Consent is active, given freely, informed, specific and reversible. Creating a culture of consent requires all of us to consciously shift the way we engage with others. Use consent to create a safe sexual space.

For the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, from 25 November to 10 December, and under the umbrella of the Generation Equality campaign to mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign is calling upon people from all walks of life, across generations, to take our boldest stand yet against rape. It’s time to take a stand to dismantle rape culture.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations. The theme for the 2019 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is ‘Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape,’ and for the next two years, the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign will focus on the issue of rape. As in previous years, the International Day will mark the launch of the 16 days of activism that will conclude on 10 December, which is International Human Rights Day.

Join the global solidarity movement for gender equality. Millions of people like you have already made the HeForShe commitment globally. Commit to take action for a gender equal world.

The lack of access to clean water and inadequate sanitation affect all aspects of life, not just health. They present a significant barrier to the advancement of the entire Sustainable Development Agenda: widening inequalities, polluting the environment, putting women’s safety and dignity at risk, and forcing poor families to walk long distances to collect water (instead of going to school or to work). Half of the world’s population lives in such conditions. In November, we stress the need to ensure access to safe water sources and sanitation for all.

Imagine a world where all people have equal rights and opportunities. Women and girls are not afraid of walking home late at night, and men and boys are not trapped in oppressive masculinities. In this world, gender equality is the norm. Men and women get paid equally for work of equal value and share the care work at home. This is Generation Equality. UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign marks the 25^th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most visionary agenda for women’s rights and empowerment everywhere.

The snow leopard, which is one of the most endangered cats in the world, is found in rocky and barren mountains in central and south Asia. There are only about 4,000–7,500 leopards left in the wild. Due to a demand for their fur, and increasing pressures on their habitats from expanding industries, pastoralists and climate change, a further 10 per cent of are expected to disappear by 2040. UNEP's Vanishing Treasures initiative works closely with its Wild for Life campaign and with regional partners in Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic to help conservation efforts.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. Today, progress is being made in many places, but, overall, action to meet the Goals is not yet advancing at the speed, or scale, required. The next decade needs to be a decade of ambitious action to deliver the Goals by 2030. The exhibit of photos from around the world – to be shown at UN Headquarters from 22 October to 3 December - brings to life what the 17 SDGs mean for people and the planet.

Our understanding of poverty has grown. We now know that is not just about being able to feed your family or pay the bills on time—it extends its reach to every aspect of a person’s life, blighting her education, health, as well as her future along with that of her children’s. Are children in school? Do families have healthcare? Do households have safe water, sanitation, and electricity? These are some of the factors that can illustrate multidimensional poverty, which looks at the different deprivations people face when they lack the essentials for a dignified and decent life.

SDG 6 seeks to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation for all, focusing on the sustainable management of water resources, wastewater and ecosystems, and acknowledging the importance of an enabling environment. 

Young Champions of the Earth is a forward-looking prize designed to breathe life into the ambitions of brilliant young environmentalists.

See five arguments for providing universal health coverage to all and add your voice! #HealthForAll

Young people see, in a way that too many adults do not, a world that is rapidly becoming unrecognizable. These young climate activists are fighting for a stolen future.

By 2030, global temperatures will rise by 1.5°C. If we do nothing, by 2050 temperatures could rise 2°C or even 3°C. What are the consequences?

Find A Way is a global initiative focusing on the resilience and strength of those affected by forced migration due to climate change.