Generations of progress for women and girls could be lost to COVID pandemic, UN chief warns

Date: Monday, August 31, 2020

Highlighting the disproportionate and devastating socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on women and girls globally, The UN chief António Guterres called on Monday for a major push to prevent “years, even generations” worth of progress on women’s empowerment, from being lost to the pandemic.

Stronger partnerships and investment needed to support women’s recovery from COVID-19 in the Global South

Date: Thursday, August 13, 2020

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka calls on governments to ensure gender-responsive national plans to build back better after COVID-19

UN Women and partners provide immediate relief to women and girls impacted by the Beirut blasts

Date: Thursday, August 13, 2020

Reeling from deep economic crisis, COVID-19, and now the blasts, Lebanon needs women at the centre of recovery plans.

Nothing less than equality and a seat at the table for youth

Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

At a global virtual event co-hosted by UN Women and ITU, youth activists imagine a “new normal” where diverse youth have a seat at the table to shape policy and decisions.

Gender assessments in Europe and Central Asia reveal pandemic’s devastating impact on women

Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2020

A survey to assess the gendered impacts of COVID-19 on women’s and men’s lives and livelihoods in ten countries/territories across Europe and Central Asia has revealed dire findings.

In Guatemala, investing in indigenous women’s economic empowerment is key to building back better after COVID-19

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Since March 2020, Guatemala has recorded more than 600 COVID-19 deaths and over 11,000 infections. Amidst this crisis, indigenous women have continued to use their voices, knowledge and capacities to assist their communities and adapt their livelihoods. To build back better, their needs and concerns, but also their leadership must be placed at the centre of COVID-19 recovery plans.

Tech giants partner with UN Women to provide life-saving information to survivors of domestic violence during COVID-19

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2020

UN Women offices around the world have partnered with tech giants like Google, Twitter and Facebook to provide important information about helpline services for domestic violence survivors.

Women survivors of violence receive vital support from shelters in Kosovo during the pandemic

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Around 550 women survivors of domestic violence from Kosovo were admitted to shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic, with support from UN Women within the regional programme on ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey, “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds,” funded by the European Union.

Gulbahor Majidova: Overcoming loss with a determination to help others in Tajikistan

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Gulbahor Majidova’s life has been full of losses. But she has not let that deter her from becoming an activist in her community and a leader in advancing the reform of the civil registration system in Tajikistan.

Supporting local women-run businesses in COVID-19 response

Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2020

The Government of Sweden and UN Women Moldova provided 28,000 units of protective equipment to social assistance staff from 36 territorial departments throughout the country. The coveralls and masks were purchased from three local companies run by women. Thus, the procurements provided financial support both to factories and to employees who kept their jobs and salaries during this time of crisis provoked by COVID-19. At the same time, textile enterprises took steps to help front-line workers.

Tajik businesses run by women living with HIV supply key protective gear for COVID-19 response

Date: Monday, June 8, 2020

Dilyora Mammadova, a woman living with HIV from Tajikistan, is working with affected women and high-risk groups, helping identify new cases of local HIV infection, supporting women with the same diagnosis, and bringing them medicine. Through a joint UN Women- UNAIDS project for women living with HIV in 2019, her small sewing workshop and her business proposal received funding. Nowadays, due to the high demand for COVID-19 protection masks, Mammadova is supplying masks.

UN Women and Rohingya women on the front line of COVID-19 response

Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2020

The world in lockdown has created a ‘profound shock to our societies and economies, and women are at the heart of care and response efforts underway[1]. Primarily as caregivers, women are not just sustaining families, but also serving as front-line responders, mainly in the health and service sector.

In Myanmar, women work to protect small businesses during COVID-19 pandemic

Date: Friday, May 22, 2020

UN Women has been working with other United Nations agencies, partners and the Government to raise public awareness about COVID-19. Initiatives by UN Women’s Sittwe office include providing information geared toward women, helping women get health and social protection services, and ensuring that virus control measures, such as quarantine centres, meet women’s needs and concerns

COVID-19 exposes the harsh realities of gender inequality in slums

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is largely concentrated in cities and urban areas, with around 2,600 cities globally reporting at least one case of the disease. While the epicentre of the global health crisis is still Europe and North America, its impact on developing countries may be more devastating, especially for the poorest. The 1 billion+ people living in slums and slum-like settings in developing countries, where population density is high, are those most at-risk and least prepared.

Youth volunteers combat online misinformation on COVID-19 in Arab States

Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, emerging evidence shows that underlying gender inequalities are exacerbated by this crisis. As observed in previous pandemics, women are -and will be- disproportionately affected in myriad ways, including by an increased incidence of domestic violence, loss of jobs and increased unpaid care burden. Previous experiences also indicate that failing to collect gender-disaggregated data can have a negative impact in the effectiveness of the response and recovery efforts.

Calling to support indigenous peoples in COVID-19 response

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The United Nations Inter-Agency Support Group (IASG) on Indigenous Issues calls to include indigenous peoples needs and input in response efforts around the world.

Take five: “After this pandemic, we will have to work much harder than before to improve Roma women’s lives”

Date: Monday, April 20, 2020

Slavica Vasić is the chair and one of the founders of BIBIJA Roma Women's Centre in Serbia, a partner of the EU-UN Women regional programme “Ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey: Implementing Norms, Changing Mind”. She spoke to UN Women about the impact of COVID-19 on Roma women and girls and vulnerable groups in Serbia and in the region, and how the lives of many women will change after the outbreak.

HeForShe launches #HeForSheAtHome campaign

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2020

In providing useful tools and tips, the #HeForSheAtHome campaign seeks to inspire men to help balance the burden in their households. Whether its learning to use that new vacuum cleaner, or the game you play when washing the dishes, we want to hear your stories. In sharing these stories of positive male role models from all over the world, we hope to inspire many more to do their fair share.

Ending violence against women in the context of COVID-19

Date: Friday, March 27, 2020

As the current COVID-19 global pandemic spreads through the world, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund), and its grantees, recognize the gender dimensions of the impact from the COVID-19 outbreak. In this challenging time, the need to respond to the immediate and long-term consequences of the current crisis for women and girls is critical.

Women and COVID-19: Five things governments can do now

Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2020

UN Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia takes a look at how impacts of COVID-19 are hitting women hardest, and how governments around the world can address these issues.