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Life in refugee camps is harsh for girls, marked by overcrowding, lack of privacy, and limited access to food and basic necessities. They face heightened risks such as sexual violence and child marriage, alongside disrupted health services and education. Despite these challenges, girls are advocating for change, using their experiences to combat harmful practices and promote a future filled with peace and dignity. The United Nations Population Fund () empowers these girls and helps them build a more hopeful future.

Meet Dr. Rosa V芍squez Espinoza and Dr. Mounia Laassiri, young scientists breaking barriers in STEM and inspiring global gender equality through their .

A woman working in a field of fonio.

Achieving gender equality is essential to ending poverty, hunger, and tackling climate change. Rural women, while safeguarding the environment, are key in this effort. Yet, they still face deep inequalities while sustaining their families through unpaid work.  This International Day of Rural Women (15 October), under the theme ※The Rise of Rural Women: Building Resilient Futures with Beijing+30§,  calls for their rights and full participation - reflecting the spirit of ,  a global commitment to gender equality for all women, everywhere.

Women and girls around the world are calling for peace with messages like ※Ceasefire§ and ※End the war.§ is amplifying these urgent demands through its initiatives. Research shows that when women participate in peace negotiations, the outcomes are more effective and enduring. Yet, 25 years since the launch of the 〞where global leaders recognized the impact of war on women and committed to their participation in peace processes 〞governments are still falling short. Understanding the link between gender equality and peace is essential, especially given the risks of neglecting these critical areas.

The highlights historic progress in gender equality, including improved education for girls, a 40% drop in maternal mortality, increased women＊s participation in climate talks, and 99 recent legal reforms against discrimination.

A group of smiling Bangladeshi girls dressed in traditional clothing stand in a narrow alley.

Across the globe, girls are rising to meet the challenges of our time. They are leading movements for climate justice, speaking out against violence, and boldly shaping their futures. But too often, their voices are silenced, their efforts overlooked, and their rights denied. As we mark 30 years since the Beijing Declaration - the world＊s blueprint for gender equality 每 the International Day of the Girl Child (11 October) calls us to listen to their voices and recognize their boundless potential. Let＊s stand with girls and support their leadership. Your voice matters.

2025 is a pivotal year for global equality, with just five years left to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The highlights the potential consequences of inaction versus the benefits of progress. While there are hopeful signs, such as girls surpassing boys in education and increased female representation in government, persistent issues like poverty, climate disasters, and anti-feminism threaten these gains. The choice is clear: the world must invest now to ensure that equality becomes a reality for girls born today.

※You know, what am I doing every day for human beings, particularly those who are in, you know, a much more challenging situation, we need to support their courage, their resilience, their need to survive...and their rights.§

With her background in human rights law, Georgette Gagnon was once said to represent the conscience of war. Currently serving as the Secretary-General＊s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, she has been devastated by the sweeping loss of rights for women and girls there.

※You used to see across the country hundreds of girls going to school... Now, of course, you don't see that, and it's heartbreaking. It's such a huge loss for the entire society,§ she says.

Afghanistan has one of the highest numbers of people in need of humanitarian support, and drastic cuts to humanitarian assistance affect access to critical care for millions. In this episode, Georgette Gagnon shares her hopes and fears for a country close to her heart, and reflects on a career serving in some of the world＊s toughest places, from Syria to Sudan and Libya.

Photo: ?UN photo/UNAMA/Tahmina Osta

The Gender Transformative Mechanism () is an initiative by the International Fund for Agricultural Development () aimed at enhancing the impact of government-funded projects by promoting gender equality and women's empowerment alongside climate resilience. It provides financial support and technical assistance to help governments harness the potential of rural women. By 2030, it aims to empower over 20 million rural people across 20 countries.

What is life like for women and girls in Afghanistan today? UN Women＊s explores the data and helps you understand what the world must do to stand with Afghan women.

A woman smiles in front of a group of women gathered in the background.

Women and girls represent half of the world＊s population and potential. Yet, persistent inequalities in rights, opportunities, and representation continue to hold them back. Achieving gender equality by 2030 will require an additional $360?billion annually. The UN is working with countries to advance rights, end violence, and ensure women＊s full participation in all spheres of life. This urgent challenge is at the heart of the (Mexico City, August?12每15), where leaders and advocates will unite to drive lasting change across the region.

In conflicts across the globe, sexual violence 每 including rape, abuse, coercion and trafficking 每 is increasingly being wielded as a weapon to terrorize women and girls, often leading to devastating physical and psychological trauma. At least 20,000 women and men were raped or abused during the 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jasna (name changed) is one of these survivors. She has gained stability and healing through Snaga??ene, an NGO offering psychological, legal, social, and economic support, including access to a greenhouse to cultivate and sell vegetables.

Members of the Green Valley Women＊s Association take part in Vanuatu＊s International Day of Rural Women celebrations in the village of Emua. Emua is one of five market sites on Efate Island that are part of UN Women＊s Markets for Change programme. After it was devastated by Cyclone Pam in March 2015, it was one of the first markets to be up and running again. Over a decade, the programme operating in Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, has demonstrated how local markets can become engines of women＊s empowerment and economic growth, not just places to buy and sell goods. 

Fifteen years ago, UN Women was created with a bold mission: to become the United Nations＊ powerhouse for gender equality and women＊s empowerment. Active in more than 80 countries, UN Women has become a driving force, leading campaigns, reshaping laws, and rallying people everywhere to stand up for the rights, equality, and empowerment of the world＊s 4 billion women and girls.

In the West African country of Guinea-Bissau, more than 400,000 girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation. Despite decades of effort, the prevalence of the harmful practice has remained. Now, communities are coming together to change that. In the Gabu region, in the eastern part of the country, 24 rural communities recently united in a show of solidarity and hope, gathering to advocate for the right of women and girls to live free from harm 每 and to sign a declaration of intent to end the practice for good. Here, .