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- About us
- What we do
- Where we are
- How we work
- Partnerships
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News
- News
- Editorial series
-
In Focus
- Women and sport
- Women in humanitarian action
- CSW60
- International Women's Day
- Women and the SDGs
- Women and climate change
- Prevent violence against women
- Rural women, food and poverty eradication days
- In Focus: 15 years of Security Council resolution 1325
- International Day of the Girl Child
- 70th UN General Assembly
- Financing: Why it matters for women and girls
- Engaging Men
- SIDS Conference
- MDG Momentum
- Strengthening Women’s Access to Justice
- Media contacts
- Digital library
UN Women at 2016 Rio Olympic Games
UN Women Executive Director received the Olympic Flame from Prince Albert of Monaco and carried it through the streets of Rio de Janeiro, celebrating women's and girl's empowerment. Learn more
In focus: Women and sport
In the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, we spotlight the remarkable achievements, persistent hurdles and unmatched potential of women and girls in sport. Learn more
Rebuilding lives after Boko Haram
A programme by UN Women is working with girls and women who have survived Boko Haram’s attacks and making sure that the humanitarian response addresses their specific and unique needs. Learn more
Healing in post-earthquake Nepal
Trapped under rubble for days after the earthquake hit, Maali Gurung had almost given up hope. Today she is part of a cash-for-work programme, saving to rebuild her home. Learn more
UN Women at 2016 Rio Olympic Games
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon passes the Olympic Flame to Thaiza Vitória, a 15-year-old Brazilian handball player and member of the ‘One Win Leads to Another’ programme in Rio de Janei Learn more
- New Zealand commits to supporting women’s education, leadership and participation, and improving women’s safety
- Bolivia vows to ensure new laws are adequately implemented to achieve transformative change
- Slovakia commits to new targets, such as reducing the gender pay gap and increasing support services for women survivors
- Hungary commits to take action to prevent and eliminate domestic violence and sexual violence in conflict, increase employment and provide flexible day-care options for women
- The United States of America to work towards a world where every woman and girl can enjoy their rights and freedoms
- Azerbaijan commits to mainstream gender in all State programmes and legislation to help working women
- Fiji pledges to develop gender-inclusive policies and laws, improve protections against gender-based violence
- Austria promises to reduce gender pay gaps, encourage women candidates and board members
- Dominican Republic promises a plan to extend early childhood services and financing for women’s businesses
- Denmark vows equal opportunities in education and work, and to combat domestic violence
- Cuba reaffirms ongoing efforts to equalize women’s and men’s roles at home and numbers of women in government decision-making
- Croatia commits to providing active support for women’s empowerment both domestically and internationally, combat stereotypes and aim for better work-life balance
- Colombia commits to strengthen gender equality policies, eliminate gender disparities in education, reduce female unemployment, implement a plan on ending gender-based violence
- Costa Rica plans to embrace shared caregiving, promote women’s equality in the workplace
- Comoros promises continued support for reproductive health and expanded economic roles for women
- China pledges USD 10 million commitment to UN Women, assistance for other developing countries to build 100 health projects for women and children
- Latvia promises to bolster laws and support partners to fight violence
- Lao People’s Democratic Republic vows to take steps to stop violence, commits to continued action on gender equality in national plans
- Kenya aims for universal access to sexual and reproductive health, progressive action towards economic empowerment
- Tunisia seeks to expand participation of women in office
- Viet Nam will devote all necessary resources to close gender gaps, extend employment and other services for women in remote areas
- Armenia commits to implement a law on equal rights and opportunities and sign the Istanbul Convention
- Thailand promises education to cultivate acceptance of gender equality, data to monitor progress, training to promote gender-responsive budgeting
- Switzerland commits to combat wage discrimination, achieve a better work-family balance and act against domestic violence
- United Republic of Tanzania intends to amend all laws with discriminatory provisions and leverage economic growth to advance women’s equality
- Timor-Leste affirms ending gender discrimination an ongoing priority in commitment to the SDGs and Beijing Platform for Action
- Sweden vows that all national policies, budgets and international aid will contribute to gender equality
- Sri Lanka commits to update national action plan, and sustain firm commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment
- South Sudan envisions keeping gender equality at the centre of public policy and ending inequality by 2040
- Senegal enacts legal and policy reforms, commits to meaningful empowerment and true equality
Highlights
In focus: Scoring for gender equality through sport
In the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, UN Women spotlights the remarkable achievements, persistent hurdles and unmatched potential of women and girls in sport. More
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Fast forwarding to the future we want
As UN Women turns five, the Annual Report 2015-2016 highlights our key achievements in the last year, and efforts to turn the promise of the SDGs into reality for women and girls through stepped-up partnerships with civil society, private sector, the media, and others. More
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Anne Hathaway announced as new UN Women Goodwill Ambassador
The American award-winning actor will put the spotligh on the issue of the unequal burden of care work in the home as one of the key barriers to gender equality. More
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Flagship programmes
Using a human-rights-based approach focused on strengthening the voice of women and girls, UN Women has developed 12 flagship programmes that seek to remove structural barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with sustainable development. More
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Women in humanitarian action
For the World Humanitarian Summit, we highlight UN Women’s continuous work to ensure equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of humanitarian action. More
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Women and the Sustainable Development Goals
With the new global 2030 roadmap and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved by UN Member States, we take a look at how women are affected by each of the 17 proposed goals, as well as how women and girls can – and will – be key to achieving them. More
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From where I stand...
As part of a new editorial series, UN Women is capturing the unique and powerful stories of people around the world, to showcase their daily lives and challenges and how they are bringing about change. More
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World leaders commit to gender equality
More than 90 world leaders have made concrete commitments and firm pledges to overcome gender equality gaps at, and since, a historic event co-hosted by UN Women and the People’s Republic of China: the “Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Commitment to Action.” More
Latest news
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04/08/2016UN High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment hears from women in the informal economy in India
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06/08/2016Press Release: In sport and for gender equality One Win Leads to Another
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04/08/2016Coverage: UN Women Executive Director at 2016 Rio Olympic Games
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09/08/2016Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director UN Women, for the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
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02/08/2016Healing in post-earthquake Nepal
Expert's take
Sarah Douglas, a Policy Specialist for UN Women’s Peace and Security Division, on secondment as the Gender Advisor for the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, writes about the importance of funding for gender-responsive peacebuilding. More
From where I stand
Micaele Fernandes
“Gender inequality in my community is an everyday struggle. Women are still expected to be submissive to men in professional and social settings and are judged severely...”
“No one will be left behind”
In a statement for the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka highlighted the importance of ensuring access to formal, non-formal and informal education for indigenous women and girls to enhance their ability to reach their full potential. More
Featured video
Changing the game for girls in South Africa
South Africa endures one of the world's most severe HIV epidemics, with new infections disproportionately affecting women and girls, with young women aged 15-24 having HIV infection rates three times as high as in young men. Grassroot Soccer uses football to educate and inspire girls to overcome their health challenges, live healthier, more productive lives, and be agents for change in their communities.
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UN Women Watch
Brazilian funk music sensation Dream Team do Passinho calls for "More Rights, Less Zika"
Funk music stars from Brazil's favela communities are calling for people to "get together for more rights, less zika" in their newest single. The band, Dream Team do Passinho, partnered with UNFPA to produce the song, which has been a hit among concert-goers and on Brazilian radio. More
No place too far: Midwives deployed to far-flung villages in Myanmar
Yangon, Myanmar - Midwife Daw Aye Myint is the first health professional to ever be based in Htamakaut, a remote village in the rural Magway region. She arrived there only 11 months ago. Risks are high for mothers and infants in the area, where reproductive health care is sorely lacking. More
How concerned should you be about Zika this summer?
The announcement that the United States might have discovered its first cases of locally-transmitted Zika virus, and concerns raised by some of the athletes headed to the Olympic Games in Rio, are renewing fears about the disease, which the United Nations' health agency declared a 'public health emergency of international concern' in February 2016.... More
UN urges stronger action to shield millions from human trafficking
The international community must do more to end the inhumane practice of human trafficking and protect migrants and refugees - particularly young people, women and children - from those who attempt to exploit their opportunity for a better future, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, urging all nations to recognize their responsibility... More
Breastfeeding within hour of birth provides baby's 'first vaccine,' says UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today that some 77 million of the world's newborns - or 1 in 2 - are not breastfed within the first hour of birth, depriving them of essential nutrients and antibodies and thus exposing them to an increased risk of death. More
UNODC Statement on World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Human trafficking is a parasitic crime that feeds on vulnerability, thrives in times of uncertainty and profits from inaction. While the international community struggles with what UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called the biggest refugee and migration crisis since World War Two, human traffickers and migrant smugglers are taking advantage of... More
Migrants' Rights Must be Upheld to Help Combat Human Trafficking
The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is an important moment to show solidarity with the many victims of human trafficking around the world and this year we can keep the issue in the spotlight when World leaders gather on 19 September in New York for the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants, writes IOM Director General William Lacy Swing. More
UN experts urge Dominican Republic to protect women's rights to reproductive health
Expressing serious concern over the proposed penal code amendment that would criminalize abortions, United Nations human rights experts today urged the Dominican Republic's President and legislators to protect women's rights to sexual and reproductive health in the Caribbean country. More
UN launches e-learning training to tackle sexual exploitation and abuse
The United Nations department providing logistical support to field missions announced today the launch of a new mandatory online programme for all uniformed and civilian personnel to strengthen training on the standards of conduct, with a special focus on sexual exploitation and abuse. More
Poverty, inequality at the heart of the Zika outbreak
SALVADOR, Brazil - When 30-year-old Greicy Alves was diagnosed with Zika in her first trimester, it did not seem like a big deal. The disease was widely considered to be mild. But by the time her son, Gabriel, was born, Zika had been declared global health emergency. More
UNICEF calls for urgent action to protect girls, women from sexual violence
A key adviser to the United Nations children's agency today decried the culture of impunity surrounding sexual violence against women and girls around the world, following a recent case of gang rape in India. "Outrage is not enough," said Anju Malhotra, UNICEF's Principal Gender Advisor. More
Maternal death rate plunges in Lao PDR
SAVANAKHET PROVINCE, Lao PDR - "The village was full of kids before," said Agnod, 56, in a remote community in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Nestled in a forest near the border with Viet Nam, the village of Labangkhok is one of the poorest places in the country. More