United Nations Radio

With the General Assembly's annual session in September fast approaching, the UN is poised to create a powerful new department for women. The UN has been involved in promoting the rights of women and girls from its inception, from organizing major conferences on women to adopting a treaty on women's rights. But, as UN Radio's Farah Ahmend reports, many women's rights activists believe a more cohesive approach is needed if we are ever to ensure real equality between women and men.

Indian union fights for the rights of poor working women

In India, nine out of every 10 working women work in the informal sector. They have no rights. They have no medical insurance, no contract, no holiday entitlement, no guaranteed minimum wage, nothing. Consequently they and their families remain trapped in poverty. Mandy Cunningham travels to the Indian city of Ahmedabad where the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) is changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of women.

Safer streets mean safer cities for women

In many developing countries, women do not dare to walk the streets or take public transport at night unless they absolutely have to. There is danger lurking in every unlit street corner or bus stop, which is why UNIFEM and UNHABITAT have gone global with their programme to make cities safe for women and girls. UN Radio's Jocelyne Sambira has the story.

Producer: Dianne Penn
duration: 14'00"