UN Women

UN Women: Empowering Women and Girls for Equality

Introduction

UN Women is a global organization working for gender equality and women’s empowerment. As the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, it champions women’s rights, promotes gender equality, and eliminates gender-based violence and discrimination. Established in 2010, UN Women has become a vital force in driving transformative change for women and girls worldwide.

Vision and Mission

UN Women envisions a world where women and girls are empowered to exercise their human rights, realize their full potential, and contribute equally to their families, communities, and societies. Their mission is to accelerate gender equality by:

• Expanding women’s access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities
• Ending gender-based violence and discrimination
• Ensuring women’s leadership and participation in all spheres of life
• Strengthening women’s resilience and humanitarian response capacities

Activities and Programs

UN Women implements various programs and initiatives across four strategic areas:

• Empowerment and leadership: Building women’s political, economic, and social power through programs that enhance their leadership skills, access to finance, and participation in decision-making.
• Equality and rights: Promoting the ratification and implementation of gender-equal laws and policies, and ensuring access to justice and security for women and girls.
• Prevention and response to violence: Preventing violence against women and girls through public awareness campaigns, training law enforcement and justice systems, and supporting survivors.
• Economic empowerment: Increasing women’s access to economic opportunities through entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and decent work.

Impact and Achievements

UN Women has made significant strides in advancing gender equality, including:

• Reaching over 140 million people with gender equality programming
• Championing the adoption of gender-responsive budgets in 19 countries
• Providing emergency assistance to over 52 million people affected by conflict and disaster
• Leading the global movement to #EndGenderBasedViolence

FAQs

1. What is the mandate of UN Women?

UN Women leads and coordinates global efforts to promote gender equality and empower women and girls.

2. How is UN Women funded?

It receives funding from member states, private sector partners, and individuals.

3. What is the difference between UN Women and the World Bank?

UN Women is a specialized agency focused solely on gender equality, while the World Bank works on a wider range of development issues.

4. Where does UN Women operate?

UN Women has offices in over 190 countries and territories.

5. How can I support UN Women?

You can support UN Women through volunteering, donating, or advocating for gender equality.