Stories
Calling for action to meet the unfulfilled promise of education for girls
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Celebrities, youth activists and world leaders gathered yesterday at the UN Headquarters to put a spotlight on adolescent girls’ education, in an event co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of Ireland, together with UN Women, the One Campaign and the Global Partnership for Education. Singer and co-founder of the ONE campaign, Bono, and Chair of the Elders, Mary Robinson, were amongst the participants at the event that launched the initiative, "The Drive for Five: A Call to Action to...
In rural Georgia women are asking for kindergartens, here’s why
Thursday, March 7, 2019
In remote villages across Georgia, better roads and kindergartens are high on women’s agenda, and understandably so. How long it takes them to commute due to the lack of road infrastructure or essential public services such as kindergartens, and how far a mother has to go to get affordable childcare, determines how much time she has left in a day to get paid work.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Sylvia Nansat Nwantu-Julde, 59, had been a teacher for 35 years when she heard about the Girls Empowerment and Mentoring Scheme (GEMS). She started a club to empower her students, which now has 50 members.
Take five with Joy Chebet Bii: Why does digital literacy matter for women and girls?
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Joy Chebet Bii is a 20-year-old living in Nairobi, Kenya. Joy, a student in mathematics and computer science at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, is a Mozilla Club captain. Through a partnership between UN Women and The Mozilla Foundation, Mozilla Clubs teach web literacy skills to women and girls in Cape Town and Nairobi. Joy uses her expertise to teach girls in Kibera, the biggest slum in Nairobi, basic coding and digital literacy skills.
World's Largest Lesson teaches Albania the ABCs of the SDGs
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Ahead of World Teacher’s Day on 5 October, UN Women highlights teachers in Albania who are bringing the Sustainable Development Goals into the classroom. In a week of action, awareness-raising and accountability, Global Goals Week introduced Albanian kids to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
At the sidelines of the 71st United Nations General Assembly today, UN Women unveiled the first-ever HeForShe IMPACT 10X10X10 University Parity Report. In the groundbreaking report, 10 leading global universities lay out concrete commitments and begin charting their progress toward achieving gender parity.
From where I stand: Desirée Akpa Akpro Loyou
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Desirée Akpa Akpro Loyou, 37, is a social worker and Deputy Commissioner General responsible for training, for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in Côte d'Ivoire.
“Education is power” – Girl Guide teacher/trainer
Monday, October 5, 2015
Kisha Miller has been a technical (architectural) drawing teacher for the past eight years at the Boca secondary school in Grenada. She has been a Girl Guide for the past 20 years and is now a Unit Leader at the school where she teaches, as well as an assistant District Commissioner. She speaks to UN Women about the importance of non-traditional education, how she promotes gender equality as a teacher, and how she is using, and will use, education to combat violence against women in her country.
Malawi Chief annuls 330 child marriages
Thursday, September 17, 2015
In a country where half of girls are married before age 18, UN Women played a key role in lobbying for a new law that raises the legal age to wed, while raising awareness and working with traditional leaders to annul marriages.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Statement by UN Women’s Deputy Executive Director, Yannick Glemarec, at the World Education Forum 2015 high-level statements and closing ceremony, on 21 May, in Incheon, Republic of Korea.
World Education Forum adopts Declaration on the Future of Education
Thursday, May 21, 2015
A transformative vision for education over the next 15 years has been adopted at the World Education Forum, which concluded today in Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Opening remarks by UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the World Education Forum 2015, held on 19 May, in Incheon, Republic of Korea.
From complex coding in Kigali to graduation gowns in Pittsburgh
Thursday, March 26, 2015
From Nairobi and Kampala, passing through Kigali and Pittsburgh, on their way to visit New York City on 11 March – for Ivy Wainain and Lynn Kirabo, walking through UN Women Headquarters is a “surreal” feeling. They take stock of every step they have undertaken to reach the milestone they are about to achieve – graduating from a Master’s degree in the United States.
UN Women Executive Director applauds joint Nobel Peace Prize win for Malala, Kailash Satyarthi
Friday, October 10, 2014
In a statement, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said the award is fitting as we celebrate Girl Child Day. She says Malala’s staunch and fearless advocacy has amplified the voices of girls who might otherwise remain unheard.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Remarks by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the Nordic Council of Ministers’ side event on Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Girls through Education, New York, 12 March 2014
At the UN, Malala Yousafzai celebrates birthday and education for all
Friday, July 12, 2013
Pakistani education activist and violence survivor Malala Yousafzai will mark her 16th birthday on 12 July 2013, at United Nations headquarters by giving her first high-level public appearance and statement on the importance of education.
In Afghanistan, women and girls strive to get an education
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
In a country where education for all remains a challenge, UN Women is supporting efforts to reach women and girls through English classes and trainings in computer skills. On 10 July, the CEDAW Committee examined Afghanistan’s first report on progress and challenges towards gender equality.
The gender dimension of the Millennium Development Goals Report 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
As the UN Secretary-General launches the latest annual report on progress towards the MDGs, a look at the impact of each of the eight goals on women and girls, as well as UN Women’s efforts to address remaining challenges.
As elections approach school kids cast their vote against violence in Kenya
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
On the eve of Kenya’s Presidential elections on 4 March, schools and communities are raising awareness to prevent both electoral and domestic violence. Using theatre, art and an essay-writing competition, kids are tackling how to identify and report incidents of violence.
Giving young children access to school and mothers a chance to find jobs in rural Moldova
Friday, October 5, 2012
Many young children in rural Moldova are stuck at home in the long cold winter months with nowhere to go and nowhere to play. Kindergartens and pre-schools are few and even when they are in place, they are in poor shape and often badly heated.