The health of our oceans is declining. This threatens the lives, livelihood and food security of billions of people. For island communities and those living around oceans and seas, the risk are even greater. Recently, UN Women visited the island nation of Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean Rim region, where ocean-based tourism is the backbone of the economy and men and women rely on the ocean for sustainable living. Women are also leading marine conservation and sustainable use of the ocean in Seychelles. This photo essay provides a glimpse into their efforts and impact.

Indian Ocean Rim countries have set change in motion, investing in laws, policies, and institutions that empower women economically. But there’s much to be done. From the gender pay gap to labour policies, dive into the data to see how women fare across the region.

Finding women at work shouldn't be this hard. To highlight women's under-representation in science, technology and politics, UN Women Egypt and DDB Dubai launched the "Finding Her" initiative. The series of illustrations show science, technology and political workplaces with only one woman.

The world of work is changing fast, through innovation, increasing mobility and informality. But it needs to change faster to empower women, whose work has already driven many of the global gains in recent decades.

Globalization, digital innovation and climate change, among other factors, continue to change the world in which we work — posing both challenges as well as opportunities in realizing women’s economic potential for a better tomorrow. Explore just some facts on where women stand today in the changing world of work.

Think you know your facts on women and the economy? Take our short quiz to find out!

Rural Liberian women are promoting renewable solar energy that reduces dependency on expensive and polluting fossil fuels, like kerosene.

From the conviction of a Congolese warlord for crimes against humanity to Argentines taking to the streets to protest femicide to emojis getting a gender boost, this timeline is a selection of some of the gender equality achievements, milestones and lighter noteworthy moments from around the world this year.

In Cambodia, 70 per cent of women are engaged in vulnerable employment; more than 500,000 work in garment and footwear factories. Empowering women to exercise their rights to decent work, UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (managed by UN Women on behalf of the UN system) is working closely with partners to ensure discrimination-free work environments in Cambodian factories.

UN Women originally presented these images from the archive of renowned photography agency Magnum Photos at the launch of the Global Study on the Implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 in 2015, to mark the 15th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), which recognized the critical importance of women’s participation in peacemaking and peacebuilding.

In the past two decades, an annual average of 172,000 Filipino women have left the country as migrant workers, in the quest for decent work and adequate income.

Migrant domestic workers contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of societies both in their host and home countries, and yet are among the most vulnerable groups in the workforce and face a number of human and labour rights abuses. Learn the facts.

Every day after school, 30 girls meet at the Olympic Vila of Mangueira—one of 22 public spaces with free sports facilities managed by the municipality in the north of Rio de Janeiro— to play basketball.

Thaiza Vitória da Silva is a 15-year-old handball player from Anchieta, a neighbourhood in northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Take our five-question quiz to learn some fun facts about women and the Olympics and share your newfound knowledge with others as you watch the Games this year!

Through scenes of daily life in the Gado-Badzere and Ngam refugee camps in Cameroon, here is a showcase of the lives of women in the camp, their social and community bonds, and how they are using UN Women’s safe spaces, psychosocial support and business trainings.

Burundi’s ongoing political turmoil has caused hundreds of thousands to flee their homes and seek shelter in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). At the Lusenda refugee camp, which is home to more than 16,000 refugees, the majority are women and girls. Hundreds of refugees have come to the Safe Haven multipurpose centres for protection and economic and social empowerment, established by UN Women . Here’s a glimpse into daily life at the camp and the centres.

On 13 March, 2015 Vanuatu was hit by Category Five Cyclone Pam, the worst disaster in the island nation’s recent history. More than half the population (of more than 860,000) was affected and around 96 per cent of crops were destroyed, leaving many women without food or produce to sell, which was their only source of income. In the months following the cyclone, a prolonged El Niño-fueled drought prevented replanting, causing months of crop failure, food insecurity and the decimation of the livelihoods of market vendors, majority women.