Women

Simone D. McCourtie/World Bank

Without firm action on gender equality, women’s empowerment, world may miss development targets

14 February 2018
Global

Without speedy progress on gender equality and real action to end pervasive discrimination against women and girls, the global community will not be able to keep the promise to ‘leave no one behind’ on the road to ending poverty, protecting the planet and advancing prosperity by 2030, according to a new United Nations report launched on Wednesday.

Graham Crouch/World Bank

Ahead of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, UN calls for smashing stereotypes

9 February 2018

It is time to support and invest in women and girls who want to pursue careers in scientific research, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed annually on 11 February.

Courtesy of Pad Man

New Bollywood film about rural innovator spotlights menstrual health, women’s rights

8 February 2018
Asia Pacific

Bollywood is highlighting the issue of menstrual hygiene in a new comedy-drama that aims to break taboos around sanitary pads.

UNICEF/Ohanesian

More than 300 child soldiers released by armed groups in South Sudan – UN mission

7 February 2018
Africa

Some 300 child soldiers, including 87 girls, were formally released by armed groups in South Sudan, the United Nations mission in the country reported on Wednesday, calling on all stakeholders to support the young people on the journey back to their communities and help them build a future for themselves.

A student at St. Francis of Assisi School and other girls, check their smart phones after classes in the Central Visayas city of Cebu, Philippines.
UNICEF/Joshua Estey

‘Protect children and their digital footprint,’ urges UNICEF on Safer Internet Day

6 February 2018
Global

Every half a second, every day, a child goes online for the first time – tapping into all the great opportunities the Internet has to offer, but facing grave risks, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday, calling for urgent action to protect them from sexual exploitation, cyberbullying and the misuse of their private information.

With rising number of girls at risk, world in 'race against time' to end female genital mutilation – UN

6 February 2018
Global

Female genital mutilation is a violent act that, among other things, causes infection, disease, childbirth complications and death, said the Executive Directors of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in a joint statement for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Alhagie Manka

Female genital mutilation ‘not acceptable’ in the 21st century – UN envoy on youth

5 February 2018
Africa

Speaking a day ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, the United Nations youth envoy people underscored that the ghastly practice is an aversion to the human rights of millions and keeps them from achieving their full potential.

Conflicts and disasters forcing 59 million young people into illiteracy – UNICEF study

31 January 2018

Nearly three in ten young people between the ages of 15 and 24 living in conflict- or disaster-affected countries are illiterate, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Wednesday, calling for greater investments in the education, particularly for the most disadvantaged children and youth.

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Youth leaders ready to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and get to work at annual UN forum

29 January 2018
Global

Not content to follow old-school rules to tackle problems like climate change, poverty and inequality, today’s youth – media savvy ‘Millennials’ and the ‘Born in the 90s’ cohort that can’t remember life without the Internet – are using disruptive, new-school innovations to drive change; and they’re heading to the United Nations to talk about building a better world for all.

UNICEF/Al Shami

‘Enough is enough;’ world cannot become numb to killing of children, says top UNICEF official in Syria

26 January 2018
Middle East
With families in Syria’s besieged northern town of Afrin on the run or hiding in basements to escape intense shelling, the head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) operations in the country has strongly denounced the rising number of child casualties, questioning whether the world is “becoming numb to the killing of children.”