UNV works to ensure gender equality and the empowerment of women from both an institutional and a programmatic perspective. We wish to use this occasion to feature the rich variety of ways UN Volunteers around the world contribute to SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Following the earthquake, the situation of women and girls was of special concern because they are more likely to become victims of violence and discrimination in a humanitarian emergency. Displacement, over-crowed camps, lack of privacy and lighting, limited and unsegregated wash facilities increase the risks. 

Muchas de las actividades que desarrollaba estaban directamente relacionadas con las familias afectadas por el terremoto, específicamente con las mujeres y sus hijas e hijos en espacios de capacitación para la prevención de la violencia de género, ayudando a las mujeres y a sus familias a identificar patrones violentos, así como las rutas de protección a las cuales deben recurrir.

The issue of women’s rights is a global issue. The status of women’s rights around the world is an important indicator of global well-being. Despite many successes in empowering women, numerous issues still persist in all areas of life. For example, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence is increasing in a variety of forms in Liberia. While there may be a decrease in some instances of physical domestic violence, both physical and emotional abuse continue to occur. 

UN Volunteers Roselyn Owour, Epher Welavunuka, Petronila Khagai, Anne Munene and Jennifer Kibicho held a sensitization session with school girls to raise awareness about gender equality, the importance of going to school and not missing classes, and the challenges facing girls around the world. The school - World Hope Academy in the Kawangware slum in Nairobi - has a total student capacity of 400 children, most of them coming from poor families that live in the slums.

Francesca De Antoni, 31, is a UN Volunteer and a Programme Coordinator based in UN Women’s office in Mali for a project supported by the Peacebuilding Fund. She recently participated in a learning workshop organized jointly by UN Women, Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in New York, from 24 to 27 October 2016, in the sidelines of the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security.

Francesca De Antoni, 31, is a UN Volunteer and a Programme Coordinator based in UN Women’s office in Mali for a project supported by the Peacebuilding Fund. She recently participated in a learning workshop organized jointly by UN Women, Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in New York, from 24 to 27 October 2016, in the sidelines of the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security.

Data supports the existence of a significant nexus between gender mainstreaming, sustaining peace, and civic and volunteer engagement. This was the topic of discussion at a side event organized on 27 October 2016 by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) at the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN in New York.