Around the world and through the decades, we have all shared in the global struggle for gender equality.
The world has made unprecedented advances, but no country has achieved gender equality. Legal restrictions have kept 2.7 billion women from having the same choice of jobs as men. Less than 25% of parliamentarians are women. One in three women experiences gender-based violence. International Women’s Day, 8 March, is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women. This year’s theme, I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights, is aligned with UN Women’s campaign marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Let’s make 2020 count for women and girls everywhere!
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Global Issues:
Gender Equality
In the face of severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban, Afghan women continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and courage. UN Women sheds light on their reality.
Women’s rights remain threatened over two decades after the Security Council highlighted the issue. On 7 August, the Council will address “Women Peace and Security” (WPS) amid the accelerated drawdown of peace operations, focusing on implementing the WPS agenda and ensuring gender equality during and after the reduction and termination of UN peacekeeping and political missions. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous, and a civil society representative are expected to brief the Council.
Hear Esther* tell her terrifying story and see how UNFPA—the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency—is supporting the care she's receiving.
Claudelina Ortellado Portillo gave birth for the first time at age 39 in the Katuete Public Health Centre in Paraguay. Ms. Ortellado told UNFPA, she credits the psychological support she received during the pre and postnatal periods in helping her navigate the emotional tides of pregnancy. Childbirth can take a heavy emotional and physical toll and requires respectful, responsive care – an approach that emphasizes women's dignity, their emotional state, beliefs, consent and autonomy. Respectful maternity care also means discouraging over-medicalization and protecting women from obstetric abuse and violence. Women must be assured the right to their chosen birth plan and able to access all available information in order to participate fully in decision making over their own labour process – including choices, such as the position to give birth in.
The game is changing. For the first time in history, the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will see an equal number of men and women competing. This 50:50 representation of athletes makes the Summer Games the first to reach gender equality. With an expected global audience of 3 billion, this year’s Games have been deliberately scheduled to make possible more balanced coverage of all events, putting all athletes in the spotlight. The Games will also feature more women’s and mixed events, offering more opportunities for women to win medals. Get the facts on women in sport.
Hundreds of women and girls fleeing conflict in the Bandiagara region of Mali have found shelter at this displacement camp in Sokoura.
Women's sports are rapidly growing in popularity and influence, with record-breaking achievements and increasing gender parity, yet significant gaps in coverage, leadership, and pay still need to be addressed.
When Natacha Sangwa wanted to learn computer coding, people in her life asked, ‘do you really think you'll be able to handle it?’ Coding needs time and focus that they believed girls lacked. After all, men hold most of the tech jobs. “I was motivated to prove them wrong by learning how to code and pursuing a career in tech,” said Sangwa, who participated in the first coding camp organized under the African Girls Can Code Initiative last year in Rwanda. Sangwa feels that platforms like the African Girls Can Code initiative and Siemens EmpowerHer programme can inspire and encourage more girls to join ICT careers.
Nayomi Amarasinghe's journey from overcoming gender barriers to becoming a seafarer with global experience highlights resilience and ambition in the maritime industry.
Sexual violence and conflict in Sudan: A war on the bodies of women and girls
Aisha*, a 17-year-old from Khartoum, faced unimaginable hardship after losing both her parents last year. Isolated and unable to contact relatives due to the escalating conflict, her neighborhood was overtaken by an armed militia, effectively trapping her in her home. In the beginning, Aisha ventured out only for essential supplies. Although initially left unharmed by the soldiers, her situation deteriorated when two soldiers intruded her home, interrogating and then leaving her in fear. However, they returned, armed and intent on assault. Aisha endured repeated assaults over four days before escaping to a friend’s house in Kassala State. In Kassala, Aisha discovered she was pregnant. Rejected by her friend’s family, she faced isolation and despair. An attempted suicide underscored her desperation until a family directed her to a safe space for women and girls supported by UNFPA. Here, she received medical attention, counseling, and temporary shelter. Despite finding immediate help, her future remains uncertain as her due date approaches.
Empowering women refugees: Building futures in Uganda
In Uganda, amidst the challenges of refugee life, women like Grace Poni, Annet Luka, and Veronica Konga have defied stereotypes and built brighter futures. Grace's determination as a skilled bricklayer has not only provided financial stability for her family in Imvempi Refugee Settlement but has also enabled her to construct her own home. Annet's resilience as the only female carpenter in Omugo II settlement showcases her commitment to challenging gender norms while envisioning a future where she mentors other women in carpentry. Meanwhile, Veronica's journey from subsistence farming to metal fabrication highlights her entrepreneurial spirit, aiming to establish her own business despite the obstacles of limited resources. These women exemplify the transformative impact of vocational training and empowerment programs, not only on their own lives but also on the communities that host them in Uganda.
Women bring immense benefits to diplomacy. Their leadership styles, expertise and priorities broaden the scope of issues under consideration and the quality of outcomes. From peace and security to economic and social development, women's contributions are integral to achieving lasting results. Historically, diplomacy was male-dominated, but women have quietly played a critical role for centuries. The International Day of Women in Diplomacy, 24 June, is dedicated to celebrating the important contributions that women make to diplomacy and to increasing their representation in this field.