Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated worldwide economic decline, East and Southern Africa (ESA) has suffered job losses and an increase in poverty, interruptions in healthcare services, and declined nutrition levels. Young adults whose place in the labor market is often informal, temporary, and tenuous at best have suffered greater job and income losses than their parents. As part of ensuring that recovery efforts also reduce the number of youth, young women, not in employment, education, or training (NEET), UN Women in ESA commissioned a quantitative study on the NEET status of youth aged 15-24 years in nine countries in the region. This report summarizes country findings and provides detailed analysis of available NEET data for youth aged 15-24 years with a view to supporting evidence-based policy advocacy and action in this area. This study covers Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.

The Zimbabwe Gender Forum Report discusses topical gender issues emerging from the 2020 annual gender forum held towards the end of 2020. The report aims to inform policy engagements on issues discussed.

The transition to a green economy will create many new jobs around the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa. But will women share-in these new jobs, and will the economic transformation help them move into higher-paid, more stable jobs that require more education and skills? The short answer is “yes” – provided countries adopt strong policies and programmes to make it happen. The green economy transition is attracting attention in policy circles but its potential gender...

This brief presents emerging evidence on the role the private sector can play in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria by highlighting the key measures companies can take to move beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to combine profits with gender progress. Realizing the growing need for gender equality is also germane to the survival and development of girls and the building of healthy communities, a healthy society, and a healthy nation. The economic...

Ensuring adequate financing for gender equality is central to implementing and achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 51 and all gender targets across the framework. The principle of proper financing for gender equality is rooted in the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action (para 345 and 346) adopted in 1995. Inadequate financing hinders the implementation of gender-responsive laws and policies.

The report draws on analysis of case studies both at national and regional level as a means of identifying targeted interventions on SDGs and GEWE. Accordingly, this publication has mapped all the 17 SDGs within the GEWE agenda including the various ways in which women and girls will remain key to the attainment of the global goals.