As people across the planet celebrate Pride Month this June, we’re helping partners join the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex (LGBTI) human rights by supporting Free & Equal, a global United Nations campaign to eliminate violence and discrimination against the LGBTI community. Launched and led by the UN Human Rights Office, the Free & Equal campaign has become one of the UN’s most powerful tools in the fight against homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, […]

It’s not often that you get together a world-leading philanthropist, a global business magnate, a Nobel prize winner, a former president, a Minister of the Future, a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur, and a digital rights activist to share their thoughts about the future of new technologies. But on June 10, such a group, bolstered by experts on digital rights and cryptocurrency and a civil society leader, came forward to share its ideas for how

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” states the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948. Although progress has been made since then, much work remains to advance human rights for all, including LGBTI people. Today, more than one-third of the world’s countries still criminalize same-sex relationships. These laws put millions of people at risk of blackmail, arrest, and imprisonment – and in up to 12 countries, possibly the

As the world’s largest conference on the health, rights, and well-being of girls and women, the 2019 Women Deliver in Vancouver brought together more than 8,000 people from over 160 countries. There were conversations on everything from intersectional representation to climate change to women’s rights. What was top of mind for me? As we reflect on the week, here are five of my top takeaways: The world’s young people are sick of political talk. They

When Manyang Reath Kher was just three years old, he lost everything. Manyang was one of 20,000 “Lost Boys of Sudan,” forced to flee a brutal civil war in what is now South Sudan — a war that took the lives of his father, brothers, and sisters. But he considers himself lucky. After fighting for survival in refugee camps plagued by malaria and other deadly diseases for some 13 years, he received the opportunity to

Every Friday, you can find 14-year-old Alexandria Villaseñor sitting outside United Nations headquarters at work on her “full-time, unpaid job.” The job? Saving people and planet from the climate crisis. Whether in rain or shine – or even in sub-freezing temperatures – Alexandria is determined to call for greater action on climate change. (Earlier this year, she was almost unrecognizable keeping warm in a giant orange sleeping bag). She is one of many youth climate

Kate Gilmore works to safeguard human rights for all people across the globe, including families living in some of the most dangerous and repressive places on earth. Natalia Kanem helps build a future where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every girl’s potential is fulfilled. Nahla Valji advises the United Nations Secretary-General on all matters related to gender equality at a crucial moment in the history of the organization and, indeed, the

“My name is Lihle, and I am a young person living with HIV. I am here to bring hope to those who are feeling lost. Remember, you are not alone,” says Lihle Bhebhe, a young woman featured in 360HIV, a virtual reality film launched by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2018 to address a major obstacle in the AIDS response globally: The social stigma of living with HIV. In the 360HIV

How are we doing on reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their promise of a fair future for people and the planet?  The short answer: The results are mixed. The longer answer: According to the SDG progress report for 2019, we’re making progress in some areas, but not fast enough. And worse, we’re facing big threats – like climate change, conflict, and inequality – that threaten that progress. But this assessment is not a