International Women’s Day on 8 March, which focuses on ‘Violence Against Women’, the ILO is highlighting the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace – an often subtle but disturbing form of aggression. "I felt violated and scared. Even though I said I was going to report this, I felt I could not because I thought I could easily lose my job if I told." GENEVA (ILO News) - Sisandra, 28, understands all too well the impact of sexual harassment in the workplace. As a … [Read more...]
HALF the World is Women – “Ending Violence against Women and Girls”
This Forum was opened by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and facilitated by Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, and included the participation of a range of senior leaders of UN agencies -- namely Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Anne-Birgette Albrectsen, Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA, Ms. Geeta Rao Gupta, Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF, Ms Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR. "Women's … [Read more...]
Gender and Food Security, Empowering Women for Global Food Security
Feed the Future Policy Analysis – Empowering Women for Global Food Security – In spite of persistent global efforts to address food security, it still remains an urgent problem. Women are heralded as the key players in solving the food crisis, however these crises are the result of inequities in the food distribution system; and therefore broader gender dynamics and relations of power need to be considered. By focusing only on women’s economic empowerment, USAID’s Feed the … [Read more...]
Joint Statement: Taking Action to End Water and Sanitation Inequalities
Joint Statement: End water and sanitation inequalities in the future development agenda The Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations, UNICEF, UN Women, WaterAid and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. New York, 21 February 2013. "Today, the Government of Finland, UNICEF, UN Women, WaterAid and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation call on the international … [Read more...]
UN Women, Progress of the World’s Women
In many countries of the world, the rule of law still rules women out. In every region, there are laws that discriminate against women, in relation to property, the family, employment and citizenship. Too often, justice institutions, including the police and the courts, deny women justice. But, governments and civil society are pioneering innovative approaches to ensure that women can access justice. Catalyzing gender-sensitive law reform, investing in one-stop shops and providing … [Read more...]
Dublin joins UN Women in ‘Global Safe Cities Initiative’
In February 2013, the 8th WACAP Forum was held in Dublin, Ireland on the theme of Making Cities Smart, Safe and Sustainable. The Forum explored the use of smart technologies and performance measurement systems that can contribute to sustainable development and the evolution of innovative city approaches to promote safety, with a key focus on poverty reduction. The event was expected to bring together 1,000 high level delegates, including mayors, municipal civil servants, innovators at the … [Read more...]
UNESCO Launches Women Make the News 2013
On the occasion of International Women’s Day (IWD), 8 March, UNESCO joins forces with international and regional partners to launch the annual Women Make the News (WMN) initiative under the theme, “Towards a Global Alliance on Media and Gender”. We are inviting editors-in-chief of newspapers, radio, television on and offline to join UNESCO’s initiative, and to produce special supplements/programme on these topics and/or to entrust women journalists and reporters with editorial responsibility … [Read more...]
Change.org says TY, ‘band members of Pussy Riot are free’
We want to thank all 23000 signers who signed our petition to grant honorary Parisian citizenship to the Russian band: Pussy Riot - Nadejda Tolokonnikova, Ekaterina Samoutsevitch, and Maria Alekhina. Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk-rock collective based in Moscow. Founded in August 2011, it has a variable membership of approximately 11 women ranging in age from about 20 to 33, who wear brightly colored balaclavas and use only nicknames during interviews. They stage … [Read more...]
Michelle Bachelet, visits Ireland * LIVE WEBCAST FEB 21
LIVE WEBCAST : [http://kapuscinskilectures.eu] at 6:30pm GMT / 7:30pm CET on 21st February 2013. Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, will start a three day visit to Ireland from 20-22 February. In Ireland, Ms. Bachelet will meet with President Michael D. Higgins; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore; Minister of Justice, Equality and Defense Alan Shatter and other high-ranking Government … [Read more...]
FINLAND supports ‘safety of journalists …’ in Middle East via UNESCO
UNESCO advances ‘gender equality’ fostering the Rights and Dignity of Women by enhancing 'freedom of expression' in the Arab region with the support of Finland With a contribution of 2.3 million Euros from Finland, UNESCO will implement a new project in the Arab region to strengthen the legal and regulatory frameworks conducive to freedom of expression and ensure the safety of journalists and bloggers, including through their improving capacity to use information and … [Read more...]