The cycle of despair in 2023 seemed unstoppable yet crisis after crisis, there were accounts of the selfless and the heroic. Here are 8 stories of resilience and hope from 2023.

What would the world look like if it was designed by and for women? Equity 2030 seeks to redesign the world with women in mind.

During extreme weather events, women face heightened vulnerabilities among them, increased gender-based violence. As we mark COP28, here are 5 things women and girls are demanding.

Dr. Hijazi narrates about the horrific situation for pregnant women in Gaza, where 180 births a day are taking place amid relentless bombardment.

Filmmaker Bisan Ouda shows you inside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza and hear from health workers in dire need of life-saving medicines and supplies.

With bombs raining down on hospitals and United Nations shelters, the people of #Gaza have nowhere safe to go. In Gaza, 50,000 women are currently pregnant. Almost 160 women will give birth every day amid the violence. UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. 

Mariam is among the more than 100,000 people, who have fled into Armenia following the escalation of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan. About one third of the refugees are reportedly under 18, and approximately half are women and girls, who face a  heightened risk of gender-based violence.

On World Mental Health Day, UNFPA Regional Champion Shudufhadzo Musida raises awareness about mental health and speaks up for women and girls, who don’t feel seen, heard, or understood.

Only one third of countries have committed to upholding the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls in their national climate plans.

Portable ultrasound machines are bridging a dangerous gap in maternal health care in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

14-year-old Cleiton Adriano, is challenging the stereotypes around masculinity and promoting women’s rights.

My body is my own: claiming the right to autonomy and self-determination. Five things you need to know about consent

All too often, people who contribute the least to climate change are affected the most. Such is the case in Bangladesh, one of the most climate disaster-prone countries in the world. Floods, cyclones and extreme storms frequently displace people from their homes. Women and girls pay the highest price. Humanitarian needs directly impacting them – including access to contraception; safe births; protection from violence – are often overlooked in times of crisis. "When climate disaster strikes, it is a disaster for women and girls," said Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director, "we have to change the mentality to prioritize what women and girls are going to need".

UNFPA embraces femtech to boost period awareness in Burkina Faso and the Republic of Moldova.

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Their mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The agency promotes gender equality and empowers women, girls and young people to take control of their bodies and their futures in more than 150 countries.