Safeguard women’s rights and participation in peacebuilding now, says Afghan activist Zarqa Yaftali to the UN Security Council

Date: Thursday, November 5, 2020

Zarqa Yaftali, renowned activist and researcher from Afghanistan, addressed the UN Security Council during the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of its landmark resolution 1325, which set a new framework for women’s leadership and inclusion in all aspects of peace.

Mobilizing action for impact: The Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action Compact

Date: Thursday, October 29, 2020

At a global virtual event co-hosted by UN Women, the Governments of France and Mexico, in collaboration with civil society, Board and Catalytic Members were announced as part of the new Generation Equality Compact on Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action.

UN Women engages Civil Society organizations on the road ahead

Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2020

UN Women’s Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Deputy Executive Director, Asa Regner, addressed over 600 civil society activists in a town hall meeting on the state of gender equality in the COVID-19 world. The 19 October meeting came on the heels of the UN General Assembly high-level meeting to mark 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, where world leaders made significant commitments to achieving gender equality.

Calling for nominations for the 2021 UN Public Service Awards

Date: Monday, October 12, 2020

UN Women joins the United Nations in announcing the call for nominations for the 2021 United Nations Public Service Awards.

UN Trust Fund assesses COVID-19 impact on violence against women and front line organizations

Date: Monday, October 5, 2020

Six months into the crisis, the UN Trust Fund’s second assessment shows that the continued economic insecurity and movement restrictions are still driving increased violence against women and girls. It also highlights the urgent need to resource support services for survivors of violence provided by CSOs and women’s rights organizations (WROs) that are on the frontline of community responses.

The Generation Equality Youth Task Force strengthens its membership with new leaders

Date: Thursday, October 1, 2020

Today, UN Women’s Generation Equality Youth Task Force, which represents youth around the world, announced the addition of 11 new youth leaders to strengthen its membership.

UN agencies, together with the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights, call for reform of nationality laws that discriminate on the basis of gender

Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2020

At a high level event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, UN Women, the UN Development Programme, UNHCR, and the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights called for reform of nationality laws that discriminate on the basis of gender. Twenty-five countries retain nationality laws that deny women the right to confer citizenship on their children on an equal basis with men. More than fifty countries have nationality laws with gender-discriminatory provisions, with most denying women the same right as men to pass nationality to a non-citizen spouse.

Women’s leadership and decision-making has never been more urgent, say women leaders from across the world

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2020

At a global, virtual intergenerational event co-hosted by UN Women, the Government of Mexico and the Council of Women World Leaders, in collaboration with the Generation Equality Forum, women leaders convened to discuss the importance of diverse and inclusive feminist leadership.

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.