Gerald Kathumba is a fisherman and a   HeForShe change agent challenging harmful gender norms in southern Malawi. Created by UN Women, the HeforShe movement is mobilizing men and boys, like Gerald, to take action for a gender- equal Malawi. Here is a Tale of Transformation in his own words.

On May 29, the Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare (MGCSW) in collaboration with the Ministry of Peace Building and UN Women launched the South Sudan Women’s Charter in Juba. This landmark event was followed by a dissemination conference on May 30-31. The Charter aims to enable women and girls to engage meaningfully with the Reconstituted National Constitutional Review Commission (R-NCRC) and influence the Permanent Constitution-making process. Moreover, it will be a great tool for advocating for a gender-responsive electoral process and equal representation in political parties.

In celebration of the International Day for Women in Diplomacy, Tanzania hosted an intergenerational dialogue in Dar es Salaam to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among women leaders of all ages. Organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation (MoFAEAC) and UN Women, the event brought together over 100 seasoned diplomats, emerging leaders, and youth activists to discuss the vital role of women in diplomacy and international relations

Busisiwe Sithebe started Buska Foods amid personal adversity but thrived through mentorship and resilience. Facing equipment shortages and pandemic setbacks, she joined the Mentoring & Coaching of Women Entrepreneurs programme in 2023, which enabled her to secure partnerships with major retailers land grow her business. This experience ignited her commitment to empowering women in agro-processing.

When award-winning Botswana entrepreneur Gaone Mabalane was faced with the reality of unemployment she turned her love for children and education into a successful business that provides quality education for her students and secure employment for her staff members.

Listening to Thandolwami Zwelinjani (who prefers to be called Thando) and her peers sing and dance jubilantly, no one would guess the life-threatening challenges they’ve had to overcome. They are from Nomzamo Township in Strand, Cape Town, South Africa, and through the Young Women for Life Movement, they have found ways to break free of the cycle of poverty and violence.

 Significant strides have been made in evidence-based monitoring and reporting of country priorities and commitments to gender equality and women empowerment (GEWE) and SDGs in Uganda. The country has tripled the number of gender specific SDG indicators with available data to 32 out of 54 as highlighted in the 3rd Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report 2024.: (Link to report )

Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) with the support of UN Women and other partners recently hosted a Data User-Producer Symposium. A Symposium, which is conducted once every five years, provides a vital platform for discussing the latest statistical developments and trends. Attended by users and producers of statistics, research and training institutions, and development partners, the symposium aims to modernize the National Statistical System (NSS) using technology and alternative data sources. 

Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Zimbabwe Hon Monica Mutsvangwa launched the National Gender and Climate Change Task Force in Harare. This initiative was announced during the inaugural gender and climate change symposium facilitated by the Ministry of Women Affairs with support of UN Women.

Zimbabwe officially launched its National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, aligning with UN Resolution 1325. The journey begun in October 2000 when the United Nations Security Council adopts Resolution 1325. This resolution, along with nine others, forms the backbone of the UN’s programme on women, peace, and security, advocating for gender equality and women’s inclusion in political processes. The launch took place in Harare on May 3rd, 2024.

The civil war in Sudan has exacted a heavy toll, claimed nearly 16,000 lives, and displaced over 8.6 million people as of April 2024. The conflict has left 25 million individuals in urgent need of assistance, with severe hunger affecting 18 million. Approximately 53% of the internally displaced are women and girls. Despite having lost livelihoods and family members, Sudanese women have become the backbone of society.

Veronica Konga, a 23-year-old single mother of two in Adjumani district, Uganda, knows the sting of hardship. Forced to abandon her education at a young age due to lack of school fees, Veronica got married at the age of 20. For three years she endured an abusive marriage until she gathered courage to move away. With no education nor means of livelihood, her life revolved around subsistence farming on distant land where she had to walk on foot for an hour to access the farm. But, in 2023, a glimmer of hope arrived through an unexpected source: a project designed to benefit both refugees and host communities.

Life is hard as a refugee and accessing firewood to use for cooking meals makes it more difficult. Firewood is expensive and hard to find. Sometimes, children have to walk long distances to the host community woodlots to collect firewood. Even when they manage to collect some, it is sometimes taken away from them and they come back empty handed.

Nearly half of all refugees are women and girls, yet their voices are often absent from decision-making. A UN Women programme in Uganda trains women refugees to lead. On World Refugee Day (20 June), get inspired by the story of Grace Neima Khemis.

Uganda hosts 1,644,870 refugees today, and nearly 56 per cent of them have come from South Sudan, fleeing conflict and hunger. Globally, nearly half of all people forced to flee are women and girls, carrying untold stories of resilience and unseen potential. Often, the communities they escape to are also poor. Yet, they persevere, dream and break barriers in search for a better life. On World Refugee Day, meet three women who broke stereotypes and are inspiring others to do the same.

Sisa Matewa, a 39-year-old mother of five, fled the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2018 and now lives in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in Kyegegwa District, Uganda. Forced to leave behind their home and livelihoods, Sisa and her five children arrived at the Uganda DRC boarder of Bunagana with little more than the clothes on their backs and a glimmer of hope for a better future.

Displaced by war, Poni Grace, a 23-year-old South Sudanese refugee living in Imvempi Refugee Settlement in Terego district in Uganda, experienced a journey of hardship and displacement, followed by possibility. Her story is testament to the unwavering strength found within refugee communities and the transformative power of opportunity.

Annet Luka is a 23-year-old South Sudanese refugee living in Omugo settlement in Terego district. Luka is one of the 350 girls from refugee settlements and the host community who were identified in 2023-204 to acquire various skills through UN Women’s second chance education intervention implemented under the Leadership Empowerment Access and Protection (LEAP) project funded by the Government of Norway. Through second chance education, refugee women are gaining skills enabling them to engage in productive activities and rebuild their lives.

New Hope Village Savings and Loan Association emerges as a lifeline for its members, offering not only financial stability but also a pathway to brighter futures.

South African youth face significant social challenges, with gender inequalities and marginalization disproportionately affecting women and LGBTQIA+ community. To address some of the most pressing challenges, the dynamic framework aims to inspire youth-led initiatives and guide various stakeholders in transforming the nation into a more inclusive, gender-equal society.