Countdown to Human Rights Day
Meet the winners of the 2023 Human Rights Prize
Gender equality is at the very heart of human rights and United Nations values. Equality and non-discrimination are fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, adopted by world leaders in 1945.
Yet millions of women and LGBTI persons around the world continue to experience discrimination in the enjoyment of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.
Moreover, many women, including transgender, gender diverse and intersex women, face compounded forms of discrimination—due to factors such as their age, race, ethnicity, disability, or socio-economic status—in addition to gender-based discrimination.
Effectively ensuring full enjoyment of human rights by women, girls, men, boys and people of diverse gender identities requires, first, a comprehensive understanding of the social structures, social norms and stereotyping, and power relations that frame not only laws and politics but also the economy, social dynamics, family life and community life.
UN Human Rights is committed to working with States, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), civil society, and other stakeholders worldwide to:
Guidance on COVID and women’s rights and the rights of LGBTI people (2020)
Information series on sexual and reproductive health and rights (2020)
Strategic Litigation for Gender-based Violence: Experiences from Latin America (2021)
Human rights and civic space in the UN system supporting women human rights defenders (5-pager) (2021)
On the Frontlines: Defending Rights in the Time of COVID, Africa region (2020)
Realizing Women’s Rights to Land and Other Productive Resources (2020)
Gender Stereotyping and the Judiciary: A Workshop Guide (2020)
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#RightToABetterWorld documentary video series (November 2020):
Episode 1 of 4: Comprehensive sexuality education
Episode 2 of 4: Contraception
Episode 3 of 4: Maternal mortality and morbidity
Episode 4 of 4: Violence against women