climate resilience

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Photo: Kea Taylor.

In her statement for International Day of Rural Women on 15 October, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka emphasizes that rural women must be at the table when decisions are made that affect their future, so that their concerns shape investments in climate resilience and make them truly gender responsive. More

Featured video

Rural women—agents of change fighting poverty, hunger and climate change

Rural women make up over a quarter the world's population and majority of the 43 per cent of women in the global agricultural labour force. They till the lands and plant seeds to feed nations. They ensure food security for their communities and build climate resilience. But when it comes to owning land, accessing agricultural inputs, financing and technologies for climate resilience, they are left far behind men.

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UN Women Watch

Women and Girls with Disabilities: Needs of survivors of gender-based violence and services offered to them - occupied Palestinian territory

The objective of this study was to map the available services; analyze major gaps and challenges related to service delivery; identify roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and service providers, including stakeholder coordination, legislation and policies, capacity, prevention and response services, the referral process and accountability; as... More

Gender-based violence: Financial independence and economic empowerment key to survivors' recovery

An upsurge in violence and insecurity in several regions of Cameroon have triggered a spike in humanitarian needs. Around 4.3 million people need emergency assistance, marking a 30 per cent increase compared to 2018. Violence and forced displacement have dramatically affected the lives of women and children. More

In China, women work to raise the status of girls

LILING, China - Not long ago, Wen Xiujuan was swept up in a romance. Against the wishes of her parents, she moved to the small village of Liling, 300 km from her hometown, to marry a young man named Yang Liu. They lived happily with Mr. Liu's parents, who hoped the couple would have a son. More

UN food agencies step up joint efforts to tackle rural gender inequalities

Three United Nations agencies today launched a new European Union-supported global initiative to address the root causes of rural gender inequalities and thus strengthen efforts to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. More

Change attitudes for future generations of women in tech, UN urges

Celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of April, the Day is an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and aims to encourage and empower girls and young women to consider entering the growing field of ICT, enabling both girls and technology companies to reap the benefits of greater female participation in the sector. More

Protect women's rights 'before, during and after conflict' UN chief tells high-level Security Council debate

Over the course of the past decade, there has been "a paradigm shift" in understanding the devastating impact of sexual violence in conflict on international peace and security, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council during a high-level debate on Tuesday. More

Former Somali refugee inspires children with illustrated book

The mind behind Nasra is Habso Mohamud, a 24-year-old former refugee from Somalia. Habso’s real life is very similar to Nasra’s fictional one, and she shares both stories with schoolchildren at readings across the United States. Habso is clear on the message she wants to transmit: “Don’t give up on yourself and don’t give up on your dreams, no matter... More

'Foreign children' in overwhelmed Syrian camp need urgent international help, says top UN official

Panos Moumtzis, Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis made the "special plea" to journalists in Geneva, noting that 75,000 people now shelter in Al Hol camp, after fleeing ISIL extremists. More

When disaster strikes: how education and children's futures were battered by Cyclone Idai - Mozambique

An in-depth look at how the deadly storm and flooding have disrupted the schooling of half a million children in southeast Africa - and the efforts to rebuild. First comes the shock and the terror. Then the fight for survival - to find food, water and shelter, and to avoid diseases. More

IFRC's - RCRC National Societies' Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Crises Appeal 2019 - 2022 - World

This appeal to support the work on 'Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Humanitarian Crises' is in line with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies' commitment to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in disasters and other emergencies... More

Rohingya refugee and Bangladeshi women weave a brighter future

Only the encouraging murmurs of a trainer who checks on their progress break the silence of the focused women. They are mainly widows or other women heading their households alone. Ranging in age from 18 to 40, most had never learned how to sew before. More

Unique project in Cox's Bazar puts Bangladeshi and refugee women first, provides skills

A new training project in southeast Bangladesh to promote self-reliance among women in communities hosting refugees as well as among Rohingya refugee women has become operational in Cox's Bazar. The project is potentially a game-changer for women in these communities. It is being supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. More