Gender Equality – Women's Network for Change

April 30, 2026

WNC’s Participation in CSW 70: Engaging with Global Leaders and Advocating Women’s Rights

The seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 70) took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026. Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world were invited to attend the session. The themes for CSW 70 were: At CSW 70, our NGO was honored to participate in critical events that addressed global challenges and opportunities for advancing gender equality. Among […]

April 10, 2026

Maryam Akbari Monfared Released After 17 Years

A Proud Milestone for WNC Advocacy The WNC proudly announces the release of Maryam Akbari Monfared, one of Iran’s longest-serving female political prisoners, on April 8, 2026. Her freedom marks a powerful moment of hope and perseverance and stands as a testament to years of tireless advocacy, including efforts led by our organization. After nearly 17 years of imprisonment without a single day of leave, Maryam Akbari Monfared has finally been reunited with her family. Her case has long symbolized […]

March 30, 2026

Global Solidarity with Iranian Women: Paris Workshop Highlights Courage and Resistance

Each year, International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate progress, demand equality, and amplify the voices of women around the world. But for many Iranian women, this day is not only symbolic—it is deeply political, rooted in an ongoing struggle for basic rights, dignity, and freedom. This year’s global theme, set by the United Nations—“Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”—calls for dismantling structural barriers to equality, ending discriminatory laws, and taking collective action to ensure fundamental rights […]

December 28, 2025

COP30 in Brazil: modest climate progress, but a clearer step forward for women

Belém, Brazil When world leaders, diplomats and activists gathered in Belém, on the edge of the Amazon, expectations for COP30 were high. Hosting the UN climate summit in Brazil carried a powerful message: the climate crisis is inseparable from forests, land rights and the lives of people who live closest to environmental destruction. The final outcome, however, was mixed. While governments adopted a broad package of decisions covering adaptation, finance and cooperation, the conference stopped short of delivering the decisive […]

October 10, 2025

Jane Goodall: A Trailblazer Who Redefined Science and Inspired Generations of Women

When Jane Goodall entered the forests of Gombe, Tanzania, in 1960 with nothing but a notebook, binoculars, and boundless curiosity, she was doing something almost unimaginable for a woman of her time. Science especially the field of primatology was dominated by men, and few believed that a young woman without formal scientific training could contribute anything meaningful. Yet Goodall not only transformed our understanding of humanity’s closest relatives but also redefined what it meant to be a woman in science. […]

August 18, 2025

Challenges and Resilience Among Aboriginal Girls

Aboriginal girls across Australia and other regions carry the rich legacy of their cultures, languages, and communities. Yet, they face unique challenges that often remain invisible to the broader public. Understanding these experiences is essential to supporting their well-being, education, and future leadership. Many Aboriginal girls grow up in environments shaped by a history of colonization, dispossession, and systemic discrimination. These factors contribute to disparities in health, education, and social outcomes compared to non-Indigenous peers. For example: Despite these obstacles, […]

April 17, 2025

Dominique Attias Honored as Officer of the Legion of Honor for Lifetime Legal Advocacy

In a ceremony held at the Paris Bar Association on April 10, 2025, Dominique Attias, a trailblazing figure in the French legal world, was awarded the title of Officier de la Légion d’Honneur—Officer of the Legion of Honor—in recognition of her decades-long dedication to justice, children’s rights, and the defense of fundamental freedoms. The award is one of the highest civilian honors in France, bestowed by presidential decree and announced in the Journal Officiel on July 9, 2024. Attias joins […]

March 12, 2025

WNC at the CSW69: Advocating for Gender Equality on the Global Stage

The 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) is currently taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, bringing together government representatives, civil society organizations, and activists from around the world to discuss pressing gender equality issues. This year, the priority theme focuses on “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.” The Commission on the […]

September 15, 2024

Women’s Right to Education in Afghanistan: The Impact of Fundamentalism

Since the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan in 2021, the right of women and girls to access education has been systematically stripped away, marking a stark regression from the progress achieved in the previous two decades. This repression is a direct result of the fundamentalist ideology embraced by the Taliban, which severely limits women’s rights. The implications of these restrictions are not only devastating for Afghan women, but also for the country’s broader social and economic development. Before the Taliban’s return […]

July 31, 2024

Gender Equality in the Legal Sphere: A Call for Action

From June 6-8, 2024, the European Bars Association (FBE) General Congress, titled “The Lawyer of the Future,” took place in Malaga. This event brought together leading voices from the legal profession to deliberate on the critical need for implementing gender quotas and targets within Bar Associations and law firms. Despite women outnumbering men in the legal profession, a glaring under-representation of women in leadership positions persists. The Panel Discussion The discussion, moderated by Michael Griem, the 2nd Vice President of […]