women and girls

UNFPA's Don't Look Away digital campaign sheds light on the stories of 16 women who experienced sexual harassment in Sri Lanka.
UNFPA/Eliza Hatch

Speak out to confront plague of sexual harrassment against women commuters

26 November 2018
UN Gender Focus

As the United Nations marks its annual 16-day campaign against gender-based violence and the world continues to be shaken with the #MeToo movement, UNFPA – the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency – is shining the spotlight on the daily sexual harassment of women and girls using public transportation in Sri Lanka.

Audio -
16'13"
Four months-old Saleh, admitted in Al Hudaydah’s main hospital in April 2017, and his mother Nora. Close to half a million children and two million mothers in Yemen are at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition due to ongoing conflict.
UN OCHA/Giles Clarke

Looming famine in Yemen could put two million mothers at risk of death – UN agency

1 November 2018
Humanitarian Aid

The critical difficulties in accessing food in Yemen, and other hardships caused by the ongoing conflict, could lead to the world’s worst famine ever, and place up to two million malnourished, pregnant and lactating women at risk of death, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said on Thursday.

The niqab is a full-body Islamic piece of clothing, worn by some women in some devout Muslim communities, and which covers the whole body, leaving only a narrow slit for the eyes. Yemen, 2007.
© UNICEF/Giacomo Pirozzi

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

23 October 2018
Human Rights

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.

End Virginity Testing Infographic.
WHO

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

17 October 2018
Women

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.

The poorest and most vulnerable people in Rwanda have benefited from the “Green Village” concept, a Rwandan government initiative which is supported by UNDP and UN Environment, that aims to tackle the African country’s growing natural resource challenges, including deforestation, soil erosion, access to water and unsustainable land use.
UNDP Rwanda/Alice Kayibanda

Investing in rural women and girls, ‘essential’ for everyone’s future: UN chief

15 October 2018
Women

Marking International Day of Rural Women, on Monday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on countries to ensure that women and girls living in rural areas can enioy their human rights as this would enable making “progress for all”.

Zahara, as part of the #GirlsTakeover campaign, took over the role of UNFPA executive director.
UN News/Yasmina Guerda

Zahara takes charge: UN helps today’s girls become the leaders of tomorrow

11 October 2018
UN Gender Focus

What would a Ugandan teenager like to do if she got to run one of the UN’s key agencies for a day?

For this latest edition of our UN Gender Focus podcast, from UN News, you’re about to find out.

18-year-old Zahara had a tough upbringing, fending for herself as the youngest of six, finally battling her way to become a youth advocate for girls’ empowerment.

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8'38"