From 25 November to 10 December 2025, mark the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence under the theme: “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls”.

In an unprecedented time where the lines between the physical, digital, and biological worlds are blurred, supersonic developments in science and technology under the Fourth Industrial Revolution−4IR or Industry 4.0−offer vast potential to end poverty, create decent jobs, and improve education, health, and productivity. However, even with all its benefits, the speed of technological change can also increase inequality for those who are left behind, including women and girls.

As the world marks 25 years since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), we, the undersigned, reaffirm our collective commitment to advancing women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding, security, and governance across Somalia.

On the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, leaders, peacebuilders, civil society, and youth from across Africa gathered in Windhoek to honor the legacy and chart the future of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.

UN Women and NEC Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance digital empowerment and economic opportunities for women across Africa. The partnership was formalised during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) held in Yokohama, Japan, on 21 August 2025.

My name is Fardowsa Omer. I am 40 years old and live in Jigjiga Woreda, Somali Region, with my husband, our nine children, and my mother. We are a household of twelve, and like many families in my community, we have struggled to make ends meet. With no formal education and few job opportunities, I spent most of my life depending on my husband to provide for our family. I took small jobs like cleaning houses or selling fruits around the village just to feed my children. Through UN Women’s project, I was selected to join a cooperative of 15 women. Together, we decided to start a livestock trading business, buying goats and sheep at lower prices from small towns more than 600 kilometers away and selling them in Jigjiga for profit. We named our group Horseed Cooperative. As chair, I oversee daily operations and ensure everything runs smoothly.

As the world marks 25 years of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Uganda’s grassroots women leaders are showing how peace can be built from the ground up. The resolution’s four pillars—participation, prevention, protection, and relief & recovery—are being brought to life through their work. In Lira, Rashida Adong leads advocacy for women’s inclusion in decision-making and coordinates the Lira Women Mediators Network, which helps prevent local conflicts. Similar networks in Kyegegwa, Terego, and Yumbe have resolved over 700 disputes, demonstrating women’s power as peacebuilders. Through UN Women’s support, women like Baako Afisa and Grace Odongo have found strength to defend their rights and support others through reconciliation and savings groups. In Yumbe, Salama Angudeyo promotes peace and women’s rights through community dialogues.

Twenty-five years after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, Uganda remains a regional leader in advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. Since 2008, Uganda has translated national commitments into tangible local impact through 20 district-level Local Action Plans (LAPs)—16 supported by UN Women and the Government of Norway. Some districts now allocate 1% of local revenue to LAP implementation, showing strong ownership and accountability. Through inclusive processes, women are shaping peace priorities and leading local change. Leaders like Rev. Alice Nabirye in Kasese and mediator Judith Edea in Adjumani are breaking barriers and promoting social cohesion in their communities.

Saron Mesele is an aspiring ICT professional from Ethiopia. At 23, she is working to specialize in cybersecurity initiatives that aim to protect the digital space from cyberbullying, harassment, and technology facilitated gender-based violence. Saron participated in a coding camp in 2020 under the African Girls Can Code initiative (AGCCI), a program run by UN Women in collaboration with the African Union and the International Telecommunication Union. The initiative trains girls and young women to become programmers, creators and designers directing them to pursue ICT as their careers.

Asma Bilal, 22, was displaced from her village in Oromia region eight years ago due to conflict. Once living comfortably on her husband’s income, she spent five years in an Internally Displaced Persons(IDP) camp in Dire Dawa city, relying on aid. Later, her family relocated to Jedane village, Shinile District, in the Somali region, receiving a 150-square-meter homestead land from the government. “The land was flood prone and covered in invasive bushes. Frequent droughts also occur making life harder,” said Asma narrating her shared difficult experience with other 250 households on the same relocation site. Her situation changed with the arrival of the UN Women supported Climate Resilient Agriculture project; Resilience and Institutional Support to Empower Women (RISE).

Across Uganda, women peacebuilders are localizing the global Women, Peace and Security agenda: mediating conflicts, countering violent extremism and promoting equality for women and girls. Can a four-page document, negotiated in conference rooms and signed by people in suits, really influence the everyday lives of women and girls?

From time-saving solutions in Rwanda to safer jobs in South Africa, communities are proving that care work is real work that is reshaping economies. Across East and Southern Africa, millions of women start their day long before sunrise. They fetch water, prepare meals, look after children and older relatives, support family members with disabilities, and keep homes running.

Twenty-five years ago, a determined coalition of women, peace activists, governments and United Nations representatives broke new ground for women and girls – and the world at large – at the United Nation’s Security Council.

In the heart of southern Malawi, a quiet revolution is unfolding. In villages once torn by land disputes, political tensions, and gender-based violence, women are stepping into roles traditionally reserved for men—mediators, advocates, and leaders in peacebuilding. Their efforts, supported by the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) through UN Women, are transforming communities and challenging long-held norms.

Thirty years after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, the commitment to advancing women’s rights in environmental and sustainable development remains both urgent and unfinished. The Women and the Environment critical area of concern envisioned a world where women would participate equally in environmental decision-making, benefit from sustainable resource use, and be protected from environmental degradation.

Over 40 participants from civil society organizations (CSOs), women’s rights groups, gender advocates, the National Elections Commission (NEC), the Women’s Legislative Caucus, and the Law Reform Commission and the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection have completed a three-day capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening coordination and advocacy for increased women’s political participation in Liberia.

On this International Day of Rural Women, we call for bold action to advance the equality, rights, and empowerment of women and girls living in rural settings. Every day, they feed communities, protect the environment, and power sustainable development. Investing in them is both an act of justice and a safeguard for our shared future.

From 5 to 10 October 2025, UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr Maxime Houinato, undertook a working visit to Niger to strengthen cooperation with the Government and key partners. The mission reaffirmed UN Women’s commitment to advancing women’s leadership, peace, and inclusive development, and to supporting the national vision that places women and youth at the heart of Niger’s social and economic transformation.

In Amudat District, a dispute over dowry led to violence when a bride’s father and sons demanded unpaid cattle and assaulted the groom. The couple sought help from the Uganda Law Society’s legal aid clinic, part of UN Women’s “Make Happiness, Not Violence” project under the EU–UN Spotlight Initiative. Through mediation, the father was informed that dowry is not compulsory under Ugandan law and that gifts given in marriage cannot be reclaimed. The case ended with the return of the bride’s cattle, medical support for the groom, and family reconciliation — a powerful example of how legal awareness can protect rights and foster peace.

In Omugo Settlement, Terego District, the Kuru Ku Piyo group of South Sudanese refugees is proving that resilience, unity, and skills can transform lives. Formed in 2021 as a farming group, they faced infertile land and dwindling aid, prompting a shift to a savings and business model. Today, the group of 40 members—35 women—runs thriving enterprises, including produce trading, poultry keeping, and food stalls.