Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director, on International Women’s Day 2021

Date: Thursday, March 4, 2021

In her statement for International Women's Day, UN Women Executive Directory Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said: "We need women’s representation that reflects all women and girls in all their diversity and abilities, and across all cultural, social, economic and political situations. This is the only way we will get real societal change that incorporates women in decision-making as equals and benefits us all."

‘Our voices are being heard’: Indigenous women in Mexico break down language barriers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in their communities

Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The UN Women Safe Cities programme developed information about COVID-19 prevention and gender-based violence in the five indigenous languages of Hñähñu, Mixteco, Purépecha, Mazahua, and Mahua, and shared them over the radio. Along with community-based loud speaker interventions in neighbourhoods most affected by the pandemic, the information campaign reached 57,000 indigenous people in the state of Jalisco.

Supporting female heads of households to overcome COVID-19’s economic toll in Sri Lanka

Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021

In an effort to support mothers in Sri Lanka, where many work in informal employment, UN provided emergency relief packages to female-headed households in Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts alongside a local NGO. Over 1,300 women heads of households economically impacted by the pandemic were supported through the initiative.

Promoting peace and protecting women’s rights in contexts affected by violent extremism, especially during COVID-19 pandemic

Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Here are five human rights defenders and gender equality activists sharing what their communities need and their efforts to build peace in the face of violent extremism and COVID-19.

Women in science who are making a difference during the pandemic

Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2021

This 11 February, we’re celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science by highlighting just some of the women and girls around the world who have made tremendous contributions during the ongoing crisis.

Expert’s take: Five steps to make the COVID-19 social protection and jobs responses work better for women

Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Constanza Tabbush, a Research Specialist at UN Women who has published extensively on gender, social movements and social policy, breaks down five key lessons emerging from the COVID-19 Global Gender Response Tracker, which includes more than 2,500 policy measures across 206 countries indicating how governments are responding to the pandemic from a gender equality perspective.

In the words of Riko Nagu: “In order to build an inclusive society and a resilient community both women and men should work together.”

Date: Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Riko Nagu is a women’s and girls’ rights activist, member of the United Church Women’s Fellowship group.

Helping survivors of violence seek justice through forensic science in the West Bank

Date: Tuesday, January 5, 2021

A vital pillar in the justice and security system, the sole forensic science laboratory in the West Bank seeks justice for survivors of violence. UNODC through the HAYA Joint Programme, is training laboratory technicians to help increase the likelihood of identifying perpetrators of violence and holding them accountable.

Op-ed: Women working on the front line

Date: Wednesday, December 23, 2020

By taking a gender-focused response to the COVID-19 pandemic, G7 leaders have a rare opportunity not only to mitigate its impact, but to build back better, writes Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, under-secretary-general, United Nations, and executive director, UN Women

Amidst multiple crises, a Syrian in Beirut uses new skills to make a living

Date: Tuesday, December 22, 2020

As Lebanon sees a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and deteriorating living conditions due to the ongoing political and economic crisis and the Beirut port explosions, Nisrine Kaf Al-Ghazal, a Syrian living in the capital, tries to make ends meet.

What happened after COVID-19 hit: Ghana

Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2020

There has been an alarming rise in violence against women and girls in Ghana since the COVID-19 pandemic started, as a result of lockdowns, social isolation measures and school closures. INERELA+ Ghana is handling cases involving multiple forms of violence, including child abuse and exploitation, sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, emotional and economic abuse, femicide and assault by law enforcement agents.

Hand over the mic to: María Adelaida Suárez, Colombia

Date: Tuesday, December 8, 2020

María Adelaida Suárez, a psychologist by profession, is part of the “gender pairs” initiative, which has since 2016 paired survivors of violence in communities with psychologists and legal experts.. The initiative was developed by UN Women Colombia and the Ombudsman's Office of Colombia and is funded by the United Kingdom.

Take five: An intersectional approach to empowering women and girls with disabilities

Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2020

A.H. Monjurul Kabir is the UN Coordination Adviser on Gender Equality and Disability Inclusion. He leads UN Women’s Global Task Team on Disability Inclusion and Intersectionality. In 2019, 55 UN Women offices (in addition to our work through the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women) supported women and girls with disabilities across all areas of work through the provision of normative guidance, integrated policy advice, knowledge management, operational support and capacity development. In this interview, Mr. Kabir talks about the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls with disabilities and the need for an intersectional approach.

Press Release: As impact of COVID-19 intensifies, UN Women calls for concrete actions to respond to the concurrent shadow pandemic

Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Galvanizes partners to fund organizations, respond to survivors’ needs, prevent violence and collect data to build a post-pandemic “new normal” as the 16 days of Activism campaign kicks off

Media Advisory: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November, will call for urgent actions to Fund, Respond, Prevent and Collect data to address gender-based violence in the context of COVID-19

Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2020

The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE Campaign to End Violence against Women will commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November. The International Day and virtual event will kickstart the global mobilization of the 16 Days of Activism campaign – running from 25 November until 10 December – under the theme: “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!”.

Hand over the mic: Women on the front lines of violence against women during COVID-19

Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Along with UN Women, our UN partners are working to end violence against women and girls. Hear from women leaders who are part of UN programmes from Kosovo to Kenya, who highlight what they need to stop the escalating violence, recover and rebuild after COVID-19.

What happened after COVID-19 hit: Lebanon

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Meserat Hailu, was 29 years old when she travelled to Beirut, Lebanon as an Ethiopian migrant domestic worker. For more than eight years, she suffered abuse by her employer until Legal Action Worldwide received word of her situation and took up her case and demanded her release.

What happened after COVID-19: Albania

Date: Monday, November 16, 2020

Jana Kote* and her three children lived with an abusive husband and father for 12 years until they received support from a local organization, Human Rights in Democracy Centre, based in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

UN Women Executive Director appeals to governments worldwide to take action to end violence against women and girls

Date: Monday, November 16, 2020

In a letter addressed to Member States of the United Nations and the Head of Delegation of the European Union, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka urged Heads of State/Governments worldwide to take tangible actions and express their commitments to end violence against women, on the occasion of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 November – 10 December).

In the words of Gladys Koech: “It is not uncommon for husbands to leave their wives because the child has a disability.”

Date: Monday, November 9, 2020

Gladys Koech has been working as an occupational therapist for persons with disabilities in Kenya’s coastal region for more than 10 years. Through the Association of the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK), she also works with communities to strengthen their understanding of disabilities and combat widespread stigma. UN Women’s partnership with the Council of Governors in Kenya has boosted resources to helplines around the country. As COVID-19 has increased demand for psychosocial services, Koech has witnessed a growing trend of mothers of children with disabilities being abandoned by their partners. Part of UN Women’s COVID-19 response in Kenya is being carried out in conjunction with UNICEF and UNDP as part of the Joint Devolution Programme supported by the Governments of Sweden, Finland, and Italy.