It will soon be a year since WHO declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. By now, every corner of the world has felt the devastating impact of the pandemic, and women and girls in science are on the front lines of response. They are healthcare workers and innovators. They are researching vaccines and pioneering treatments. They are leading us toward a safer world, and inspiring the next generation of girls to be forces of good in science and tech. This 11 February, we鈥檙e celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science by highlighting just some of the women and girls around the world who have made tremendous contributions during the ongoing crisis.
The outbreak of the pandemic has demonstrated the critical role of women researchers in different stages of the fight against COVID-19. At the same time, the pandemic also had a significant negative impact on women scientists, which need to be addressed by new policies, initiatives and mechanisms to support women and girls in science. Against this backdrop, this year鈥檚 celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science will address the theme 鈥溾. On 11 February, to celebrate the Day鈥檚 6th year.
February is a busy month for retailers marketing the promise of 鈥渉appily ever after鈥 to girls around the world. But for tens of millions of girls, this is just a fairy tale. Their girlhoods are ending,not with storybook romance but with harmful rites of passage such as child marriage and female genital mutilation 鈥 practices believed to be increasing as the COVID-19 pandemic forces girls out of school and drags their families into poverty. calls on leaders, community members and parents to take decisive action against female genital mutilation and early marriage.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively and disproportionately affected girls and women, resulting in a shadow pandemic that has hampered prevention efforts on harmful practices, including . The has adapted interventions that ensure the integration of female genital mutilation in humanitarian and post-crisis response. In the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (6 February), we reimagine a world that enables girls and women to have voice, choice, and control over their own lives.
If you believe that women deserve equal rights, then you are already part of Generation Equality. The Generation Equality Forum is a civil society鈥揷entered, global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France.
Learn more about the different factors that relate to gender inequalities embedded in land rights by exploring 's .
"" is a global competition to mark the 25th anniversary of the . The submission deadline is 21 March 2021.
鈥檚 biggest stories of 2020 all stemmed from one story: COVID-19. Here are the highlights of how the pandemic affected women and girls, but also how people worldwide met the challenge.
The Gender Equality Seal incentivizes UNDP Country Offices to integrate gender equality into all aspects of their development work.
Using gender-inclusive language means speaking and writing in a way that does not discriminate against a particular sex, social gender or gender identity, and that does not perpetuate gender stereotypes. Given the key role of language in shaping cultural and social attitudes, using gender-inclusive language is a powerful way to promote gender equality and eradicate gender bias. The UN is committed to and has produced guidelines and training materials for its staff. You are welcome to have a look and share your feedback.
Imen, like so many Tunisian youth, she struggled to find a paying job. In 2019 she submitted a proposal for a camel-rearing business to the the Support Fund for Project Holders and it was accepted. Camel raising is traditionally an exclusively male occupation. In fact, on the day her proposal was accepted, Imen became the first woman camel farmer not just in Tunisia, but all of North Africa. So how did a young woman with no relevant experience succeed? Put simply, she was determined and tenacious.
Some 2 million people and 20 million livestock inhabit the semi-arid plains of East Darfur. A rising population and more frequent climatic variability, combined with ineffective governance and policies have put a severe strain on natural resources, such as water and land. These challenges have been exacerbated by a major armed conflict in Darfur that began in 2003. In a number of communities across East Darfur, things are slowly starting to change, with women playing a greater role in various decision-making processes.
COVID-19 is highlighting how a lack of gender-sensitive statistics threatens women鈥檚 health. But a shortage of good, reliable data on women is also holding back progress towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development, and hampering preparations for the changing employment landscape of the post-COVID economy. UNIDO gathers national data from industrial censuses and surveys on women employed in different manufacturing sectors.
highlights the invisible care work ever present during the COVID-19 pandemic. This period is an important opportunity for us to challenge gender stereotypes.
Journalist and author Isha Sesay from Sierra Leone has joined as its newest to help raise awareness of gender-based violence and support efforts in ending it.