COVID-19 creates urgency to innovate delivery of specialist services to women exposed to violence

Date: Friday, May 29, 2020

UN Women launched the rapid assessment “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on specialist services for victims and survivors of violence in the Western Balkans and Turkey.” The rapid assessment provides a snapshot of the pandemic’s impact on 40 civil society organizations delivering specialist services and its impact on their beneficiaries.

“Progress on gender equality should not be reversed,” agree representatives of governmental gender equality bodies

Date: Thursday, May 28, 2020

A virtual meeting brought together highest-level UN Women officials with representatives of National Gender Equality Machineries from the Western Balkans, Turkey, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, to discuss challenges and the way forward for the gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tajik businesses run by women living with HIV supply key protective gear for COVID-19 response

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Dilyora Mammadova, a woman living with HIV from Tajikistan, is working with affected women and high-risk groups, helping identify new cases of local HIV infection, supporting women with the same diagnosis, and bringing them medicine. Through a joint UN Women- UNAIDS project for women living with HIV in 2019, her small sewing workshop and her business proposal received funding. Nowadays, due to the high demand for COVID-19 protection masks, Mammadova is supplying masks.

Take Five: “Women leaders around the world have demonstrated successful management of the pandemic”

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Around the world, women are shining through as outstanding leaders as the COVID-19 pandemic escalates. From Germany to New Zealand and Denmark to Iceland, women leaders have shown clarity in their decisions and policies, they are compassionate, empathetic, strong communicators and they show solidarity. Her Excellency Vjosa Osmani, the first woman assembly president in Kosovo, has been praised for her professionalism in leading the assembly during the crisis. She is a Doctor of Legal Sciences, former professor and mother of two girls.

Take Five: “Periods don't stop for pandemics! Neither does the fight for gender equality!”

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2020

İlayda Eskitaşçioğlu, 26, is a human rights lawyer from Turkey, a Ph.D. student in International Human Rights Law and a member of the Beijing+25 Global Youth Task Force. She works to end stigma around menstruation through the NGO she founded, “We Need to Talk”. Although their field projects are disrupted due to COVID-19, Eskitaşçioğlu and her team continue their awareness efforts online.

To combat COVID-19, UN Women is digitally empowering Turkish and Syrian women

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Turkey has taken lockdown measures to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. During confinement, digital skills become essential to reach services and information, communicate with people, learn and work. Together with Habitat Association, UN Women Turkey has provided trainings to improve the digital literacy of Turkish and Syrian women.

In Georgia, women farmers show solidarity amid COVID-19

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020

In early May, women from the village of Maradisi, in southeast Georgia, gained wide renown. Naira Paksadze, together with other women, hoed their neighbour’s potato field in order to save the family’s potato harvest. At the time, every member of the family was being treated for COVID-19 in hospital, while weeds were growing wild throughout their potato field – their only source of income.

Over 50 women leaders from Moldova met online for #DemocracyTalks to share their experiences as front liners

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020

During an online round table session under the title #DemocracyTalks: “Women’s leadership in pandemic context: a perspective of women leaders at local level”, more than 50 women leaders from across the country discussed a gender-focused response to the COVID-19 crisis and shared their experiences in combating immediate and long-term effects of the pandemic at the grassroots level.

In the words of Gulyaim Dobutova: “Women in cross-border areas should be involved in decision making in their families, communities and the country”

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Gulyaim Dobutova, 39 years old, is a school librarian in Arka village of Batken province in Kyrgyzstan, along the border with Tajikistan. Together with her self-help group, Yntimak, which means solidarity in Kyrgyz, she launched a bakery center, specializing in traditional pastry and confectionary products.

Press Release: UN Women donated hygiene kits for the most vulnerable women

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020

UN Women in Kyrgyzstan provided humanitarian aid in the form of hygiene kits for the most vulnerable women and girls in 7 regions of Kyrgyzstan.

From where I stand: “People weren’t prepared to stay home for so long and many are panicked, anxious and stressed”

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020

43-year old Nargiza Eshtaeva is a psychologist and a UN Women gender expert from Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s southern region. With COVID-19 spreading fast across her region, Eshtaeva is offering women and girls in lockdown much-needed psychological consultations over the phone. She is also leading a group of 40 volunteers who bring vital aid such as food, transport and cash to the families most in need.

Women survivors of violence receive vital support from shelters in Kosovo during the pandemic

Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Around 550 women survivors of domestic violence from Kosovo were admitted to shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic, with support from UN Women within the regional programme on ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey, “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds,” funded by the European Union.

In the words of Nada Sataric: "Now is the time to acknowledge women’s unpaid care work"

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Nada Sataric, founder of Amity NGO, is a vocal advocate for the rights of older persons in Serbia, and women in particular, as one of the most vulnerable groups. With the COVID-19 outbreak, existing vulnerabilities have deepened, putting older persons at higher risk. In addition, lockdown measures have banned older Serbian nationals from leaving their homes. Sataric speaks to UN Women about the situation and how her NGO provides solutions under the UK-UN Women programme "Redistribution of unpaid care work".

In the words of Marijana Karajovic: “It is truly rewarding to make women’s struggle during COVID-19 a little easier”

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Marijana Karajovic, 29, is a volunteer who recently joined the Serbian Red Cross to help the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis. She was tasked with distributing humanitarian and hygiene kits to marginalized groups of women under the EU-UN Women programme “Support to priority actions for gender equality”.

Press Release: UN Women supports the distribution of COVID-19 emergency packages in North Macedonia for people with disabilities

Date: Friday, May 15, 2020

UN Women led the distribution of emergency packages, including food, vitamin supplements, hygiene products and protective equipment, in Strumica region as an immediate response to the specific needs of deinstitutionalized women and men with disabilities during the pandemic.

Press Release: UN Women and prominent LPG company take action in Turkey as COVID-19 lockdowns see rise in domestic violence

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2020

Aygaz, Turkey’s 18th largest company, and signatory to the UN Global Compact and Women's Empowerment Principles, is partnering with UN Women in Turkey to amplify the message: Say No to Domestic Violence!, as COVID-19 lockdowns see a rise in domestic violence.

UN Women statement for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia, 2020

Date: Monday, May 11, 2020

Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating existing inequalities, including those based on sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics, with often-devastating impacts for LGBTIQ+ people, who are already among the most marginalized and excluded. The theme of this International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia – break the silence – calls our attention to these inequalities across the world and asks us to speak out together against the discrimination, restrictions on basic freedoms, and hate that LGBTIQ+ people face in the current context and beyond.

UN Women COVID-19 campaign against domestic violence in Kosovo reaches over 1 million

Date: Friday, May 8, 2020

As reports of domestic violence increase dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, influential leaders in Kosovo join UN Women’s “Report Violence, Save Lives!” campaign against domestic violence.

Temporary shelters set up to quarantine safely domestic violence survivors in Kosovo

Date: Friday, May 8, 2020

UN Women and the UN Population Fund respond to a rise in domestic violence during COVID-19 by supporting temporary quarantine facilities in Kosovo with essential supplies to ease comfort and safety of domestic violence survivors.

Press Release: UN Women takes initiative to ensure that women and families hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis are not left behind in North Macedonia

Date: Friday, May 8, 2020

In response to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable, UN Women led the distribution of food and hygienic supplies across the country.