Explore this InfoStory to find out why gender balance at all levels of business is better for companies and economies as a whole.
Women and Gender Equality
Since 2012, 11 October has been marked as the International Day of the Girl Child.聽The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls'聽empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. Nearly 25聽years ago, the 4th World Conference on Women culminated in the adoption of the ;聽the most comprehensive policy agenda for the empowerment of women. This year, under the theme "GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable,"聽we聽celebrate achievements by, with, and for girls.聽
Investing in girls鈥 education and聽keeping girls in school聽is the critical first step in opening up opportunities for women in the Sahel.
"How do we get more women in politics?" asks聽Global聽Sustainable Development Goal Advocate,聽Alaa聽Murabit. As聽a UN High-Level Commissioner on Health Employment and Economic Growth, she has聽seen first-hand how our experiences and opportunities in childhood shape our future realities and potential:聽"If, from a young age, a girl or woman does not feel she has power over her own body, it can be a challenge for her to believe that she should run for public office." She also calls for聽transforming 'our cultural assumptions about what traits define leadership.'聽
Not Waiting for Handouts: 5 Stories of Resilience From One of the World鈥檚 Largest Refugee Camps
In Burkina Faso, a new type of school is transforming the habits and mentalities of married men and future husbands.
UN Women - Afghanistan
In rural Kyrgyzstan, Coding Caravan encourages girls鈥 leadership and entrepreneurship
Women and girls represent half of the world鈥檚 population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.