In the words of Sehnaz Kiymaz Bahceci: “Women and LGBTIQ individuals need governments that stand up behind their commitments”

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Sehnaz Kiymaz Bahceci is the representative of the Women for Women’s Human Rights `New ways`, which aims to promote women's human rights, equality and non-discrimination in Turkey. In her interview, Ms. Bahceci speaks about the key takeaways from the events and why governments need to stand up behind their commitments towards gender equality.

Ask an activist: How should women’s rights activists follow up with the Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting?

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Natasha Dokovska Spirovska has been a journalist for more than 30 years in North Macedonia. In the last 10 years she has also worked as a civil society activist for gender equality and women’s rights. She has represented Journalists for Human Rights, a non-governmental organization from North Macedonia during the Civil Society Forum and Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting in Geneva, which took place from 28-30 October 2019.

Kosovo Philharmonic pays tribute to victims of conflict-related sexual violence

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2019

On 8 December, ahead of Human Rights Day, the Kosovo Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestra held a concert to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign and performed “Requiem” by W.A Mozart. The concert served as a homage to women and girls who died as a result conflict-related sexual violence, while at the same time honoring the survivors who continue to suffer in silence because of shame and stigma.

In the words of Pip Gardner: “Young people need to have a seat at the table”

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Pip Gardner is a women’s rights activist with a focus on sustainable development. Currently the Project Coordinator and Communications Manager for Woodcraft Folk – a co-operative youth movement in the United Kingdom (UK), Gardner is also a member of the Beijing+25 Youth Task Force and attended the 25th year Regional Review Meeting of the Beijing Platform for Action for the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Region.

Theater performance opens dialogue on various forms of violence against women in Ukraine

Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Together with Wild Theater, UN Women developed a powerful theater performance called “Scars” based on real-life stories of Ukrainian women who have experienced gender-based violence and their physical and mental wounds.

Take five: “Gender-responsive budgeting is a tool to empower women and to reduce inequality in our society”

Date: Monday, December 9, 2019

Ms. Eglantina Gjermeni, chairwoman of Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Gender Equality in Albania, was a key speaker at the “Smart investments: Financing for gender equality” side event, held during the 25th year anniversary of the Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting for the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Region.

In the words of Marceline Naudi: “To counter the gender backlash, we need to speak with one voice”

Date: Monday, December 9, 2019

Marceline Naudi is the President of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) - the independent body responsible for monitoring the implementation of Istanbul Convention. Ms. Naudi recently attended the 25th year regional review meeting of the Beijing Platform for Action for the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region, where she highlighted the significance of the Istanbul Convention in advancing the standards on eliminating violence against women.

In the words of Tatyana Bobrovska: “The younger generation will bring change to society”

Date: Monday, December 9, 2019

Tatyana Bobrovska, 36, attended the 25 th regional review meeting of the Beijing Platform for Action (Beijing+25) for the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) as well as the Civil Society Forum ahead of the meeting. Ms. Bobrobska represented the Association of Women with Disabilities of Northern Donbas, Ukraine, and highlighted why it is important to have a dialogue for achieving gender equality and women’s rights.

In the words of Sascha Gabizon: “Gender equality is essential for our economy, for our wellbeing, and for our future”

Date: Monday, December 9, 2019

Sascha Gabizon is the Executive Director of the Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF) and member of the Global Civil Society Advisory Group for Generation Equality. She attended the 25th year regional review meeting of the Beijing Platform for Action for the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and co-organized the preceding Civil Society Forum.

Women living with HIV from Europe and Central Asia convene in Tajikistan to spotlight their role in combatting AIDS

Date: Monday, December 9, 2019

More than 120 participants from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia gathered in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital, to discuss the key role of women and young people in finding effective solutions to HIV-related issues and the importance of strengthening the capacities of youth and women’s networks in decision-making and active response to the HIV epidemic.

In the words of Ilayda Eskitaşçioğlu: “2020 is the year of gender equality, and a year for reflection”

Date: Friday, December 6, 2019

Ilayda Eskitaşçioğlu, 26, is a human rights lawyer and a member of the Beijing+25 Global Youth Task Force from Turkey. She is a Ph.D. student in International Human Rights Law and founder of the NGO “We need to talk”, aimed at fighting stigma around menstruation for rural women in Turkey and to provide access to sanitary materials. She attended the Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting, which took place from 29-30 October 2019.

Altynai Omurbekova: “We must offer our unconditional support to the youth so that they can further advance gender equality”

Date: Friday, December 6, 2019

Ms. Altynai Omurbekova, Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, attended and co-chaired the 25th year Regional Review Meeting of the Beijing Platform for Action for the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Region. She highlighted the meeting’s importance for advancing gender equality and promoting women’s rights.

I am Generation Equality: Sophie Berie, sexual and reproductive health and rights activist

Date: Friday, December 6, 2019

Sophie Berie is a 26-year-old young woman from Tbilisi, Georgia. She is working on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and comprehensive sexuality education. Sophie Beria is the chairperson of YouAct, the European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights.

Statisticians and policymakers learn to better measure women’s unpaid work

Date: Thursday, December 5, 2019

More than 40 practitioners from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Bangladesh and Senegal met to strengthen their skills to measure how men and women spend their time, to better inform policies that address women’s unpaid care and domestic work, at a recent workshop on ‘Time use surveys: Data collection methods and concepts.’

Art against violence: exhibition on violence against women and girls opens in Nur-Sultan

Date: Monday, December 2, 2019

A unique art exhibition on violence against women and girls opened in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan on 29 November. The art exhibition was born out of the creative collaboration of the TSE Art Destination, which is a contemporary art gallery, educational centre and an experimental art lab, and the UN Agencies in Kazakhstan, led by UN Women.

International Conference in Skopje calls for greater recognition of women’s powerful peace-building role in the Western Balkans

Date: Friday, November 29, 2019

(Skopje, 28 November 2019) – Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+25), the Regional Women’s Lobby in Southeast Europe (RWLSEE) and UN Women held an International Conference in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, as part of a Swedish Government supported initiative aimed at supporting peace-building efforts in Kosovo and the entire Western Balkans region.

In the words of Yana Panfilova: “You can talk about HIV a lot, but a personal example is what can really change people’s attitude”

Date: Friday, November 29, 2019

Yana Panfilova, 22, is a Ukrainian HIV positive activist and co-founder as well as chairwoman of Teenergizer, an organization that supports and advocates for the rights of HIV positive youth in Europe and Central Asia (Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia). She was also nominated as a heroine for UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign in Ukraine.  

SADA Women’s Cooperative ranks among the top 10 projects at the Paris Peace Forum

Date: Friday, November 29, 2019

Founded by Turkish, Syrian and Afghan women, the SADA Women’s Cooperative has been selected as one of the most successful 10 projects out of 100 at the Paris Peace Forum that took place from 11-13 November.

UN Women urges to ‘Light the Dark’ to end violence against women

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2019

UN Women in Turkey draws attention to violence against women and girls in public spaces with the “Light the Dark” campaign during 16 Days of Activism.

First open-air lighting installation exhibition opened in Ankara to say no to violence against women

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2019

Turkey’s first public open-air lighting installation exhibition opened to visitors in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, to call for a world free from violence against women and girls. Organized by UN Women, in collaboration with the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, Çankaya Municipality and the Embassy of Sweden in Turkey, ‘Light the Dark’ lighting installation exhibition uses lighting designs to draw attention to different forms of violence against women.