Reforming the laws that forced women to marry their rapists

Date: Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Years of collective mobilization, strategizing and innovation by women’s rights groups culminated in the repeal or reform of archaic laws across the Northern Africa and Western Asia region

In the words of Justice Anisa Rasooli: “Not all women in Afghanistan are women in blue burqas begging…we can be the best engineers, doctors, judges, teachers”

Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Justice Anisa Rasooli was recently appointed as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court of Afghanistan. She has been a powerful advocate for bringing more women into judicial positions, including as a leader of the Afghan Women Judges Association.

Statement: Appeal for clemency for Noura Hussein

Date: Sunday, May 13, 2018

UN Women, UNFPA and the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa join the people of Sudan who are appealing for clemency in the case of 19-year-old Noura Hussein of Sudan, who has been sentenced to death for killing her husband. Reports indicate that she was forced against her will into marriage at the age of 16. She was raped by her husband while his three male relatives held her down. Speaking as the voices of women and girls of the world, we plead with the government of Sudan to save the...

Putting laws into action, police officers respond to violence against women in Moldova

Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2017

With generous funding from the Swedish Government, UN Women has been working with police officers across Moldova for the past two years, to build their knowledge and improve their capacity to respond to domestic violence cases effectively. The programme, titled “Promoting and multiplying good innovative practices in preventing and combating violence against women”, also encourages police officers like Zglavoci to share good practices with their peers and other service providers through trainings and interactive platforms.

Central America and the Caribbean make historic strides to end child marriage

Date: Friday, September 15, 2017

Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, El Salvador and Guatemala abolish discriminatory legislation which allowed this harmful practice against girls and adolescent women

The Supreme Court of India bans instant divorce in a move to protect Muslim women’s rights

Date: Friday, August 25, 2017

The Supreme Court of India gave a landmark judgment on 22 August, declaring the practice of unilateral and instantaneous triple talaq under the Muslim personal law unconstitutional by a 3:2 majority. The triple talaq is a practice under which a Muslim man can instantly divorce his wife by uttering the word “talaq” three times.

Historic day for women in Lebanon as Parliament repeals rape law

Date: Friday, August 18, 2017

On the heels of Jordan and Tunisia scrapping discriminatory rape laws, the Lebanese Parliament agreed on 16 August, to abolish the Penal Code Article 522, the infamous “rape law” or “rape-marriage” law, which exempted a rapist from punishment if he married his victim.

Tunisia passes historic law to end violence against women and girls

Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017

Tunisia made historic strides by passing its first national law to combat violence against women on 26 July, 2017.

Malawi Parliament adopts amendment to end child marriage

Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2017

The country with one of the highest rates of child marriages in the world has taken a major step to end the practice by adopting a constitutional amendment on 14 February that raises the minimum age of marriage to 18 years.

In Timbio, Colombia, youth take a stand against street harassment

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2017

A workshop organized by UN Women to prevent violence against women and build non-violent masculinities led to the development and adoption of a Municipal Decree by the Mayor, to sensitize the public and prevent all forms of violence and discrimination against women, including street harassment.

Young people in Viet Nam organize to end dating violence

Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2016

The first survey conducted by youth activists on dating violence in Viet Nam shows almost 59 per cent of young women have experienced violence. Presented with the findings, the CEDAW Committee recommends revision of the national law to penalize all forms of violence against women, including dating violence.

Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka congratulating the Government of Pakistan on passage of anti-honour killing and anti-rape bills

Date: Tuesday, October 11, 2016

With these bills, Pakistan joins a vital growing momentum around the world in the adoption of legislation explicitly protecting women’s and girls’ rights.

Coordinated response gives Kosovo* domestic violence survivors hope

Date: Monday, July 18, 2016

UN Women-supported project leads to Municipal Coordination Mechanisms and a more effective response by Kosovo’s police, judiciary, NGOs, shelters and other institutions working with domestic violence survivors.

Gender Violence Bill presented in Uruguay

Date: Friday, April 15, 2016

Uruguay’s Council of Ministers has just approved a Government bill that aims "to guarantee women a life free of gender-based violence." The bill, which will now go to the Senate, not only defines gender violence and how it manifests itself but would also bring about a change to current criminal law and create an institutional response system as well as specialized courts.

"We must focus on changing attitudes and realizing women’s human rights" — Executive Director on ending violence against women

Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Speech by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the Ending Violence against Women: Building on Progress to Accelerate Change meeting in Istanbul, Turkey on 9 December.

Press release: High-level global UN meeting to focus on ending violence against women

Date: Monday, December 7, 2015

On 9-10 December, over 150 high-level representatives from over 40 UN Member States and the Council of Europe (CoE), UN agencies, academia and NGOs plan to attend Ending Violence against Women: Building on Progress to Accelerate Change, a high-level global UN meeting in Istanbul to assess progress, identify challenges and renew global political commitments to end the pandemic of violence against women and girls.

"Violence against women and men should not be inevitable" — Executive Director

Date: Monday, November 9, 2015

Speech by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the Colloquium on Violence, Intervention, and Agency at Yale University on 6 November.

New draft law to combat human trafficking brings hope in Morocco

Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Experts believe adopting the new anti-trafficking law will make it easier for authorities to investigate and prosecute this widespread crime.

In Palestine, specialized prosecutors ensure women survivors’ access to justice

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2014

UN Women is working with the Attorney General’s Office in Palestine on a human-rights-based approach to handling cases of domestic and gender-based violence, by training public prosecutors in line with international standards and developing operating procedures.

New law spurs action, bringing protection to many

Date: Friday, October 31, 2014

A new law against domestic violence adopted in August in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, coupled with efforts to promote the Istanbul Convention are giving new hope to survivors.