women's rights

Experts at Oxfam and partner organizations will be leading CSW parallel events tackling challenges to women’s rights and equity related to the climate crisis and economic opportunities. 

Before the Covid-19 pandemic 1 in 3 women experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. With Covid-19 the situation got worse for many. Yet, nowhere near enough is being done to end it. Immediate action is needed now to fight gender-based violence. It starts with governments. It starts with social norms change. It starts with taking action.

Grassroots organisations at the forefront of the fight for gender justice have consistently been the most heavily hit by funding cuts during the pandemic, despite increasing donor commitments toward gender equality. This comes at a time when gender rights issues including violence against women and girls, are increasingly being reported as emerging concerns due to the pandemic. 

The COVID-19 crisis cost women around the world at least $800 billion in lost income in 2020, equivalent to more than the combined GDP of 98 countries, said Oxfam today.  

A year after WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, the virus has laid bare the stark gender inequality that continues to shape our world. Despite being at the forefront of the response, women have borne the brunt of this crisis. On International Women's Day, we must reflect on why this happened and why it is absolutely critical for women and girls to have an equal voice and co-lead in rebuilding after COVID-19.

This paper seeks to highlight the experiences and aspirations of young women and feminist activists in the MENA region around digital spaces, safety and rights. It explores individual women’s experiences engaging with the digital world as a space of resistance, despite restrictions on civic space.

Forty-three percent of women surveyed across five countries reported feeling more anxious, depressed, isolated, overworked, or ill because they are having to shoulder even more unpaid care work as a result of the coronavirus crisis, said Oxfam today. 

In Colombia, the women who defend their land, their culture, and the environment are being threatened, harassed, and sometimes even murdered. These women are true peace builders, but the State provides them with barely any protection. If urgent measures are not taken, their lives are in grave danger.

This report aims to bring the voices and experiences of South Sudanese women to the fore, exploring the motivations and intentions of returning and displaced women in South Sudan. It advocates for a more gender-sensitive and durable solutions approach to population movements in the country.

Whether we are responding to an emergency, working on long terms projects with communities, or campaigning for lasting change, we tackle the inequality and deep-rooted discrimination.