/Government Information, Maps and Microform Services (GIMMS)

UN iLibrary Gender Equality Collection

By John Arbuckle

  • State of World Population 2020: Against My Will - Defying the Practices that Harm Women and Girls and Undermine Equality
  • From Insights to Action: Gender Equality in the Wake of COVID-19
    • Summary from UN iLibrary: "This publication from UN Women presents the latest evidence on the multiple impacts of the pandemic on women and girls, including how the crisis is affecting extreme poverty, employment, health, unpaid care and violence against women and girls. The response to COVID-19 must also take into account the risks borne by essential health workers, the majority of whom are women. The report calls for gender-responsive policies and long-term investments in social protection systems that reach all women and girls. "

  • COVID-19 and Women's Leadership: From an Effective Response to Building Back Better
    • ​​​​​​Summary from UN iLibrary: "This brief shines a light on the critical role of women’s leadership in responding to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and preparing for a more equitable recovery. Across the globe, women are at the helm of institutions carrying out effective and inclusive COVID-19 responses, from the highest levels of decision-making to frontline service delivery. At the same time, the brief recognizes pre-existing and new constraints to women’s participation and leadership and advocates for measures to facilitate women’s influence over decision-making processes. It makes recommendations to be considered by national, regional and international policymakers."
  • COVID-19 and Violence Against Women and Girls: Addressing the Shadow Pandemic
    • Summary from UN iLibrary: "This brief presents emerging evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on violence against women and girls (VAWG). It advocates for measures that prevent and respond to VAWG in the current circumstances of lockdown and investments that ensure women and girls' safety in longer-term recovery plans. It also makes recommendations to be considered by all society sectors, from governments and multilateral institutions to civil society organizations, private companies, and donors, with examples of actions already taken."

  • Gender and disarmament, from United Nations Disarmament Yearbook 2019: Part II 
    • This chapter summarizes current efforts and developments being made to bridge the gap between disarmament and gender equality frameworks. 
  • Gender equality, from The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020
    • Summary from UN iLibrary: "International commitments to advance gender equality have brought about improvements in some areas: child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) have declined in recent years, and women’s representation in the political arena is higher than ever before. But the promise of a world in which every woman and girl enjoys full gender equality, and where all legal, social and economic barriers to their empowerment have been removed, remains unfulfilled. In fact, that goal is probably even more distant than before, since women and girls are being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis is creating circumstances that have already contributed to a surge in reports of violence against women and girls, and may increase child marriage and FGM. Moreover, women are likely to take on most additional care work owing to the closure of schools and day-care centres. They are also on the front lines in fighting the coronavirus, since women account for nearly 70 per cent of health and social workers globally."

  • Gender in the digital age: Exploring innovative practices and Women’s involvement
    • Summary from UN iLibrary: "In our contemporary globalized world, women and adolescent girls in various countries across the globe continue to face constant hardships and obstacles, ranging from gender-based violence to prevalent gender inequalities and deeply rooted gendered socio-cultural norms, which hinder their emancipation and development and negatively impact the implementation of gender equality and rights. Despite these circumstances, different advancements, such as emerging innovative solutions and technologies, can play a significant role in relation to the development and empowerment of women in various sectors of society globally. It thus becomes ever more necessary to apply cross-cutting approaches, such as a critical gender lens and a rights-based approach1 to a wide range of development sectors and issue areas, including, but not limited to, education, political participation, and economic development, while considering, at the same time, the role that technology can have in these domains and analyzing its socio-cultural, global implications."
  • Zoom: Powerful women
    • A wonderful photo report celebrating International Women's Day. 

  • Minimum Set of Gender Indicators
    • Summary from UN iLibrary: "The Minimum Set of Gender Indicators is a collection of 52 quantitative indicators and 11 qualitative indicators covering national norms and laws on gender equality. It was agreed by the United Nations Statistical Commission in 2013 as a guide for national production and international compilation of gender statistics. Data includes indicators under tier I and tier II, covering such dimensions as education, employment, health, the human rights of women and girls, and public life and decision-making."
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