Gender Equality

UNFPA: Supporting Gender Equality across the World

Gender equality implies women and men enjoying the same opportunities, rights and obligations in the society they share. Investing in gender equality can improve the lives of both men and women, and bring lasting benefits for future generations.

Yet gender-based discrimination and violence pervade almost every aspect of life, undermining women's opportunities and preventing them from fully exercising their basic human rights. Across the world, women are far less likely than men to be politically active and far more likely to be victims of domestic violence

For more than 30 years, UNFPA has been bringing gender issues to wider attention, by advocating for legal and policy reforms; helping to collect gender-sensitive data and by supporting projects which help to empower women and to safeguard all aspects of their reproductive health .

Guided by the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and other international agreements, UNFPA is striving to redress gender imbalances across the world while taking careful consideration of cultural sensitivities in different societies.

UNFPA recognizes that it is essential to involve men in these processes. For this reason many UNFPA -supported projects help to involve different groups of men - from soldiers to religious leaders - to achieve different goals, from HIV-AIDS prevention to greater male involvement in family life.

Across the world, UNFPA takes a stand against practices which can harm women , such as early marriage, "honor" killings or sex-selective abortions.

UNFPA recognizes that violence against women is closely linked to gender-based inequalities. In many countries, UNFPA is playing a prominent role in breaking the silence which surrounds this violence and seeking constructive ways to address it. Along with a number of other UN agencies, UNFPA is also working to combat human trafficking

Across the world, UNFPA has played a key role in emergency situations . In the wake of war or natural disaster, educational and health systems collapse, gender-based violence increases, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections spread, and infant and maternal mortality rates can increase dramatically. UNFPA takes the lead in providing supplies and services to protect reproductive health encourages the full participation of women and young people in efforts to rebuild their societies.