Press release: COVID-19 sparks urgency around justice for women, new report calls for action

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020

A new report documents major challenges to women’s access to justice in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and puts forth recommendations to accelerate action and push back against threats to progress.

Ten things you can learn from women’s resilience that will help you stay strong in the time of COVID-19

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020

During these uncertain and difficult times, we turn to women leaders from around the world for inspiration. They have forged peace when ravaged by war; they have driven innovation despite all odds; and they persisted in the face of challenges and insisted on building a better future.

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.

I am Generation Equality: Lee Mi-kyung, overseas aid administrator and women’s rights activist

Date: Friday, April 3, 2020

Lee Mi-kyung is President of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). She served five terms as Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea from 1996 to 2016, and was Standing Vice-Chairperson and Representative of Korea Women’s Association United from 1987 to 1996.

Press release: Greater support needed for working families as COVID-19 takes hold

Date: Monday, March 30, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its exponential growth, a technical note from UNICEF, ILO and UN Women on family-friendly policies and other good workplace practices in the context of COVID-19 shows that it is essential to support working families to minimize negative consequences for children.

UN Women Executive Director attends the UN Human Rights Council

Date: Friday, February 28, 2020

The Human Rights Council marked the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action with a high-level panel discussion during its high-level segment on Tuesday the 25 February.

I am Generation Equality: Celina Jaitly, actor and activist

Date: Thursday, January 16, 2020

Billions of people across the world stand on the right side of history every day. They speak up, take a stand, mobilize, and take big and small actions to advance women’s rights. This is Generation Equality. Celina Jaitly is an acclaimed Indian actress, human rights activist devoted to advocating for the rights of the members of LGBT communities in India, and a Champion of the UN Free & Equal campaign.

I am Generation Equality: Francy Jaramillo Piedrahita, human rights defender and peacebuilder

Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Francy L. Jaramillo Piedrahita is a human rights defender with over a decade of experience working on women’s rights, LGBTQ issues and peacebuilding in Colombia. She has been leading the localization of the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 and the peace agreement between the Government and the FARC in Cauca, Colombia.

In the words of Yana Panfilova: “You can talk about HIV a lot, but a personal example is what can really change people’s attitude”

Date: Friday, November 29, 2019

Yana Panfilova, 22, is a Ukrainian HIV positive activist and co-founder as well as chairwoman of Teenergizer, an organization that supports and advocates for the rights of HIV positive youth in Europe and Central Asia (Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia). She was also nominated as a heroine for UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign in Ukraine.  

UN Women takes home Clio Gold Award and ADCOLOR MVP Award in 2019

Date: Monday, September 9, 2019

The video series “Courage to Question” produced by UN Women and Google has been awarded ADCOLOR’s Most Valuable Partners (MVP) Award. Additionally, the campaign “Closer Than You Think”, produced by UN Women’s National Committee in Iceland has been awarded the Clio Gold Award.

Joint statement: One UN for family leave and childcare

Date: Saturday, June 1, 2019

In a joint statement, the Heads of UNICEF, UN WOMEN, UNDP and UNFPA committed to strong gender-responsive, family-friendly policies for all United Nations staff, including paid parental leave for all parents regardless of gender, including parents who adopt, foster, or have children through surrogacy or assisted reproductive technology; flexible working arrangements for parents; designated private rooms and appropriate breaks for nursing and pumping; quality and affordable childcare; and child grants for all staff.

From where I stand: “We are the solution in Brazil, not the problem”

Date: Thursday, May 23, 2019

Valdecir Nascimento has been part of the women’s rights movement in Brazil for 40 years. When asked what inspired her, she said, “being a black woman in Brazil”.

Statement by UN Women on discrimination against female athletes

Date: Sunday, May 5, 2019

UN Women expresses its strong concern that the recent ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on female athletes with naturally elevated levels of testosterone contravenes the international human rights norms and standards expressed in the United Nations Human Rights Council’s resolution of March 2019 on the ‘Elimination of Discrimination against Women and Girls in Sport’.

Strong partnerships and bold actions to stamp out child marriage and FGM

Date: Friday, March 15, 2019

On the margins of the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women, a high-level side event on “Accelerating the elimination of harmful practices to reap the demographic dividend in Africa” convened Member States, civil society, youth and development partners to discuss decisive measures to eliminate child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) across the continent.

Youth, innovation and irreversible progress for gender equality on the agenda as UN Women Executive Director visits Denmark

Date: Wednesday, January 23, 2019

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is in Denmark to attend the annual consultations with the Danish Government.

Six things we learned from women’s resistance in 2018

Date: Friday, December 21, 2018

As 2018 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at stories from some of the women who rose against injustice, defied stereotypes and inspired us all.

UN Women statement: Ensuring the protection of women human rights defenders in Nicaragua

Date: Friday, December 21, 2018

UN Women expresses its concern in face of the acts of violence, intimidation and harassment against women human rights defenders and women’s organizations in Nicaragua.

The sheroes of human rights

Date: Monday, December 10, 2018

As we close out the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence on Human Rights Day (10 December), we stand in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of women human rights defenders who are leading the fight for universal human rights and lives free from violence.

Statement: Speaking out and speaking up for fundamental rights and freedoms

Date: Friday, December 7, 2018

In a statement for Human Rights Day (10 December) Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director UN Women, says: "Let us re-affirm our commitment to a world in which human rights, and women’s rights, underpin justice, solidarity, harmony and prosperity for all".

Statement by the Executive Director: Those who defend our rights in turn need our defense

Date: Wednesday, November 28, 2018

In a statement for International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says: "We honour today the women whose courageous efforts—and sometimes whose lives—are given in defense of the universal human rights agenda and women’s empowerment".