Global perspective Human stories

UN Gender Focus: Rohingya women, protection of women in South Sudan and space technology

UN Gender Focus: Rohingya women, protection of women in South Sudan and space technology

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Rohingya women have  “lived through real horrors:”  UNFPA

Safe spaces for Rohingya women and girls seeking sanctuary in Myanmar, are already full to capacity. That’s the first-hand account of Priya Marwah, Humanitarian Response Coordinator for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangladesh, who is helping create safe spaces for refugee survivors of gender-based violence. UNFPA estimates that over half of the Rohingya refugees are women, with approximately 24,000 of them pregnant or breastfeeding. All are vulnerable to rape and sexual assault. Natalie Hutchison spoke with Ms Marwah about the mental health implications for survivors of such horrific acts.

 

 

 

UNPOL arresting suspect in Juba, South Sudan. Photo: UNMISS/Eric Kanalstein

UN police boost safety for women outside South Sudan protection sites

Security operations conducted by UN Police (UNPOL) in South Sudan around sites set up to protect civilians are helping to create more security for women according to a senior police officer. The UN peacekeeping operation, UNMISS, has provided sanctuary to some 213,000 people in Protection of Civilians or POC sites around the conflict-affected country. Women who live in the sites have complained of being harassed and in some cases raped by gangs of men outside the camps. Daniel Dickinson reports from Juba on efforts to reduce the harassment.

UNOOSA Director, Simonetta Di Pippo. Photo: UNOOSA

Space technology speeds up sustainable development: UN space chief

Technology built to explore the stars, is also having a dramatic impact in the more down-to-earth pursuit of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. That’s according to the Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), Simonetta Di Pippo, who was in Australia at the end of September, to attend the International Astronautical Congress. The Australian government announced that same week that it is to launch its own space agency, due to the rapid growth of the space industry and related technologies. Julia Dean in the Australian capital, Canberra, asked Ms Di Pippo how UNOOSA’s expertise could be used be put to use by developing countries with no space programme of their own.

Presenter: Matt Wells

Production Assistant: Ana Carmo

Duration: 10’00″

Audio
10'
Photo Credit
UNFPA Bangladesh