New York, Aug 17 (IBNS): Decades-long prison sentences handed down to three women protesting the strictly enforced wearing of veils in Iran, have drawn alarm and condemnation from six United Nations independent human rights experts.
New York, July 17 (IBNS): Many women and girls “still face enormous challenges to their health, well-being and human rights”, Secretary-General António Guterres told a High-level General Assembly meeting on Tuesday conevened to mark the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), a milestone in reproductive health and rights.
‘No hope’ global development goals can be achieved without women, says UN Assembly President
New York, July 16 (IBNS): Without the full participation and leadership of women, “we have no hope” of realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the President of the United Nations General Assembly told gender equality leaders on Monday.
Pay packet inequality growing worldwide, says new UN report
New York, July 5 (IBNS): Top earners around the world have seen their share of national income rise in the last decade and a half, while everyone else has seen their pay packets shrink by comparison, UN economists reported on Thursday.
Change attitudes for future generations of women in tech, UN urges
New York, Apr 26 (IBNS): When women and girls are empowered with technology, the whole world benefits. That’s one key message from the International Day for girls in the field of information and communications technology, or ICT, marked on Thursday.
New York, Apr 24 (IBNS): Over the course of the past decade, there has been “a paradigm shift” in understanding the devastating impact of sexual violence in conflict on international peace and security, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council during a high-level debate on Tuesday.
Women must be at ‘centre of peacekeeping decision-making’, UN chief tells Security Council
New York, Apr 12 (IBNS): Women’s rights, voices and participation must be at “the centre of peacekeeping decision-making”, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Thursday, describing them as “central to sustainable solutions” to challenges facing the Organization worldwide.
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): More than four in 10 women in 51 countries surveyed, feel they have no choice but to agree to their partner’s sexual demands, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said on Wednesday, noting that they are also unable to make basic decisions about getting pregnant and accessing health care for themselves.
In South Sudan, mothers teaching daughters ‘safer’ ways to survive rape
New York, Mar 13 (IBNS): Sexual attacks in South Sudan are so common that mothers now teach their daughters how to survive the ordeal of being raped, in such a way as to minimize the violence. That’s according to Yasmin Sooka, chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights, who was speaking on Tuesday in front of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, during its latest session.
Political power of women suffering 'serious regression', General Assembly President warns
New York, Mar 13 (IBNS): There has been a “serious regression” in the political power of women across the world in recent years, UN General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa told delegates to the annual summit of women activists at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
Women still struggle to find a job, let alone reach the top: new UN report calls for 'quantum leap'
New York, Mar 8 (IBNS): Women’s job opportunities have barely improved since the early 1990s, UN labour experts said on Thursday, warning that female workers are still penalized for having children and looking after them.
Break taboo around menstruation, act to end ‘disempowering’ discrimination, say UN experts
New York, Mar 6 (IBNS): A group of seven United Nations rights experts issued a clarion call on Tuesday to break the taboo around menstrual health for women and girls that persists in many parts of the world and take concrete action to end “disempowering” discrimination.
Iran: Women hunger strikers entitled to medical care, UN rights experts urge
New York, Jan 17 (IBNS): A group of six independent United Nations rights experts called on Iran Wednesday to urgently provide Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Narges Mohammadi access to appropriate health care, and reiterated calls for their immediate release, as they continue a hunger strike in protest.
UN calls for women's meaningful participation in Afghan peace
Kabul, Dec 5 (IBNS): Women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes was the focus of this year’s Afghanistan-wide Global Open Days events, a series of nationwide dialogues around women, peace and security.
Mumbai, Nov 25 (IBNS): Marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the United Nations in Afghanistan calls on everyone to respect, promote and protect the rights of women and girls to end violence against women.