Press release: Being amongst the most affected by the earthquake, women’s and girls’ meaningful participation and leadership are crucial to an effective and successful humanitarian response in Haiti

Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Following the 7.2 earthquake that struck Haiti on August 14, UN Women Haiti and CARE International, in partnership with the Ministry of Women's Affairs and Women's Rights, the General Directorate of Civil Protection, and the Humanitarian Country Team’s Special Gender Task Force, developed a Rapid Gender Analysis that aims to provide humanitarian actors with recommendations to address the needs of women and girls to ensure their rights and needs are at the...

Press release: Photoville exhibition spotlights women peace activists and women’s role in peacemaking

Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021

The United Nations Department of Peace Operations, in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, UN Women and in partnership with New York City’s flagship photography festival, Photoville, is launching a photo exhibition highlighting the work of women peace activists as seen through the eyes of women photographers.

Remarks by UN Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia to the UN High-Level Ministerial Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan

Date: Tuesday, September 14, 2021

"We must stand in solidarity with Afghan women as we define and implement our collective humanitarian response. Daily, we see new violations of women’s human rights which left to continue unchecked will jeopardize decades of progress", said UN Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia.

Gender equality and the UN General Assembly: Facts and history to know

Date: Tuesday, September 14, 2021

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the world’s largest yearly meeting of world leaders. It’s an action-packed week of deliberations, speeches, side events and even celebrity sightings. Ahead of the 76th UNGA session (14 – 28 September 2021), we take a look at the history of gender equality and the General Assembly.

Secretary-General appoints Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan as Executive Director of UN Women

Date: Monday, September 13, 2021

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, following consultations with Member States and the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women), announced today the appointment of Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan as Executive Director of UN Women.

Media advisory: launch of UN Women’s Feminist Plan for Sustainability and Social Justice

Date: Monday, September 13, 2021

UN Women is launching a new flagship report, “Beyond COVID-19: A Feminist Plan for Sustainability and Social Justice”, which calls for governments to ensure the COVID-19 recovery shapes a more gender equal and sustainable world.

Statement: Executive Director a.i. of UN Women, Ms Pramila Patten, stands in solidarity with Afghan women who are fighting for the respect of their fundamental rights and freedoms

Date: Thursday, September 9, 2021

“Women have a right to peaceful protest and to a life free of violence. In taking control of Afghanistan the Taliban authorities assume a duty to respect and protect these rights,” Pramila Patten said.

UN Women Executive Board to convene second regular session 2021

Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2021

The UN Women Executive Board will convene for this year’s second regular session on 14–15 September 2021, primarily online.

Statement: Executive Director a.i. of UN Women, Ms. Pramila Patten, expresses dismay and regret at the absence of women in the new Afghan governing authority

Date: Tuesday, September 7, 2021

“Women’s political participation is a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy. Women’s participation in all walks of life is essential for an inclusive, strong, and prosperous society in Afghanistan, both to meet the many challenges the country faces today and to succeed tomorrow. It is therefore critical that political decision-making processes are participatory, responsive, equitable, and inclusive,” stated Pramila Patten.

From where I stand: “Through this digital world, we make real change and promote peace”

Date: Friday, September 3, 2021

Born and raised in Morocco, Yasmina Benslimane witnessed first-hand how oppressive laws affect women and force them to remain silent out of fear of breaking the status quo. She runs Politics4Her, a feminist blog and youth-led movement that advocates for the inclusion of girls and women in politics.

From where I stand: "If we as men are interested in gender equality, everything gets better".

Date: Thursday, September 2, 2021

William Fernando Rosero, 28, works to educate other young men about the importance of gender equality, especially at home and within families.

Statement: Pramila Patten, Executive Director a.i of UN Women, calls on the Taliban leadership to include women in the upcoming governance entity

Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2021

In a statement calling for women's inclusion in the upcoming governance entity of Afghanistan, UN Women acting Executive Director Pramila Patten says: "The immediate inclusion of women in the governance structure of the new leadership in Afghanistan will be the ultimate litmus test for the Taliban".

Young women entrepreneurs from Moldova support the local market with healthy lifestyle-promoting businesses

Date: Thursday, August 26, 2021

Two young women entrepreneurs from the Republic of Moldova, Nadejda Hadjivu and Victoria Sobol, managed to start their businesses, promoting local, healthy products, during the COVID-19 pandemic. With support from the Organization for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises Sector (ODIMM) in Moldova, UN Women and the Government of Japan, they have been able to sustain and expand their businesses.

Take Five: “Young people are the leaders of the food systems transformation”

Date: Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Maryam Aleisa is the founder and Executive Director of Refood, a non-profit company dedicated to reducing and repurposing food waste in Kuwait.

Ending violence against women in Uganda takes a step forward with critical law reforms passed in Parliament

Date: Monday, August 23, 2021

Overhauling outdated and discriminatory legislation is essential to ending violence against women and girls, and the women’s movement in Uganda has ensured an incredible leap forward was taken in 2021.

Strengthening women’s meaningful participation in peace processes

Date: Friday, August 20, 2021

Activists and advocates who participated in the global convening on “Gender-Inclusive Peace Processes: Strengthening Women’s Meaningful Participation through Constituency Building." explore good practices and strategies for gender-inclusive constituency building and the links between constituency building and women’s meaningful participation in formal peace processes.

Women-managed community kitchens support vulnerable women in Nepal

Date: Thursday, August 19, 2021

More than 41 per cent of women lost their jobs during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nepal. Responding to their practical needs, UN Women with support from the Government of Finland has been ensuring their access to food and nutrition through women-managed community kitchens across Nepal. Pushpa Sunar is one of the 123 people employed in the community kitchens, which is providing an income to the women working there and helping to alleviate the care burden among other women, as well as build trust and cohesion in the communities.

UN Women bids farewell to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Date: Thursday, August 19, 2021

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka completed her second and last term as United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women on 17 August 2021 after eight years at the helm of the organization.

Statement by UN Women on the situation in Afghanistan

Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2021

In line with the statement by the UN Secretary-General, UN Women remains fully committed to support women and girls in Afghanistan. We will remain operational and engaged with our partners at this critical juncture for the country.

UN Secretary-General appoints Under-Secretary-General Pramila Patten as officer-in-charge of UN Women

Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2021

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Under-Secretary-General Pramila Patten as officer-in-charge of UN Women, effective 18 August 2021.