From where I stand: “Young women's inclusion in peacebuilding will create sustainable peace”

Date: Thursday, August 8, 2019

At 32, Susan Sebit is an accomplished lawyer and advocate from South Sudan. She works to protect women and children from violence and to ensure the implementation of existing women, peace and security global frameworks.

In the words of Dorcas Amakobe: “We take girls when they are nine years old and give them a chance to be bold”

Date: Thursday, July 25, 2019

Dorcas Amakobe is the Executive Director of “Moving the Goalposts”, a sport for development organization based Kilifi, a coastal town in Kenya. As part of a UN Women programme funded by the Government of Japan on enhancing women’s active participation in prevention of violent extremism in Kenya, the organization ran a project that provided livelihood skills training and helped build financial independence of young women engaged in its sport programme to build their resilience.

Inclusive peace in Afghanistan means ‘women at the centre’, urges UN deputy chief in Kabul

Date: Sunday, July 21, 2019

The UN deputy chief issued an impassioned plea on Sunday for Afghans to reconcile with the past and put “women at the centre” of all efforts to forge a durable peace, and a truly inclusive political process where women’s voices are truly heard.

Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the conviction of Bosco Ntaganda by the International Criminal Court

Date: Monday, July 8, 2019

UN Women welcomes the conviction of Bosco Ntaganda by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 8 July 2019 for crimes committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2002 and 2003. The former rebel leader was found guilty on 13 counts of war crimes and 5 counts of crimes against humanity, including rape, sexual slavery, displacement of civilians, and enlisting and conscripting child soldiers under the age of 15 and using them to participate actively in hostilities.

Statement: Peace Hut Women of Liberia wins 2019 UN Population Award

Date: Thursday, June 20, 2019

Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women, to honour the National Peace Hut Women of Liberia selected as 2019 UN Population Award laureates

From where I stand: “I lived in terror every day”

Date: Friday, June 14, 2019

Bage Jidda spent three years as a hostage of Boko Haram. Inspite of all her suffering, today she is the sole provider for her family, in Mora, the Far North Region of Cameroon. She embodies resilience, her optimism is infectious. Empowering women like Jidda is at the heart of building resilience among communities torn apart by the Boko Haram crisis.

Statement: Placing victims at the centre of investigations spurs justice for survivors of sexual violence in conflict

Date: Thursday, June 13, 2019

In a joint message for the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (19 June), Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women and Nina Suomalainen, Executive Director of Justice Rapid Response, stress the importance of preventing sexual violence by addressing its root causes, including gender inequality.

Take five: “Impunity is not acceptable”

Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Drita Hajdari is a prosecutor for the Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo, where she investigates and prosecutes war crimes. Today, police investigators and special prosecutors, like Ms. Hajdari, are working on an increasing number of cases, with a victim-centred approach. UN Women, through the Gender-Sensitive Transitional Justice project, funded by the European Union, has facilitated mentoring support from international criminal law experts to prosecutors and investigators in Kosovo.

Executive Boards of UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS, UNICEF and WFP jointly visit Colombia

Date: Monday, June 3, 2019

From 11-18 May, members of the Executive Board of UN Women visited Colombia for the first time to observe UN Women’s programmes and policy work in the country and assess how they contribute toward the implementation of national development priorities.

In the words of Oksana Potapova: “We need radical transformation”

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Oksana Potapova, 35, is a Ukrainian peace activist, community theatre practitioner and a feminist. She is the co-founder of ‘Theatre for Dialogue’, an organization that uses community-based theatre to work with conflict-affected communities. UN Women Ukraine works in partnership with Theatre for Dialogue to raise women’s awareness of their rights. Ms. Potapova spoke to UN Women about her work and her reflections on the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Statement by UN Women Executive Director for the International Day of UN Peacekeepers

Date: Tuesday, May 28, 2019

In her statement for International Day of UN Peacekeepers, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka highlights the important role women peacekeepers play in tackling critical issues, such as helping to make the peacekeeping force approachable to women in the community, interacting with women in societies where they are prohibited from speaking to men, and addressing the specific needs of female ex-combatants as they reintegrate into civilian life.

From where I stand: “I believe times have changed and my community needs adapt to this change”

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Ibrahim Hamawa, is the Lamido— traditional leader— of Zamay Kanton, a village in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The 63-year-old leader has already appointed the first-ever woman as a Lawal (Chief) and encouraging more women to take up decision-making roles within the traditional council. If women from other countries can make good leaders, why shouldn’t they in his community, he challenges.

A place of peace, reconciliation and growth

Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2019

In 2014, one year after the region was freed from the extremists, a small hut was built in Gao, surrounded by larger buildings and barely visible from the street. Anyone who passes through the driveway and enters the hut in the middle of the dusty courtyard has a specific goal: Dialogue, exchange and cohesion. Welcome to the Women Peace Hut.

Specialized investigation into sexual violence in conflict is essential for justice, experts say

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2019

On the sidelines of the UN Security Council open debate on sexual violence in conflict, experts came together to discuss what it takes to achieve justice for conflict-related sexual and gender-based crimes, through investigation and documentation.

From where I stand: “That is what we all want: a peaceful life.”

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Narimbai leads by example when teaching women in her community to lead peaceful lives while supporting their families through entrepreneurship. Photo: UN Women/Joser Dumbrique When I was a kid, I experienced a lot due to conflict. It was hard for me to move around to different places with my parents. We had to leave many of our belongings behind and when we moved, we had to start again, over and over. I was always afraid of my surroundings, and I could not study well. Even if I only...

From where I stand: “Just the act of wearing our traditional clothes is an expression of resistance”

Date: Monday, April 22, 2019

Sonia Maribel Sontay Herrera is an indigenous woman and human rights defender from Guatemala. Her vision is for Guatemala to respect the rights of indigenous women and hear their voices.

Design thinking workshop in Namibia tackles the challenges of youth participation in peace and security

Date: Thursday, April 18, 2019

On 11 April 2019, the conference room at the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management pulsated with energy, as 40 youth activists from around the world debated challenges and solutions to ensure young women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding processes in their countries and regions.

UN Women Executive Director calls for action to step up leadership of women in all areas of peace and security at the Women, Peace and Security Focal Points meeting in Namibia

Date: Wednesday, April 10, 2019

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is visiting Namibia this week to attend the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Points Network meeting being held in Windhoek from 10 to 11 April.

Using comedy to promote equality and peaceful communities

Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2019

The “Comedy for Equality” event on 25 March showcased UN Women’s work using comedy to promote women’s empowerment and counter extremism, as part of the “Empowered Women, Peaceful Communities” programme.

Women, peace and security experts look ahead to 2020

Date: Monday, March 18, 2019

As the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking UN Security Council resolution 1325 approaches in 2020, experts and advocates on the women, peace and security agenda came together on 15 March to take stock of progress and the way forward