Listening to the soulful singing of young women and girls in Nomzamo township in Strand, Cape Town, South Africa, and watching their jubilant dancing, it would be difficult to guess the complex and life-threatening challenges they have faced in their young lives.

In the face of a brutal conflict, Sudanese women are refusing to be silenced. Coming together in Kampala, Uganda for Sudan Women’s Peace dialogue, the Sudanese women issued a powerful call to action. Their demands are clear: women's increased inclusion in peace processes, with a firm demand for 50% representation in all negotiations. The women emphasized that this representation must be meaningful, ensuring women's voices are not only heard but actively shape the decisions that affect their lives.

*Amal (real name withheld for safety) is a Sudanese women's rights activist and peace builder. Shel was arrested in October 2023 alongside nine other women for their advocacy work on the ‘Stop the War’ campaign. *Amal participated in Sudan Women’s Peace Dialogue by UN Women the African Union aimed at ensuring a gender inclusive peace process in Sudan.

From 12-14 June 2024, UN Women Rwanda and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) collaborated to host a three-day training session in Musanze district, aimed at empowering media practitioners to take a proactive role in combating gender-based violence (GBV). The training, which attracted approximately 50 participants including chief editors, journalists, and social media influencers focused significantly on online GBV due to its rising prevalence and often inadequate and inappropriate media coverage.

Finland's Ambassador to Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, Seychelles and Uganda H.E. Pirkka Tapiola, and the Embassy of Finland to Kenya Head of Cooperation Anu Ala-Rantala, joined a team from the UN Women Kenya Country Office led by Country Representative Anna Mutavati,  to visit Kwale County in June 2024. This visit aimed to document impact of a four-year project (2020-2023) focused on enhancing women's political participation, eliminating gender-based violence (GBV), and promoting peace and security.

On 8 July, UN Women launched a new project entitled "Promoting the socio-economic recovery and resilience of internally displaced and repatriated women and girls in Northern Mozambique", in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique in partnership with the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

PRESS RELEASE UNHCR and UN Women sign partnership agreement in CAR – 08 July 2024

WE, the women of Sudan from women’s organisation, civil society, the private sector, gathered in Kampala, Uganda from 3-4 July 2024, on the occasion of the Sudan Women’s Peace Dialogue, convened by the African Union Commission through the Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, under the leadership of the AU High Level Panel on Sudan,

In Kenya, the participation of women in political and decision-making processes has seen gradual progress, yet significant challenges remain. Despite constituting half of the population, as per the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, women's representation in political and leadership roles is disproportionately low.

As Kenya strives for gender equality, women's participation in political leadership remains a critical focal point. Women face unique challenges in the political arena, necessitating tailored approaches to enhance their opportunities and ensure protection from discrimination.

Ngoakoana Seleka, founder of catering and beverages manufacturing business Thabosilkahu Empire, is one of the participants of the EnterprenHER Phase II.

Convened by the Southern Africa Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Peace Commission, and supported by the UN Women South Africa Multi-Country office (SAMCO) through the Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF), the YWfL movement was founded in 2019 to empower South African women and girls in the face of discrimination and hardship, structural drivers of vulnerability to HIV and gender-based violence (GBV). Together, members confront the challenges and threats they encounter in their day-to-day lives—including unemployment, HIV infection, and GBV. We sat down to speak with the initiator of this project, Jacqueline Utamuriza-Nzisabira, Regional HIV/AIDS Specialist for UN Women East and Southern Africa and the manager of the YWfL project.

At a regional meeting held in Dar es Salaam, women leaders from the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) and gender equality stakeholders called for actionable steps to increase financing for gender equality across the Sub-Saharan African region, emphasizing the need for policies and practices that promote accountability, inclusivity, and sustainable economic development for everyone.

The Regional Gender Equality Profile is a representation of the East and Southern Africa Region, giving a projection of more than twenty critical areas addressing nuances of African women’s lives in subject areas including laws, rights, culture, opportunities and barriers. It also examines pressing gender issues such as climate change, land, peace and security, unpaid care work and childcare.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.