Nuriya Maharjan first became interested in space exploration during a traditional coming-of-age ritual in which young girls of Nepal’s Indigenous Newar tribe emerge from 12 days of darkness to symbolically marry the sun.
Women and girls living through humanitarian crises are at risk of being overlooked – just as they are at their most vulnerable.
As transformative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence continue to reshape the global economy, millions of women and girls remain excluded from the digital world – denied not only access to opportunity, but also the chance to shape their own futures.
Dangerously high stress levels and widespread mental health challenges continue to take a devastating toll on civilians in Ukraine, particularly on women and girls, UN humanitarians warned on Friday.
“It’s a terrifying dilemma: do we decide to stay and endure this pregnancy during this constant shelling, or do we uproot our entire life and leave?” says Ulla Muller from the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) in Ukraine, highlighting the situation confronting many women there today.
International Women’s Day, observed on 8 March, is about challenges, backlashes against gender equality and cause for celebrations around the world. UN News app users can follow our coverage here.
The basic rights of women and girls are facing unprecedented growing threats worldwide, from higher levels of discrimination to weaker legal protections -and less funding for programmes and institutions which support and protect women.
As the world marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on Thursday, the United Nations is warning that without urgent action, a staggering 27 million more girls could undergo the procedure by 2030.
Sakina Sani was married off when she was 12 years old amid conflict and food shortages in northern Nigeria. She became pregnant at 15 but miscarried and then had two children in rapid succession.
