From where I stand: “It has become impossible to meet daily needs”

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

As the sixth-born child to poor parents, there wasn’t enough money for me to pursue any studies after high school. Growing up, my siblings and I often missed school to help our parents harvest vegetables from our land so that we could eat. After graduating, I moved to Nairobi to find work to sustain myself. For the past two years, I’ve been working as an Uber driver in Nairobi. My daughter and I live outside of the city, in Kiambu County. A friend introduced me to the Uber...

From Where I Stand: "Due to COVID-19 people were not going to the police"

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

“Since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Ethiopia, one-stop crisis centres and shelters haven’t been able to support survivors because of the lack of isolation rooms for newcomers and insufficient human resources and personal protective equipment. To fill this gap, a transitional shelter was opened to serve as a space where survivors could stay during the quarantine period. Once the survivors are tested for...

Press Release: Kenya's Women, Peace and Security Agenda enters next phase

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2020

The Kenya National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2020 – 2024 (KNAP II) is the second phase of a process initiated in 2016 to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325). By providing a framework to amplify voices of women at the grassroots, country and national level, it also aligns with the Leave No-no Behind principle.

From where I stand: ‘Voice the Violence’ program still providing services during COVID-19

Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Mphatso Baluwa Jim is the national coordinator of Malawi Girl Guides Association (MAGGA), a voluntary non-Governmental organisation. UN Women is supporting MAGGA to implement the “Voice the Violence” program which focuses on empowering and protecting women and girls from violence. She explains how COVID-19 has affected how her organization is reaching women and girls to ensure no one is left behind.

In The Words Of Zahra Namuli..." My family is at a risk of COVID -19"

Date: Monday, May 25, 2020

People are at home and many of them are glued to their Televisions yearning for information about COVID-19. They cannot easily access such information if there is no journalist to pass it on or to break it down in a simplified manner.

UN Women and Private Bank in Mozambique join efforts to advance women economic empowerment

Date: Monday, May 25, 2020

The Commercial and Investment Bank (BCI) and UN Women Mozambique signed a memorandum of understanding in Maputo, to advocate and promote gender and women's empowerment in Mozambique. The agreement was signed by UN Women Mozambique and BCI representatives Marie Laetitia Kayisire and Rogério LAM respectively.

UN Women Mozambique supports young women partner organization to demand social protection for women and girls during COVID19

Date: Monday, May 25, 2020

Associação Socio Cultural Horizonte Azul (ASCHA) a Maputo based civil society organization and UN Women partner in activities by youth and for youth particularly on the right of girls and young women, issued a statement addressing government authorities to demand extension of social protection programs for women and girls and other vulnerable groups as long COVID19 impact last.

Fighting the shadow pandemic of violence against women and children during COVID19

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020

Alongside health impacts, the global COVID19 pandemic has brought a loss of liberties. Restrictions in movement have affected people’s jobs and livelihoods. Despite the many hardships being faced, freedom from violence cannot,  under any circumstance,  be surrendered – the right to live free from violence is a basic human right. Yet the most vulnerable members of society including children, women, persons with disabilities, the elderly – are suffering during...

Female-Headed households in South Sudan bear the brunt of Covid-19 as livelihoods shrink

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Margret Raman, 38, a single mother of five, two boys and three girls, is one of the several women in Yambio, South Sudan who is bearing the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Since the announcement of Covid-19, our lives have never been the same. Since we received business and financial management skills from UN Women, our businesses have been growing only to be disturbed by Covid-19."

Improving livelihoods, remaining resilient in the face of Covid-19

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Everywhere in South Sudan, Covid-19 has become a new song, challenging not only the health system, but also threatening livelihoods of the already vulnerable populations. As the economy is crumbling, women groups are failing to save and invest. Anika Women group is one groups that is trying some innovative ways to improve livelihoods of its members, and to remain resilient in the face of the Covid-19 risks.

Government of Liberia and the Spotlight Initiative launch community engagement campaign to prevent violence against women and girls

Date: Friday, May 15, 2020

As part of its continuous efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls in Liberia, the Spotlight Initiative is supporting the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Council of Chiefs and Elders to launch a campaign for monitoring the implementation of the Ganta Declaration which calls for a one-year suspension of all Sande society activities; and to raise awareness among communities on measures to prevent the spread of corona virus and respond to sexual and gender based violence

Meeting of African Ministers in charge of Gender and Women’s Affairs on “COVID-19 Response and Recovery” - a gendered framework

Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2020

UN Women and the African Union in partnership with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) will host the inaugural meeting of African Ministers for Gender and Women’s Affairs, on 12 May 2020 under the theme “COVID-19 Response and Recovery” - a gendered framework.”

Take five: 'increased domestic violence cases continue to leave me puzzled as to why people fail to live with peacefully with their families'

Date: Monday, May 11, 2020

Young men can also assist with house chores such as cooking, cleaning, helping children to learn, watching educative programs together, playing and praying together to lessen domestic burdens on women. “

UN Women in Mozambique and protection authorities monitor gender-based violence amid COVID-19 confinement measures

Date: Friday, May 8, 2020

UN Women in Mozambique proposed for protection authorities to set up a multi-sectoral mechanism to monitor GBV (gender-based violence) in the context of COVID19. The agency suggested the capitalization of the Integrated Assistance Mechanism, which is a combination of services provided by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Justice, to include Civil Society Organizations and UN technical support during COVID19 pandemic.

Protection of Women and Girls with Disabilities during COVID-19: A Priority!

Date: Friday, May 8, 2020

Despite the wide adoption of international, regional, and national instruments guaranteeing the rights of women and girls with disabilities, significant gaps remain in their implementation, highlights the UN Women Study on 'Mapping of Discrimination Faced by Women with Disabilities in East & Southern Africa Region'.

Increasing resilience of vulnerable women to the socio-economic impact of COVID19 crisis in Rwanda

Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Ishimwe Fabiola is among hundreds of women tailors across Rwanda who are navigating this time of economic uncertainty by producing re-usable protective cloth masks for the public, while also strengthening their income-generating skills hence reducing their vulnerability to the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

Unpaid Care Work Burden in the COVID-19 crisis

Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Corona Virus Disease -19 (COVID-19) has increased the demand for unpaid care and domestic work with calls by various actors in Tanzania for families to equally share home responsibility.

I am Generation Equality: Fatma Ahmed a Generation Equality Champion and Founder of the Girls’ Inclusion in Sports Campaign based in Zanzibar.

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2020

As a young woman living on the Island of Zanzibar, gender equality is an issue of interest in my lifetime. It’s about making sure that the views and contributions by women and girls are valued and used to further develop our social and cultural fabric; alongside the economic and political growth of Zanzibar.

In The Words Of Sylvia Karungi: "...Social distancing has been there for people with disabilities."

Date: Monday, May 4, 2020

I have limited access to information related to COVID-19. Information regarding COVID19 has not been put into braille form. Most information materials on the preventive measures of COVID are printed and published in newspapers.  With my condition, I cannot read posters or newspapers. I only listen to radio and television stations for information.

UN Women supports LNP to conduct awareness campaigns on COVID19 and SGBV in Liberia

Date: Monday, May 4, 2020

In an effort to combat sexual and gender based violence and implications of the corona virus pandemic, UN Women supported the Liberia National Police to conduct awareness campaigns in four counties in Liberia to inform and educate the public on how to prevent and respond to sexual and gender based violence including domestic violence.