Take five: “Addressing gender and protection issues in humanitarian action is lifesaving and planning and budgeting needs to reflect that”

Date: Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Nimarta Khuman, a Gender and Protection Advisor, explains what it means to incorporate gender and protection in humanitarian action and why it’s important.

#MyRedLine2 brings women’s rights campaign to farthest reaches of Afghanistan

Date: Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Nearly 100 human rights activists from 10 provinces of Afghanistan gathered today by the tomb of Gawharshad Begum to launch #MyRedLine2, the second phase of a social media campaign to ensure women’s rights are protected in any future peace settlement. The gathering took place in the garden of the tomb in Herat, in the country’s west. Gawharshad Begum (1378-1457) is remembered as a great Afghan woman who, with her husband the emperor of the Timurid Empire, led her people in a cultural renaissance.

From where I stand: “After living with despair, I decided to make a difference to the lives of women”

Date: Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Hannah Meltzer, 35, is a teacher, drama director, activist, creator of Wonder Women Bangkok community, and a leader of Bangkok Rising, a local advocacy group that is focused on raising awareness about eliminating gender-based violence in Thailand and beyond. She was also the director for the performance of The Vagina Monologues as part of UNiTE campaign, led by UN Women. Her work supports Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to promote gender equality and end violence against all women and girls.

Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway Support Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Afghanistan by providing USD12 million to UN Women

Date: Wednesday, August 7, 2019

[PRESS RELEASE] The Government of Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway signed a joint cooperation agreement worth USD 12 million with UN Women Afghanistan in Kabul, today. The assistance supports UN Women to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in Afghanistan for four years, (2019-2022).

UN Women helps boost harvests for women in the hills of Nepal

Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Indra Maya Tamang says that for as long as she can remember, her family has farmed the land here in the hills of Nepal. “We have carried on with the practical knowledge that has been passed on to us from generations ago,” she says. But Tamang now also knows this: “Times are changing, the air we breathe is changing, and if we don’t learn new techniques now, we’ll be stuck in the past. One cannot afford to be constant — change is inevitable. That is why we too must keep moving forward.”

From where I stand: “I created ‘Under the Ropes’ as a platform to discuss gender discrimination in the world of Muay Thai and beyond”

Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Muay Thai has been so empowering for me, but at the same time, it’s also shown me over and over again that as a woman, I am not viewed as equal to the men I share the gym space with. While male fighters enter the ring by going over the top rope, female fighters have to crouch down and crawl underneath the bottom one. Then there are rings which we are not allowed to enter at all. At the most prestigious stadium in Thailand you will see signs that say ‘ladies, do not touch the ring’.

‘Equality means business’ in Bangladesh

Date: Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Inspired by the Women’s Empowerment Principles of UN Women and United Nations Global Compact, more companies operating in Bangladesh -- including multinationals Unilever and Standard Charter Bank -- have pledged to improve conditions and opportunities for female employees. On 9 March, International Women’s Day, UN Women and consumer goods giant Unilever in Bangladesh jointly organized a series of events called Balance for Better that brought together private businesses, youths and academics to start talking about gender equality. CEOs of companies pledged to work on gender equality, youth leaders spoke about their journeys and aspirations

Bangladesh submits assessment of progress and challenges on women’s rights

Date: Tuesday, July 30, 2019

With UN Women’s technical support, Bangladesh has completed a review of its achievements and challenges in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action. The Beijing+25 National Review, drafted by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, was submitted on 22 July for inclusion in a regional consultation to be organized in November by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Improving support for women and girl survivors of sexual and gender-based violence

Date: Monday, July 29, 2019

Support for women and girl survivors of sexual and gender-based violence continues to improve as SAFENET Referral Network (SAFENET member numbers continue to increase.

Stepping in: Women must lead in dealing with natural disasters in Cambodia

Date: Thursday, July 25, 2019

“Livestock and rice fields of villagers were damaged,” recalled Kanha, “but the drowning death of a 7 year-old girl was heart-breaking for me.” The girl’s death brought grief to the community in Kampot, the southern Cambodia city where Kanha is Deputy District Governor. When a disaster hits, boys and girls, and men and women have distinct vulnerabilities, and this shapes the way the experience and recover from a disaster. One such vulnerability is gender inequality.