The study covers Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda. It finds that NEET rates in ESA are above 40 percent for youth in the 20-24 years age bracket, that young women in the region are disproportionally affected by NEET status regardless of their age group, and that this status is more likely to become a permanent state for young women than for young men.

This guide is designed to increase the understanding of the legal obligations of countries in the West and Central Africa (WCA) region to achieve gender equality in decision-making. It focuses on strengthening efforts to improve the legal framework in the region to ensure that laws are clearly drafted, implementable and effective. Special focus is devoted to the processes by which laws supporting political participation of women are developed, negotiated, drafted, passed and implemented. It aims to strengthen law-making processes that build and secure the legal rights of women who want to run for elections and who are ready to take over leadership positions in their parliaments and governments. Legal instruments are presented that can be used to advance the political participation of women.The comparative experiences presented in this guide address both examples of good practices and laws that have failed because their regulations are imprecise, unclear lack effective sanctions

It is a reality that our region carries the highest prevalence of child marriage and female genital mutilation in the world, impacting millions of our girls. These harmful traditional practices have devastating impact including loss of life, risk of disease such as fistula, loss of education and life opportunities, trauma and other psycho-social impacts resulting in deepening poverty and perpetuating a cycle of abuse. This calls on us as traditional and religious leaders to urgently assume our role as protectors of our children. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the prevalence of genderbased violence in our countries and communities.

The brief highlights the purpose of exchange visits, the best practices identified participants, and the key messages of the forum for Civil Society.The main aim of the visits was to get exposure to and gain a better understanding of, countries’ experiences on climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and agribusiness practices so as to synergize with national-level lessons for action.

This series, updated quarterly, illustrates the human impact of UN Women’s work across the world, highlighting the partnerships that make this work possible. These stories share how we and our many partners are striding forward to realize a better world for women and girls

The ongoing crisis in Nigeria's North East region, compounded by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has left internally displaced persons even more vulnerable. 54% of the internal displaed population is female. The Rapid Gender Assessment undertaken by UN Women in collaboration with CARE International and Oxfam examines the gender-related impact of COVID-19 on women, men, girls and boys to inform the intervention response for the North-East.

The overall objective of the study was to conduct a mapping exercise of existing peace infrastructures in targeted five counties of Liberia and research their gender responsiveness. The research also assessed the mechanisms of coordination and intersection between the Palava Huts and the Peace Huts and other decentralized peace infrastructures, which should inform the implementation of the recommendations put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

Amidst COVID-19, Women-led businesses across Africa have significantly been impacted. UN Women, ImpactHer conducted a survey with women SME owners across 30 African countries which revealed that most women-led SMEs are at risk of permanent business shutdown as a result of the pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic (also known as COVID-19) has now spread to all the 25 countries in West and Central Africa (WCA). This rapid evolution of COVID-19 in Africa is deeply worrisome. The coronavirus is a threat to the world and to all countries of our region, many of whom just recovered from the Ebola pandemic (such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia). The region was already fragilized by conflict, violent extremism, and a very alarming humanitarian situation. The pandemic risks to be graver in refugee camps and IDPs camps in conflict or post-conflict areas.

The purpose of this note is to make proposals which constitute avenues for reflection which will allow the various actors to proactively adopt approaches sensitive to gender and conflict and making it possible to combine the fight against COVID-19 and the fight for peace.

This brief highlights 8 keys interventions to be considered in West and Central Africa by all sectors of society, from governments to international organizations and to civil society organizations in order to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, at the onset, during, and after the public health crisis. It also considers the economic impact of the pandemic and itsimplications for violence against women and girls in the long-term.

The R-GTG wishes to contribute to the efforts in progress to confront the current pandemic by sharing this note with the Coordinators residing in the region with the intention of encouraging and proposing tools to improve the consideration of the gender issue in the response to COVID-19. In this respect, it addresses the main risks connected to gender when considering the pandemic and makes a specific number of recommendations to respond to it.

This note will help UN Women Country Offices in West and Central Africa, Governments and Development Partners to identify key gender impacts of the crisis to be considered when conducting socio-economic impact assessments of COVID19, in order to develop policy and programmatic actions to mitigate those impacts and to set the foundations of a recovery effort which takes into account women and girls’ needs.

As COVID-19 spreads in Africa, informal workers are hard-pressed to comply with social distancing or confinement measures, as they need to work to provide for their basic needs. Here are three things that UN Women country offices can advocate for to ensure that women working in the informal economy do not fall through the cracks in the current crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has profound gender implications which are likely to lead to increased inequalities. This brief highlights key areas for the integration of gender priorities and makes recommendations to governments and stakeholders for inclusion in the Nigerian national response plan.