Women

UN Women/Kyle Espeleta

‘Global sisterhood’ tells perpetrators ‘time is up’ for pandemic of violence against women

11 December 2018
Global

From #MeToo to #HearMeToo, the fight to end violence against women continues as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Nicole Kidman, joined survivors, activists and other Hollywood celebrities to spotlight the lack of resources that exist to help women push back against violence and abuse.

UNICEF/Aylar Rezayee

Women ‘vital’ to peace efforts and ensuring long-lasting stability in Afghanistan

4 December 2018
Asia Pacific

As gender-equality advocates discuss how a lasting peace can be secured in Afghanistan, the top UN official in the country has underscored the importance of women’s participation as “vital to ending the conflict and ensuring long-lasting stability.”

UN Women Twitter

Black Panther’s ‘General Okoye’ joins the fight against gender-based violence

2 December 2018
Global

Danai Gurira, one of the stars of hit movies “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” in her role as General Okoye, has been named a Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women, lending her name and dedicating her support to gender equality and women’s rights.

UN Women/Dzilam Mendez

Increasingly under attack, women human rights defenders need better back up

28 November 2018
Global

A group of United Nations human rights experts issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling on States to live up to their commitments to protect women human rights defenders, as they come under increasing attack, and with inadequate protection.

UNICEF/UN0248272/Clarke

World Children’s Day: Millie Bobby Brown to #GoBlue as new UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

20 November 2018
Global

On this World Children’s Day, when kids across the globe unite for their rights, Emmy-Nominated actress Millie Bobby Brown has been named the newest United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador.

UN Women

Ending inequality means ending ‘global pandemic’ of violence against women – UN chief

19 November 2018
Global

Until women and girls can live free of fear, violence and insecurity, the world cannot pride itself on being fair and equal, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday, commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked annually on 25 November.

Michael Anaya Gorman

UN gender agency hails record-breaking number of women in new US Congress as ‘historic victory’

8 November 2018
Americas

The record number of women who stood as candidates in the United States Congressional elections this week marks an “unprecedented” advance “critical for the achievement of gender equality and sustainable development,” the UN gender equality agency, UN Women, said in a statement on Thursday.

UN Women/Ryan Brown

FROM THE FIELD: Enslaved Guatemalan indigenous women wait for reparations

25 October 2018
Americas

Fifteen Guatemalan women from the Q’eqchi indigenous group, who were enslaved and raped by the military during the Central American country’s 36-year-long civil conflict, are still waiting for hard-won reparations to materialize.

© UNICEF/Giacomo Pirozzi

French full-body veil ban, violated women’s freedom of religion: UN Human Rights Committee

23 October 2018
Europe

Following complaints by two French Muslim women, fined for wearing a full-body veil or niqab, a UN Committee of independent human rights experts ruled in their favour on Tuesday, stating that their freedom to practice their religion had been infringed.

WHO

‘Virginity testing’: a human rights violation, with no scientific basis - UN

17 October 2018
Global

A group of United Nations agencies has issued a joint statement calling for a ban on tests meant to assess the virginity of a girl or a woman, which is a common practice in at least 20 countries.