Overcoming years of illness, stigma and financial strain, several women living with HIV in Roka commune, north-western Cambodia, now have improved health, confidence and livelihoods.

Freedom of expression in civic space is shrinking. In this environment, Lingkar Studi Feminis (Feminist Study Circle) has managed to hold its ground, helping young people learn about gender-based advocacy, gender-responsive budgeting, feminist legal theory, and legal aid.

In Cambodia, farmers like Som Sitha are using fertilizer produced by HUSK Ventures, a climate enterprise supported through the Pioneer Facility.

As I grew older, I began hearing a different kind of narrative. Friends whispered about eerie encounters with strangers, inappropriate touching by security guards, and worse. One close friend, who had grown distant for two years

As a child, I often wandered into my grandparents' backyard to pick off corn smut, a fungal disease that affects corn growth. Many years later, I learned that the same "harmful" fungi - huitlacoche - are intentionally cultivated in Mexico as a delicacy.

I came to know this community almost by chance. On my journeys from my hometown to Colombo, I would take a quieter road to avoid the traffic, one that crosses a bridge near where the Kelani River meets the sea.

This journey has taught me one fundamental truth: achieving genuine development requires far more than good intentions. It requires young people who are equipped with the right skills, enabled with real opportunities, and trusted as partners in decision-making.

Ieng Sopheapanhat is Chief of the Office of Social Affairs and Social Welfare in Kampong Cham City. Her work sits at the intersection of public service, legal protection and community care, and for many women and children facing violence, she has become someone they know will respond.

Earlier in her career, she worked as a women’s affairs officer, travelling from the province to districts, communes and villages to share information and support women and girls in the community. The work was demanding, and the roads were often difficult.

Sorn Saroeun grew up in Stung Treng Province, where distance and isolation shaped everyday life. Long before he entered public office, he understood how geography could determine opportunity, especially when it came to education.

After her mother died, changes in the family’s circumstances finally made it possible for Sophal to go to school, and she threw herself into the opportunity with extraordinary determination.

San Sokha grew up in rural Stung Treng, one of eight children in a farming family shaped by poverty, hardship and conflict. Her childhood unfolded during one of Cambodia’s most difficult periods.

Karki spent 18 hours a day, cooking, cleaning, farming, and taking care of children and older family members. She started thinking differently about care work and her time after participating in a local advocacy and self-help group under the Community Cares Project, led by UN Women

She was 16 when she finally began grade 1. It was unusual to see a young woman sitting among small children.

“When I dropped out, I ran a family business,” she recalls. “My mother and others were Num Banh Chok sellers… selling noodles wholesale by the kilogram.”

Loch Vannin began his career as a teacher in 1993, entering public service with a commitment to help others build knowledge and opportunity. Over time, that path led him from the classroom into district administration.

Chhun Sereyrath has built her career in public service with a strong sense of purpose and a clear commitment to women’s advancement. Today, as Director of the Provincial Department of Commerce in Pursat, she carries not only the responsibilities of leadership, but also the visibility that comes with being the only woman in such a role nationwide.

Moving from commitment to targeted, sustained action is key to advancing gender equality in the private sector. Ten companies from the Philippines' technology and tech-enabled sectors were recognized this month as the country’s first ‘WEPs Changemakers’ after completing the inaugural Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Corporate Action Lab.

UN Women and the European Union jointly launched “Women in Motion 2.0”, a four-year programme to advance women’s economic empowerment, and promote gender-responsive and inclusive workplaces in China.

I come from a society where silence is often mistaken for dignity, especially when it comes to gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Young people are expected to stay quiet