This policy paper highlights the emerging lessons and key priority actions drawn from UN Women–led child marriage programs in Malawi and Zambia that will be instructive to existing and future interventions across Africa. The paper is also timely as it recognizes the need for deliberate actions to ensure that COVID-19 does not reverse the gains made to end child marriages in Africa.

Renewable, clean energy and gender equality are preconditions for sustainable development and for tackling climate change. This linkage is tacit in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Gender equality and women’s empowerment (Goal 5) and women’s and men’s equal access to secure energy services (Goal 7) are central to building more environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient societies (Goals 13 and 15) (UN Women and UNDP-UNEP PEI, 2015).

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). In doing so, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organisation’s goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The highlights of this issue : Message by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on International Women's Day, 8 March 2016 - IWD commemorations in Botswana: A birthstone for UN Women’s office in Gaborone - UN Women in Ethiopia Commemorates International Women’s Day with Women Innovators and Entrepreneurs - Kenya National Action Plan (KNAP) for the Implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 launched on International Women’s Day - Mozambique Celebrates International Women’s Day - International Women’s Day Celebration in Ethiopia - Zimbabwe steps out to step up for gender equality - Launch of the 13th edition of the Women First 5km Run of Ethiopia.

The highlights of this issue : UN Women and Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Ring the Bell for GenderEquality - Empowered Woman Transforms Lives in Rural Ethiopia - Women Situation Room observes peaceful elections in Uganda - UN Women hosts Women in Energy side event at the 2016 Africa Energy Indaba - UN Women hosts a breakfast meeting on Women, Peace and security at the High Level Ministerial Partnership Forum on Somali - Burundi improves the lives of women and communities by fighting against sexual and gender-based violence...

Within UN Women, we think it is crucial that our programmes are evidence-based and build upon lessons learned from previous interventions. Part of this process involves utilizing the lessons and recommendations from the evaluations we conduct. So, in 2015 the Evaluation Unit of UN Women Eastern & Southern Africa Regional Office developed a database on lessons and recommendations from 19 evaluations conducted in the ESA region during 2009 – 2015.

The highlights of this issue : Breaking the Glass Ceiling - The Government of Japan supports Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in South Sudan - Ethiopia commemorates the International Human Rights Day and marks the close of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against Gender-Based Violence ...

The highlights of this issue : UN Women ESARO Hosts the First Joint Regional Peer Review Group Meeting Lives of women entrepreneurs in pottery cooperative in Addis Ababa improved Sudan launches the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) Women Entrepreneurs in Rwanda Call for Improved Access to Financing and Training Opportunities UN Women SAMCO and Edgars UNiTE to Orange the World ACTIL & UN Women ESARO hold a Regional Training for Building Gender Respon-sive National...

The highlights of this issue : -Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Launched in Uganda at a Women Leadership Conference -Kenyatta University Leads in Becoming the First HeForShe Academia Champion -UN @ 70 Commemorations in Malawi – 30 October, 2015 -A child miner’s story—Guinea Bissau -The Launch of Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) in Blantyre, Malawi -HeForShe - Think Pink (Breast Cancer Awareness) Engagement

The highlights of this issue : -Regional Sharefair on Gender Equality in the Extractives Industries: Building On Good Practices -Gulf African Bank and Tribe Hotel Take a Stand for Gender Equality by Signing Up to the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPS) -A Safe Space to Dream and Hope -UN Women Embarks Heforshe University Impact pilot plan in Uganda -UN Women MCO and Coca Cola Team up to celebrate Small Business Owners during the I Business Journey Yami Event -UN Women And ACTIL Embark...

The highlights of this issue : Youth in Uganda Join UNiTE Campaign to End Violence against Women and Girls HeForShe Launched in Mpumalanga at the South African Bishops’ Conference Mentoring and Empowering Programme for Young Women (MEMPROW) - South African division launches in Johannesburg Celebrating Africa’s Advancement on Gender Equality at the Nairobi +30 Women’s Conference UN Women Uganda Embarks on Strategy to boost Women’s participation in 2016...