Reports Archives - International Alliance of Women

UN Women Opens Global Office at the UN Campus in Bonn

IAW Communications Unit — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:44:42 +0000

A New Hub for Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Through Global Collaboration

UN Women Opens Global Office in Bonn

Since November 2025, Bonn—the German City of the United Nations—has hosted a new member of its UN family. In the presence of Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, the third UN Women global office (after New York and Nairobi) was officially opened at the Bonn UN Campus on November 21, 2025. The UN Campus, situated close to the River Rhine, provides an inspiring environment for international collaboration.

Advancing Gender Equality Globally

This global strategy allows for a more flexible agenda to advance women’s rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls. Moreover, as UN Women is the lead UN entity on gender equality, collaboration with other UN agencies in Bonn offers strong potential. These include the Climate Secretariat (UNFCCC), the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the UN Volunteers Programme (UNV), the World Health Organization / European Environment and Health Hub (WHO), and the SDG Action Campaign. Such collaboration offers a strong opportunity to accelerate the empowerment agenda for women and girls.

UN Women’s Mission in Action

The press release states: “As the lead UN entity on gender equality, we shift laws, institutions, social behaviours, and services to close the gender gap and build an equal world for all women and girls. We keep the rights of women and girls at the centre of global progress—always, everywhere.”

Germany’s Support and Bonn’s UN Hub

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has supported UN Women since its founding in 2010. In addition, Germany is the organization’s second-largest donor. Furthermore, Bonn is home to more than 25 UN agencies, alongside federal authorities, ministries, and numerous scientific institutions and internationally active development organizations. Most of these institutions work on global sustainable development themes. Also based in Bonn is the UN Women German National Committee, whose president, Dr. Angela Langencamp, served as the master of ceremonies during the programme.

Welcoming UN Women to Bonn

Reem Alabali Radovan, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as other state and UN representatives, cordially welcomed UN Women. Following a German tradition, the Mayor of Bonn presented bread and salt to Ms. Sima Bahous. She responded warmly: “We will make Bonn our home.” She also stayed for private photos and short conversations with participants including NGO representatives.

Local Partnerships and Peace Initiatives

Annegret Krueger and Heide Schütz, President and Honorary President of the Women’s Network for Peace and both IAW members, were invited to participate in the inauguration ceremony. They also attended the panel discussion on “Gender Equality in the Digital Age – Ending Digital Violence Against Women”. Later, they spoke with Ms. Sima Bahous and presented her with the English brochure of the project The Peace Trail Bonn. This is a joint project of the Women’s Network for Peace (Frauennetzwerk für Frieden e.V., IAW Associate) and the Network of the German Peace Movement (Netzwerk Friedenskooperative e.V.), both of whose national offices are located in Bonn.

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Water and Pads – 1. Report in 2023

IAW Communications Unit — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 15:12:54 +0000

Planning - learning - trying - networking

Even with a lot of planning things very often turn out differently than expected. The IAW colleagues involved in the WP project know this particularly well!

For them, it is always a matter of looking for new ways to achieve their goals when facing completely unexpected obstacles.

So due to a brutal military attack Anuarite Siirewabo from SOFEDEC in DR Congo was unable to hold her planned WP event at the Mapendo School in the city of Goma, last November.

Instead, A. Siirewabo right away got involved in emergency relief for the displaced women and children in the affected neighbourhood. The booklets about menstruation were distributed among the girls living in emergency shelters. These unprotected young women can gain some self-confidence thanks to some basic knowledge about the biological cycle.

A.Siirewabo during emergency relief actions

Joyful play with traumatized children

Now, only three months later, SOFEDEC is again planning their regular WP activities in another school at Goma.

Trying new ways and networking – this is especially true for our WP colleagues in Cameroon.

Since the start of the WP project in 2017 Rebecca Juga, the coordinator of the IAW organisation BAWUFAG situated in the Bali area of Northern Cameroon wanted to participate. But due to the permanent cruel attacks of military gangs the schools got closed in 2018. Consequently, many inhabitants of this dangerous region had to flee, and by now quite a large Bali-community has settled around Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. Now at the new place Rebecca Juga and her colleagues of BAWUFAG definitely wanted to start some WP activities,. Rebecca could soon establish good contacts with Akam bilingual academy, a primary and secondary school in a low-income area of Yaoundé.

Rebecca Juga

Meeting the director of Akam bilingual academy

Fortunately Rebecca could also soon get in touch with two IAW organisations based at Yaoundé.
Catherine Aba Fouda, Coordinator of RENATA welcomed Rebecca at her office and gave her a lot of helpful WP information. Also, Anne Yotchou of CEFAP was very happy to have another IAW colleague close by – an excellent networking.

With this new situation at Yaoundé we felt that we could try to get our educational booklets printed on site.

In fact this is an important point for the sponsors of the WP project, because the production on site can promote some local value creation. We already had a successful pilot-project last year. In fact the costs for the printing at Harare in Zimbabwe had been very reasonable thanks to the clever negotiations of Rita Marque Mbata, Coordinator of WCCF.

So our small working group “WP booklet” with Heidi Bodmer, Pascale Vallée, Anne Yotchou and me met in January 2023 by Zoom. It was so lucky having Anne with us, because she right away tackled the issue with much zeal. She coordinated everything with her colleagues: the amount of booklets each one needed, getting a favourable price and finally organizing the distribution. It all worked out perfectly.

Rebecca could collect her share just in time before the start of her WP-activities. In Cameroon the schools like to have special events at this season, because of their national youth-day on 11 February. We are congratulating Rebecca for the huge success she had at “her” school.

«ABCs of being a Girl”, the booklets are ready at the printer’s shop

Anne Yotchou (left) and Catherine Aba Fouda with booklets intended for RENATA

Later on Catherine met Anne and got the booklets intended for RENATA.

This is an excellent incentive for us to promote local printing everywhere else in future!

The WP project is also developing well in other places. Despite of all the difficulties, Goma Bastola, Coordinator of RUWON Nepal has managed to hold her event planned for 2022 right at the beginning of January 2023. The WP project was welcomed with a high interest by the teaching staff at Bal Uddhar Secondary School, a high school at Katmandu. The lecture had been prepared together with the teachers. It was decided to also involve the boys in some ways. This turned out to be very successful, because now there is more mutual respect. At the same time, a sample kit of reusable sanitary pads was distributed to the girls. This is to make it easier for the students to be clean.
Unfortunately, there are many other problems in Nepal. Because of the massive poverty, the parents as well as the school can hardly afford clean drinking water, so the school children are often thirsty.

Bal Uddhar Secondary School at Katmandu, Nepal

Teacher showing a pad.

Should the boys also be present at the WP events?
Completely independent of the success in Zimbabwe and now Nepal, Thérèse Akakpo, Coordinator of LA COLOMBE, has also had positive experiences at the Complexe scolaire Le Guide at Vogan. A health expert was participating at the WP event. Questions about sexually transmitted diseases were also discussed here. Everyone realised how important it is to act responsibly –
and here, too, the schoolgirls have gained a lot of self-confidence!

WP Activities at Complexe scolaire Le Guide, Vauban, Togo

09.03.2023 Ursula Nakamura, Co-Coordinator IAW Water and pads project

Editor's note:
This beautiful report can also be downloaded here so that it can be shown on occasion. The occasion would be, for example, when requesting a donation for the project. The donor can immediately see how wisely and usefully the money is invested.

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On March 8th 2023 an insight into Guinea Bissau

IAW Communications Unit — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:09:15 +0000

Located in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau, ...

a Portuguese-speaking country with a population of 1,597,000, became independent in 1974 with the liberation war. Historically, women have always played an important role in Guinea-Bissau, especially during the war of liberation with heroines such as Titina Syla who fought at the front under the same conditions as men.

Significant progress has been made from independence to the present day in terms of the role and place of women in Guinean society, but much remains to be done in terms of women’s potential. Despite the repeated state costs that have weakened democracy and slowed down women’s momentum, the approval of the national gender policy (2012-2015), the implementation of an action plan with awareness-raising on the role of women in politics, the strengthening of the women’s political platform for a full participation of women in politics, decision-making and peace-building.

On the economic front, there are many obstacles to the economic emancipation of women in Guinea-Bissau. The challenges are education and vocational training, access to available resources (access to credit, access to land ownership), and the heavy burden of household chores that stifle women’s potential for full and effective participation in the social and economic life of the country.

On the political level, even though women represent 50.4% of the population, they are attributed less than 30% of representation in parliament. Since 2014, recommendations for gender mainstreaming have been made in new policies, but their effectiveness remains derisory to this day.

On the legal front, despite the remarkable work of civil society, notably the Human Rights League, the Centre for Legal Information and Guidance and UN Women, women’s access to fair justice is still a problem. Many cases of abuse and violence are still noted, especially in rural areas where customary law takes precedence over civil law.

The fight for equity and equality between men and women remains a priority and requires more commitment on the part of women and civil society, but also and above all a real willingness on the part of the state authorities to draw up a clear agenda for the concrete integration of the gender dimension into policies. It is necessary to strengthen women’s capacities in green jobs with high added value in relation to the country’s economic potential and to lighten the workload of Guinean women, who devote 85% of their working time to housework, the search for and preparation of food, and to children.

Munira Jauad Ribeiro
Convenor of Commission on Financial/Economic Policies

Commons Photo Credit: Source

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Women of rural India are left behind

IAW Communications Unit — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 18:22:05 +0000

March 8th 2023, International Women's Day as an Occasion for Reflection on the Digital Female Future in India

At a time when the UN has set DigitAll as the theme for International Women’s Day 2023 it might be wise to think about the possibilities of this imitative.

Overall, digitalization has had a positive impact on Indian women by increasing access to education, employment opportunities, financial inclusion, and empowerment. However, there is still a long way to go in terms of closing the gender gap and ensuring that women have equal access to digital resources and opportunities.

Data from the National Family Health Survey-5, which for the first time contrasted the internet use of men and women, revealed that just 33% of Indian women and 57% of Indian males have ever used the internet. In addition, only 8.4% of Indian women are online, compared to 11.6 percent of Indian males, which is 27 percent less than what it is for men.

Although there is greater access to computers and the internet in urban areas, there is a greater digital gap in rural areas, with only 25% of women using the internet compared to 49% of men.

Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Tripura, and Telangana were the states which had the lowest rates of internet usage among urban women. The only three Indian states where rural women used the internet more than 50% of the time were Goa, Kerala, and Sikkim.

According to researchers, rural India’s gender gap is due to three things. The first is the rural-urban digital divide, which translates into fewer women owning smart phones in rural areas as a result of lower internet penetration in rural areas.

The second issue that prevents equal access to digital technology is the income-based digital divide between households. For instance, each GB of data costs low-income households in the nation—those making less than $2 per day—3 percent of their monthly income, as compared to households in the middle—those making between $10 and $20 per day—0.2 percent.

Last but not least, gender inequality is made worse by regressive societal norms and discrimination at the family level that hinder women from having equal access to technology and digital gadgets.

This can be seen by the fact that some rural areas have banned the use of smart phones by women while others have forbidden access to the internet since that is viewed as a corruptive influence.

The answer in 2023 lies in the development of a streamlined technology model that is accessible to all, apart from up skilling more women so that they become digitally literate. To use technology as a tool of empowerment, regulations that challenge established socio-cultural norms must be put in place as well as resources for up skilling so that women can more properly manage. Finally, policy measures aimed at women’s empowerment and those aimed at technological innovation must extend their reach in a more organized fashion. At present, the policy related to digitalization is rather fragmented and area restrictive. In order to be effective, it is important that policy interventions be linked with other aspects like financial inclusion, social welfare and protection.

Anjana Basu
Trustee at Saroj Nalini Dutt Memorial Association (long-standing IAW Associate)

Commons Photo Credit: Source

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Report from India

manjukak — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 10:23:45 +0000

Executive VP—IAW; Ex Treasurer AIWC, Member in Charge AIWC ( National Integration, Peace & Communal Harmony)

Report from India – Dr Manju Kak

The All India Women’s Conference has a long history on issues of Peace, Diversity and Communal Harmony, especially when the nation was partitioned into India and Pakistan and refugees flooded our refugee camp. Recognising the Diversity in this nation our Founding fathers also incorporated many Directive Principles of State Policy that emphasized on respect to all communities, religions, cultures and genders.

The AIWC Mission statement states its mandate to work for the values of Communal Harmony, Peace and Co-existence.

Deepak Chopra writes, “the urge to fight and to turn competitors into enemies, nations into armed fortresses, and everyone into winners and losers won’t save a planet that needs emergency medicine.” This choice involves a conscious decision, and when enough people ( men and women) make the decision, the world will change. This is the dominant challenge for humanity. Maybe this virus will provide just this medicine, force us to acknowledge without “Universal co-dependence and co-existence,” the Planet will not survive.

Since the past year through Covid times, the All India Women’s Conference worked through our 10 Zones spreading the message of Peace in these difficult and troubled times.

In continuation of that work we are happy to announce again our extended partnership with the

National Foundation for Communal Harmony for the rest of 21-22, in organizing 3 National Webinars. The subjects we have chosen are Peace within ourselves, our families communities and organizations and the outside world.

“Unity in Diversity” addressed by Shivani, a famous TV presenter and philosopher of the spiritual sect of Bramha Kumaris, 22^nd September, 2021.

“Celebrating Gandhi – The practice of Non Violence as a vehicle for Peace. By Prof SR Bhatt, ex President, Indian Council for Philosophical Research, & Chair Indian Philosophical Congress & Radha behn Bhatt, Gandhian environmental activist, national awardee, – 4^th Oct, 2021. A message was also delivered by Marion Boeker, Executive Vice President IAW.

“ Womens’ Struggle – a continuing Legacy.” To be held on 20^th, 2021.

In addition we will be conducting 6 Workshops/Seminars/ Cultural events throughout India at Colleges and Universities with the theme of Universal Tolerance and Peace.

In addition we will be taking up 2 regional training programs on the theme “ Unity & Harmony – Women’s Empowerment.” For 2022.

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Marathi translation of World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG)

IAW Communications Unit — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 10:17:37 +0000

According to the World Health Organization, mental, neurological, and substance use disorders are common in all regions of the world, affecting every community and age group across all income countries. While 14% of the global burden of disease is attributed to these disorders, most of the people affected – 75% in many low-income countries – do not have access to the treatment they need. The WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) aims at scaling up services for mental, neurological and substance use disorders for countries especially with low- and middle-income.

The mhGAP Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) for mental, neurological and substance use disorders for non-specialist health settings, is a technical tool developed by WHO to assist in implementation of mhGAP. The Intervention Guide has been developed through a systematic review of evidence followed by an international consultative and participatory process. The mhGAP-IG presents integrated management of priority conditions using protocols for clinical decision-making. The priority conditions included are: depression, psychosis, bipolar disorders, epilepsy, developmental and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents, dementia, alcohol use disorders, drug use disorders, self-harm/suicide and other significant emotional or medically unexplained complaints. The is a model guide and has been developed for use by health-care providers working in non-specialized health-care settings after adaptation for national and local needs.

WHO encourages translation, adaptation and use of mhGAP-IG in diverse world languages.

Seema Uplekar, IAW’s representative for WHO and the UN who is currently based in Mumbai in the Maharashtra State of India after about 17 years of stay in Geneva, Switzerland, has long been interested in mental health issues.

In line with IAW’s decades of work on women’s issues and at the instance and technical support of the former director of WHO’s mental health department Dr Shekhar Saxena, Seema has translated mhGAP-IG in Marathi, an Indian language of the State of Maharashtra which has a population of 110 million. Marathi is ranked 19^thamong world languages and is the 4^thmost spoken language in India. It also has a very rich body of literature. IAW acknowledges contribution of several technical and language experts in and around Mumbai who have helped Seema in undertaking this important work.

Like most other world regions, India and the state of Maharashtra also have a paucity of mental health professionals and services. IAW hopes that the Marathi translation of mhGAP-IG will help bring evidence-based and high-quality mental health care within the reach of Marathi speaking people of India.

The WHO website also has versions in English and other languages.

• Click to read & download the Marathi translation of mhGAP-IG (updated) •

Acknowledgement

Firstly, I would like to thank Dr. Shekhar Saxena, director, mental health and substance disorder, World Health Organization. He encouraged me from my very first thought of translation of this guide in 2016. I am also grateful to the support offered by the Pubrights department of WHO particularly by Catalina Gradin, Joelle and Maria Grazia Motturi.

I am extremely thankful to my organization International Alliance of Women, President Joanna Manganara (Greece) and my colleague Gudrun Haupter (Germany) and Lene Pind (Denmark) for letting me take on this work. This translation work necessitated knowledge of Marathi and also Marathi interpretation of mental health terminology. A helping hand from many subject exeperts who are native Marathi speakers made my work relatively easy. I am very grateful to all of them. They include: Vijaya Sawant (Retired Psychology Counsellor, Nair Hospital, Mumbai) Dr. Nilesh Mohite (Psychiatrist, Parivartan Trust,Tezpur, Assam), Shama Todurkar and Amruta Padhey (Assistant Professors of Psychology, SIES College, Mumbai) Shreyashree Datar (Psychology Teacher, Acme Education, Thane) Manasi Joshi (Clinical Psycologist, Nair Hospital, Mumbai) Dr. Neeraja Kanikar (Gynecologist, Nasik), Meet Shinde (Assistant Professor, Psychology, Doshi College, Mumbai) and Swapnil Pange (Clinical Psychologist, Institute for Psychological Health, Thane). I am indebted to Arundhati Munje (Retired Associate Professor, Pendharkar College, Dombivli) who went through the final draft meticulously and gave valuable inputs. I greatly appreciate the voluntary support of Mr. Manek Davar (Chairman and Managing Director, Spenta Multimedia, Mumbai) free of any charges and Ms Bharati Khule who undertook the graphic designing work with patience and responsibility. Finally, I must thank my close friend Suchita Krishnaparsad, my daughters Swapna and Rasika and my husband Mukund for their constant encouragement and moral support. If this guide contributes even partly to filling the gaps in the provision of the much needed mental health care to those people of Maharashtra who need it most, I and all those who supported in this work will feel rewarded.

Seema Uplekar
WHO Representative, International Alliance of Women
July 2018

Expert feedback on the Marathi translation of the mhGAP-IG

Congratulations on successfully finalizing the Marathi version. This will be really useful. I would suggest that you disseminate the version and let it be used without any delay.

-Shekhar Saxena, Former director, WHO Mental Health Department

I wholeheartedly welcome translation of MH Gap guidelines in Marathi. Seema Uplekar with her team has done a fantastic job by taking lead for this translation. I hope many health professionals who are looking for evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of mentally ill individuals will be immensely benefited due to this.

-Dr. Hamid Dabholkar, Psychiatrist, Parivartan Trust Maharashtra

A huge thank you and congratulations for translating mhGAP in Marathi!

I hope the launch goes well and that your work will circulate and be of much help.

-= Dr. Kelly Donnell-Michele, Psychologist Member Care Associates, Inc

I have gone through your translation carefully and they seem to be quite apt and convey the meaning and spirit of the information. I wish you all the best for your inaugural function to launch this translation.

Dr. Anand Nadkarni, Institute for Psychological Health

My congratulations on this useful resource and wishing you best for the function. I think the Marathi translation will help in its adoption in Maharashtra and I hope you will make the Dept of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of Maharashtra aware of its availability.

Dr. Soumitra Pathare, Consultant Psychiatrist & Coordinator. Centre for MH Law & Policy

Greetings from our NGO. Heartiest congratulations.

The Marathi translation of mhGAP is very thought provoking and as it’s in Marathi has tremendous value for NGO like ours that work at the grassroots level. We look forward to promoting it through the various awareness camps by training the trainer. It is a great reference for our volunteers who are daily coming across people affected with such symptoms and don’t know where to get there answers, This guidance in their mother tongue will be of immense value.

-Ratna Joshi, Ballerina Management Institute

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