This report is based on an assessment of COVID-19 fiscal stimulus response and policy measures in nine countries in Asia and the Pacific (Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam).

Ending discrimination and exclusion is core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Leaving No One Behind. Now is the time to make a conscious choice for better representation. Read the updated checklist on how to make your panels and events diverse and inclusive.

Gender equality is a precondition for achieving Sustainable Development Goals and any kind of meaningful and sustained progress, including in laying out the foundation for peaceful and resilient societies. This brief outlines how the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific will support inclusive governance processes in the region for the years to come.

This report on Social protection for Women and Girls in Viet Nam in the period 2012-2020 aims to assess the status and results of the implementation of social protection policies for women and girls within the framework of Resolution No. 15 in the period 2012-2020 and to propose policy recommendations to advance the gender mainstreaming in the development of the new Resolution on social protection policies toward 2030.

Since August 2021, the Taliban have implemented a consistent and continuously expanding assault on women’s rights in Afghanistan. An assault which, with each passing day, decree after decree, sees the Taliban move closer to approximating their period of rule in Afghanistan during the 1990s. This Gender Alert brings together publicly available gender data and analysis covering the period between August 2022 and February 2023.

The purpose of this brief is to present the key priorities of Afghan women across the country and their recommendations on what the international community and national stakeholders can do to change the current situation.

Photobook on women’s contribution from the Rohingya and host communities in Cox’s Bazar to climate change adaptation

Funding for gender equality and women’s rights CSOs in Bangladesh during COVID-19’ report takes deeper look at the funding landscape for Women Rights Organizations (WROs) and gender equality-related work in the COVID-19 context in Bangladesh.

Building an equal and a just society requires inclusion of all voices and representation from all walks of life. It entails giving people from diverse and marginalized backgrounds an opportunity to be heard. Women, youth, marginalized communities, people with disabilities, and sexual minorities continue to be underrepresented in public forums, events, and webinars. We must recognize different expertise and experiences in our society, including differing views.

In this edition: [*] Eliminating Gender-Based Violence in Cox’s Bazar was discussed during the 16 Days of Activism campaign [*] Acting against gender-based violence in Cox’s Bazar [*] Orange handprints to raise awareness against gender-based violence in Multi-Purpose Women’s Centres [*] Women and girls in Cox’s Bazar say "No to violence against women" and more...

The purpose of this Gender Alert is to document and analyze the impact of the rapidly evolving Afghan context on women’s rights and gender equality. This Alert focuses on developments since the Taliban take-over of Kabul on 15 August 2021, shedding light on the impact of the current contextual dynamics on the rights of women and girls.

Beyond Kabul: Women peacebuilders’ reflections on the peace process and the impact of COVID-19

Bringing together the views of over 800 Afghan women, from eight provinces and various social groups, this study aims to highlight the perspectives of the Afghan women on the peace process, to better inform political elites and decision makers of their concerns; thus, facilitating informed decisions during the intra-Afghan peace negotiations with the Taliban.

Women play diverse roles in the context of armed conflict; as culturally designated caregivers, women must struggle to support their families and keep their households together while the breadwinners fight, or are apprehended or killed. Women and girls are equally affected in a fragile environment where social services and other basic needs become harder/impossible to fulfil. As a primary provider, women are exposed to further abuse.

This report tells UN Women’s story over the period 2019–2020. It shares how we and our many partners are striding forward to realize a better world for women and girls—one of equality and empowerment. Looking forward, we will draw on our full resources and experiences in protecting and advancing the rights of all women and girls. That is what we do and who we are, as a leader, mobilizer, convenor, provider of programmes, and partner for change.

Across every sphere, from health to the economy, security to social protection, the impacts of COVID-19 are exacerbated for women and girls simply by virtue of their sex. This policy brief explores how women and girls’ lives are changing in the face of COVID-19, and outlines suggested priority measures to accompany both the immediate response and longer-term recovery efforts.

In 2017, UNHCR and UN Women partnered to conduct a gender analysis of the right to a nationality in Myanmar. This was implemented by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), along with local CSO The Seagull, the Statelessness Network Asia Pacific (SNAP) and the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI). The report was launched on 7 March 2018 as part of a series of events celebrating International Women’s Day. Conducted in Mawlamyine, Mandalay and Yangon, the study included participants...

UN Women, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are jointly implementing a five-year programme, generously funded by the Government of Sweden, entitled Enhancing Access to Justice for Women in Asia and the Pacific: Bridging the gap between formal and informal systems through women’s empowerment. The project will be implemented at the regional level, with initially six countries of focus: Indonesia...

Myanmar is in rapid political and economic transition, with a triple-reform agenda focused on democratic governance and rule of law; national unity and peace via reconciliation with political parties and ethnic armed organizations; market-oriented economic adjustments, inclusive growth, bottom-up planning and decentralization; improved management of government institutions; collaboration with the international community and Myanmar’s diaspora; and removal of media censorship. Notable...

The paper highlights the legal gap that still exist in violence against women in Asia that lead to create a culture of impunity in which the perpetrator go unpunished by reinforcing a message that he will not be held accountable for his action. Challenges in implementing human rights law in order to make rights to women and girls not meaningless still need to be endeavored in all the Asian countries. The lack of adequate laws and structure to safeguard witnesses and ensure their security, as...