South Africa launches 365 days of activism against gender-based violence and femicide on Human Rights Day

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana- Mashabane, officially launched the 365 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) on 10 December 2019 in partnership with UN Women and 1st for Women Insurance.

Peace Lab at the 3rd Capital Meeting of Women, Peace and Security Focal Points, tackles the challenges of youth participation in peace and security

Date: Monday, April 15, 2019

UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka with participants at the Youth Peace lab, one of the working groups at the 3 rd Capital Level Meeting of the Women Peace and Security Global Focal Points Network. Photo: UN Women/Otae Mkandawire  Multi-coloured pieces of paper are strewn across tables along with bright markers, glue and note paper as youth activists from across the world, intensely discuss challenges and solutions to ensuring that young people and young women, are...

Unlocking opportunities for women-owned businesses

Date: Monday, March 18, 2019

The UN Women South Africa Multi-Country (SAMCO) commemorated International Women’s Day 2019 with Intsika Women Business Association in Kwa Zulu Natal province, South Africa. The event forms part of SAMCO’s Flagship Programme Stimulating Equal Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs.

UN Women announces Danai Gurira as Goodwill Ambassador during Global Citizen Festival in Johannesburg

Date: Monday, December 3, 2018

During the UN’s global annual advocacy campaign,  16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence  (25 November – 10 December), UN Women announced the appointment of internationally renowned award-winning actor-playwright Danai Gurira as its Goodwill Ambassador.

DE BEERS GROUP AND UN WOMEN ANNOUNCE CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMME TO SUPPORT 500 WOMEN IN SOUTH AFRICA

Date: Monday, September 3, 2018

De Beers Group and United Nations Entity for Women for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNW) South Africa are pleased to announce the launch of a capacity-building programme to support 500 women micro-entrepreneurs in the communities of Blouberg and Musina, near De Beers’ Venetia Mine in Limpopo.   The key objective of the programme is to equip women micro-entrepreneurs with business management and life skills to build their confidence and capacity to operate and grow...

Business leaders taking action on gender equality and women empowerment

Date: Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The event was held to recognize and inspire business corporate leadership in advancing gender equality and empowerment of women, promote inclusive economic prosperity in realizing the 2030 Agenda.

UN Women and partners encourage feminist activism in South Africa

Date: Friday, August 17, 2018

A high-level forum held yesterday in South Africa has urged the role of feminist civic activism, youth and social movements in strengthening democracy, gender equality and sustainable development. The event, called “Supporting social movements and civil society activism to Leave No One Behind for peace, prosperity and sustainable development,” was organized by UN Women and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in partnership with Amnesty International, the Nelson...

UN Women calls on the private sector to become activists, advocates and investors in gender equality

Date: Friday, March 16, 2018

UN Women calls on the private sector to become activists, advocates and investors in gender equality

SheDecides Flagship Event marks a year of accelerated global support for women and girls to realise their sexual and reproductive health rights

Date: Monday, March 5, 2018

It has been a year since SheDecides, a global movement to promote, provide, protect and enhance the fundamental rights of every girl and woman was launched. The movement is about getting women and girls to be the ones to make decisions about their bodies, lives, health and futures.

Joint Statement: ‘Freedom from fear’: Ending violence against women

Date: Sunday, December 10, 2017

Human beings are born free and equal, both in rights and in dignity. This is the fundamental principle enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On 10 December nearly 70 years ago, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first international assertion of the “highest aspiration of the common people”, including the “promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms”,...

Evidence-based interventions and accountability to end violence against women

Date: Thursday, October 5, 2017

Civil Society leaders, gender activists, feminist leaders, donors, and representatives from international organisations including UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ncguka called for evidence-based interventions and accountability to end gender based violence on 2 nd October at the Five Days of Violence Prevention experts conference hosted by Sonke Gender Justice in Johannesburg. Opening the conference, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Co-Founder of Sonke Gender Justice, Mr...

Township entrepreneurs prove that investing in women-owned businesses makes economic sense

Date: Thursday, July 20, 2017

It’s difficult to miss Jay-Beez Fast Food on Jane Muso Street in Kagiso. The green lawn, multi-coloured chairs and tables and the distinct smell of frying magwinya (local doughnuts) draw you in. Inside owner Gape Bogopane, her husband Jabu and her assistant Lady are busy taking orders from hungry customers, many of whom reside across the road in a mining hostel. Gape outside her shop.  Photo: UN Women/Susan Kimathi Caption Jay Beez did not always have this buzz or...

Youth tasked with creating innovative solutions to prevent gender based violence on campus at heaids conference

Date: Thursday, June 8, 2017

Youth tasked with creating innovative solutions to prevent gender based violence on campus at heaids conference

HEAIDS session to increase focus on prevention of HIV and elimination of GBV

Date: Thursday, June 8, 2017

HEAIDS session to increase focus on prevention of HIV and elimination of GBV

Ugandan delegation in South Africa to learn best practices on improving justice sector’s response to gender based violence

Date: Friday, April 7, 2017

Ugandan delegation in South Africa to learn best practices on improving justice sector’s response to gender based violence

Value and supply chain analysis workshop equips women with business opportunities

Date: Friday, April 7, 2017

Value and supply chain analysis workshop equips women with business opportunities

Unlocking Opportunity: UN Women South Africa MCO and South African Post Office Partner to Provide Digital Literacy Training

Date: Friday, June 10, 2016

On Friday, June 3, UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) hosted an event to celebrate the signing of an memorandum of understanding between SAMCO and the South African Post Office (SAPO). The MOU forms the basis of a programme that will turn post office buildings across the country into enterprise hubs equipped with computers and internet access. The hubs will offer digital literacy skills training to women, especially entrepreneurs living in rural areas, as well as offering a platform to connect to financial information and services. The programme aims to train ten thousand women.

Empowering Women and Girls through Web Literacy

Date: Thursday, June 2, 2016

On a sunny autumn morning in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha suburb, the reception area of The Barn, a public innovation hub and workspace, is buzzing. In one corner a group is discussing a presentation. Young women tap on the keys of computers in another. But the most excitement is coming from behind the reception desk, where Peggy Mpahlwa is preparing to teach her first web literacy class.

Climate Change Workshop Results in Call for Action to Empower Rural Women

Date: Thursday, June 2, 2016

Dumephi Maletshe is a fifty-nine year-old grandmother from Umthetwa Village near Richards Bay, South Africa. For years, Maletshe has been making a living by using reeds collected at a river near her home to weave mats. Recently, however, South Africa has been experiencing the worst drought in more than thirty years, and the reeds have dried up. “Now I have to pay someone to bring me reeds from elsewhere in the province, but I can’t afford to do that unless people pay me for their mats in advance,” says Maletshe.

Designing their Way to a Bright Orange Future: South African Women Celebrate their Achievements

Date: Tuesday, May 31, 2016

May 25th, 2016 - Johannesburg. As people from Cape Town to Cairo celebrated Africa Day, the commemoration of the formation of the African Union in 1963, UN Women South Africa MUlti-Country Office (SAMCO), in partnership with retail giant EDCon, the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GPDSD) and the South African Fashion Council (SAFC) turned Turbine Hall in downtown Johannesburg orange as they celebrated the achievements of 44 African women at an award ceremony.