women and girls

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.

Audio -
8'38"
Displaced Iraqi women line up to receive food and water at Debaga camp for internally displaced people in Iraq’s Erbil Governorate. File
UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

Appeal for justice for Iraqi rape survivors

23 August 2017
General News

Thousands of Iraqi women and girls who survived rape and other sexual violence committed by extremists should receive care, protection and justice.

Furthermore, children born to them as a result of such violence should not face a life of discrimination and abuse.

Audio -
Girls from the 'One Win Leads to Another' Programme pose for photos at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
UN Women

Young girls of Rio’s favelas attend Olympic Games

21 August 2016
UN Gender Focus

Young girls from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro are attending the Olympic Games as part of a programme launched by UN Women.

Audio -
At age one, Fatima was subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in her village in Afar Region of Ethiopia which has one of the world’s highest prevalence rates.
UNICEF / Kate Holt

Female genital cutting needs “grassroots approach”

20 July 2016
General News

The eradication of female genital cutting requires a “grassroots approach” according to a rights activist who attended a recent UN meeting on the issue.

Audio -
A mother and her newborn baby at the Maternal and Child Health Training Institute for medically needy in Dhaka. UN File Photo/Kibae Park

Galvanizing action for better health for women and children

16 May 2016
General News

Despite global progress in reducing maternal and child deaths, more than 300,000 women die each year giving birth while six million children do not live to see their fifth birthday, the United Nations reports.

The majority of these deaths are preventable.

Audio -