Educators from Bosnia and Herzegovina ensure continuous learning despite the pandemic

Date: Friday, August 14, 2020

Professor Edina Rizvic-Eminovic, PhD, an Associate Professor of English and Head of the Department of English Language and Literature at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica and M.Sc. Branka Ljubojevic, a professor of Serbian language and literature at the Banja Luka High School, provided support for maintaining the continuity of the teaching process during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Kyrgyzstan, pandemic-related domestic violence increases vulnerabilities

Date: Thursday, August 13, 2020

According to UN Women’s new Gender Rapid Assessment of COVID-19’s impact in Kyrgyzstan, 32% of respondents have heard of an increase in domestic violence or experienced it themselves. Service-providers, such as civil society organizations and crisis centres, are also experiencing hard times as helpline workloads are growing.

In the words of Victor Leca: “We want to have equal rights, be respected and we want everyone to feel comfortable in the world we live in”

Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Victor Leca, a 17-year-old vlogger from Chisinau, has acquired in a short time-span more than 70 thousand followers and over 2 million likes on the worldwide popular social network TikTok that also rapidly gains popularity among young people from the Republic of Moldova. In the short videos that Victor is uploading on his TikTok account he tackles matters of feminism, gender equality and tolerance, and is fighting gender stereotypes.

COVID-19 increases the already heavy burden on North Macedonia’s invisible pillars – rural women

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, rural women in North Macedonia already worked more hours every day than men, much of this time unpaid. Now, the health crisis has increased their workload and they are also struggling to access health services and other support.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, agribusinesses run by women help villages survive

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Women in rural areas contribute significantly to the development of agriculture. This is confirmed by the story of Drena Đukić, Senior Expert Associate for Cooperatives and Consulting at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska. Through professional as well as private engagement, Drena Đukić actively contributes to strengthening the position of women in rural areas, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for International Youth Day, 2020: “Youth Engagement for Global Action”

Date: Monday, August 10, 2020

In a statement for International Youth Day, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka highlights the immense value of young people who are at the forefront of global action for change, both in responding to the pandemic and in working to address the systemic inequalities it has unearthed.

In the words of Jasna Pejic: “I didn’t have a chance, but I want my daughters to get educated and their lives life free from violence”

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2020

Jasna Pejic is one of thousands of women who received hygiene and humanitarian kits as well as essential information distributed to at-risk groups across the country during the COVID-19 crisis under the EU-UN Women programme: Support to priority actions for gender equality. She spoke to UN Women about what this support meant to her.

In the words of Zahraa Hussein Mohsin: “I know that I am strong and that I can succeed.”

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2020

Zahraa Hussein Mohsin is a young Iraqi woman who came to İzmir, Turkey, in 2015. Zahraa is benefiting from the services of the Women’s Solidarity Center, run by UN Women in partnership with the Refugee Support Center (MUDEM). Despite struggling with serious kidney disease, Zahraa is determined to learn new skills and be independent, which she says is exactly what the Center is helping her do.

Women health-care professionals at the heart of the COVID-19 response in Ukraine

Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2020

For the last four months, health-care workers have been at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. To save the lives of others, they are forced to work in extremely challenging conditions – often without proper rest and endangering their own health and lives.

In the words of Büşra Sünetci: “During lockdown, the world experienced what women have experienced for years due to the patriarchal system”

Date: Thursday, July 30, 2020

During the COVID-19 lockdown, women in Turkey and around the world have faced serious safety risks as the quarantine exacerbated violence, according to representatives of the Foundation for Women’s Solidarity in Turkey. Büşra Sünetci, representative of the Foundation and a social worker, told UN Women about the support they provided to women during lockdown.

Take Five: “The signing of this Memorandum seeks to create the best possible employment opportunities for survivors of domestic violence”

Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2020

In a significant step towards reintegrating and economically empowering survivors of domestic and conflict-related sexual violence, Kosovo’s Ministry of Justice, Kosovo Women’s Network Minister of Justice Selim Selimi spoke to us about the agreement and its plans to improve the lives of survivors.

Take Five: “People may come and go, but sustainable institutions ensure that gender policies stay on track”

Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Dmytro Kuleba is the Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine and a HeForShe advocate. In 2019, when he became the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, he was tasked with coordinating the country’s gender equality policy.

Ena Humačkić Jukić: "It is necessary to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all women in health care"

Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2020

This article is part of UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina campaign “Thank you, heroines”, aimed at raising awareness on numerous contributions of women during COVID-19 response. Medical doctor Ena Humačkić Jukić, who works at the Health centre "Stari Grad" in Mostar, and pharmacist Zdravka Gvožđar, director of pharmacy "Delfin" in Sarajevo, are just two of many women in BiH who were on the front lines of responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

Press release: UN Women delivers 1,500 kits of essential items to women and girls in flood affected region in Kazakhstan

Date: Friday, July 24, 2020

UN Women in Kazakhstan organized the delivery of 1,500 kits of essential items in the form of hygiene kits, masks, gloves and disinfectants to women and girls affected by the flood in Maktaaral district of Turkestan region in southern Kazakhstan to help alleviate the effects of the flood caused by a dam break in Uzbekistan in May.

Op-ed: How COVID-19 can bring gender justice

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2020

In the midst of another pandemic, we are still fighting hard for gender equality, with the coronavirus crisis amplifying existing inequalities and power imbalances and disproportionately affecting women – including in the devastatingly sharp increases in domestic violence. Yet the pandemic is also an opportunity to ‘build back better’ and transform structural gender inequalities.

Gender assessments in Europe and Central Asia reveal pandemic’s devastating impact on women

Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2020

A survey to assess the gendered impacts of COVID-19 on women’s and men’s lives and livelihoods in ten countries/territories across Europe and Central Asia has revealed dire findings.

Indira Bajramović: “We were the first to enter Roma communities and deliver packages that we personally prepared”

Date: Thursday, July 16, 2020

Indira Bajramović, Roma woman, activist and economist, has been working to improve the position of Roma women in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for the past 20 years. During the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the director of the Association of Roma Women "Better Future" from Tuzla, she visited Roma communities and distributed food and hygiene packages provided by the association's donors, together with her associates. This article is part of UN Women in BiH campaign “Thank you, heroines”, aimed at raising awareness on numerous contributions of women during COVID-19 response.

Charting the future: more equal, inclusive and sustainable

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2020

In her remarks at the closing of the 64th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka highlighted the need to work together to continue implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, and put gender perspectives centre-stage in order to build back better.

Speech: Addressing the needs and rights of at-risk and crisis-affected women and girls

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Remarks by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the Humanitarian Donor Roundtable: Strengthening gender in humanitarian action for the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan

Press release: UN Member States announce next years’ Commission on the Status of Women themes as its 64th session concludes

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2020

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the largest annual gathering on gender equality and the empowerment of women at the UN, concluded its 64th session in a virtual meeting, and announced next year session will focus on women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence.