What is a woman’s journey to power? What does she need to do — or change — to arrive at a place of equality of opportunity, where she is able to realize her full potential in the world? That’s what my United Nations Foundation colleagues and I will be examining during a wide range of activities and events that we’re hosting as part of Women Deliver 2019. More than 8,000 participants — from government leaders and researchers to […]

There is no such thing as a perfect father. All dads, including me, have moments that make us cringe in hindsight.  But I lucked out with my dad – he was ahead of his time. When the doctor said that my father wouldn’t be allowed in the delivery room for my birth – standard practice in the 1960s called for dads to be in the waiting room, ready to light up a cigar – my

What does gender equality and climate change have to do with health? Everything. At the end of May, the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva brought together global health leaders to discuss pressing issues. The topics covered issues from mental health to eradicating polio and everything in between, but at the core of them all was one clear theme: leave no one behind, as promised by world leaders in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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