Photo stories: International Women's Day 2009

Nicole Kidman (right), Goodwill Ambassador of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), presents UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a petition, signed by more than 5 million people, calling on governments to make ending violence against women a top priority. In November 2008, Ban Ki-moon launched a global campaign “United to End Violence Against Women”, emphasizing “the time to change is now”.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) works closely with the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to create awareness on sexual and domestic violence, early/forced marriage and HIV/AIDS. Seen here, an adviser on gender issues to the governor of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, appointed to lead a UNFPA supported council, posing with colleagues two years ago

Iraqi school girl reviews her lessons. Over one-fifth of Iraqi children are unable to attend school due to security concerns, with girls being particularly affected. But thanks to a new educational TV channel launched in 2008 by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Iraq’s Education Ministry, children will be able to continue their studies through distance learning.

Peruvian mother and child in the Sierra region of the Andes are part of a Vulnerable Group Feeding programme. The project is supported by the UN/FAO World Food Programme (WFP) as part of a programme to give assistance to needy mothers. The food is being distributed throughout hospitals and health centres in the poorer districts of Lima and in depressed rural areas of the Andean mountain region.

Inés Alberdi, Executive Director, UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), addresses a UN Security Council debate on “Women and peace and security” while Rachel Mayanja, UN Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, looks on. The Council issued a strong condemnation of all violations of international law committed against women and girls during and after armed conflicts.

Three young women patients wait to check in for treatment, under a tent in the compound of the Fistula Unit of Zalingei Hospital in Sudan. The Campaign to End Fistula, launched by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in 2003, is working in 45 countries to eliminate obstetric fistula, a debilitating birth injury caused by prolonged labour without prompt medical intervention, by 2015.

A group of women studying integrated pest management at a Farmers' Field School in Bangladesh. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) works to boost the capacity of drought prone and coastal communities to adapt to climate change and recover from natural disasters. Strategies to alleviate weather-related consequences are more effective when they target women as well as men, says FAO.

These masked women are participants in a female circumcision ceremony in Lesotho. The practice, undertaken for cultural or other non-medical reasons, often causes severe pain resulting in infection, infertility and even death. Last year, 10 UN agencies banded together to pledge their support for eliminating the life threatening practice within a generation and for a major reduction by 2015.

Members of a well-organized local women's group harvesting maize and barley. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is helping the Government of Ecuador plan, formulate and execute a wide variety of projects aimed at improving the living conditions and income of the rural population in certain selected areas of the country.

A Congolese woman awaits surgery at the Heal Africa center in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after being sexually assaulted. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates some 200,000 women and girls in the DRC have been assaulted over the past 12 years, with rape being used as a weapon of war. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited with victims at the hospital in February.