Midway to Agenda 2030: Why are we off the track on gender equality?

With only 90 months left to fulfil the Agenda 2030 promises made by our governments 90 months ago, we are far off the track. A United Nations report released this week shows that out of the 114 countries studied, not one has achieved gender equality. Over 99% women and girls live in a country with low women’s empowerment and a big gender gap. The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 also had painted a grim picture, including on the progress made on delivering the goals for gender equality, which is crucial to achieving each of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

[podcast] Transgender rights are human rights, asserts Nhuun Yodmuang of APTN

This Podcast features Nhuun Wannapong Yodmuang of Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN), who is a Thai transgender woman and an advocate with an academic background in International Human Rights Law. She had worked with local and regional organisations on trans rights in the context of several countries in Asia, engaging with international advocacy spaces such as United Nation bodies.

She is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, CNS Special Correspondent, who is among those journalists who will be onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[podcast] Is Cambodia on track to deliver on promises of sexual and reproductive health and rights?

This Podcast features Dr Saphon Somolireasmey, Associate Executive Director of the Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia (RHAC). With her 15 years of working in research field and communities supports, Somolireasmey is strongly passionate in continuing her research field, particularly in gender lensed reflecting Cambodian social contexts.

She is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, CNS Special Correspondent and development communication professional, who is among those journalists who will be onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[podcast] Bodily autonomy and sexual health and rights are vital to advance progress towards SDGs

This Podcast features Marevic Parcon, Executive Director at Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), a southern-based global network that connects and strengthens movements for the promotion and advancement of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and justice. She led the implementation of the Safe Abortion Advocacy Project that enhanced the capacity of grassroots organisations to undertake safe abortion advocacy and established national networks to address abortion stigma at multiple levels.

She is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, CNS Special Correspondent and development communication professional, who is among those journalists who will be onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[podcast] Development justice is the bedrock for gender justice, food sovereignty and global peace

This Podcast features Azra Talat Sayeed, a globally recognised political activist and actively involved with advancing women’s and peasant rights. She has made important contributions to achieving gender justice and building peasant movements not only in Pakistan but also in Asia Pacific and worldwide. Azra Sayeed is the founder and Executive Director of Roots for Equity, a Karachi-based organisation that works with the most vulnerable and marginalized communities that include small and landless farmers, women and religious minorities. She is the Chairperson of Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) as well as of the International Women's Alliance, which is a grassroots alliance of women’s organizations, networks and individuals working to advance the global anti-imperialist, and progressive women’s movement. She has also served as Vice Chairperson of The International League of Peoples Struggle.

She is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, CNS Special Correspondent and development communication professional, who is among those journalists who will be onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda. 

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[video] Transgender rights are human rights

[video] Cambodia progressed on sexual and reproductive health and rights but more efforts warranted to deliver on SDGs

[video] Bodily autonomy and sexual health and rights are vital to advance progress towards SDGs

[video] Development justice is the bedrock for gender justice, food sovereignty and global peace

[podcast] To achieve gender equality, stop all conflicts, and ensure development justice for all, including indigenous and LGBTQIAP+ peoples

This Podcast features Matcha Phornin, an ethnic minority/ indigenous lesbian feminist, and a human rights defender from the Chiangmai - Tak - Maehongson border of Thailand - Myanmar where an armed conflict is still ongoing. She is the founder and executive director of Sangsan Anakot Yawachon, an organization that works to advancing the rights of the Indigenous people especially LGBTQIAP+, women and girls.

She is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, CNS Special Correspondent and development communication professional, who is among those journalists who will be onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda. 

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[video] We fail on gender equality and SDGs if we fail to stop conflicts and work on development justice

[podcast] Integrated development justice for LGBTQIAP+ people is vital

This Podcast features Darvesh Singh Yadavendra, founder member of a community-based organization - Pahal Foundation, who works on the health, social justice and inclusion and rights of gay men and transgender community. He is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, CNS Special Correspondent and development communication professional, who is among those journalists who will be onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[video] #WalkTheTalk on gender justice and broader development justice for LGBTQIAP+ people

[podcast] Long walk to gender equality and human rights in Arab and African nations

This podcast features Gozde Ones of RAWSA (Regional Advocacy for Women’s Sustainable Advancement Alliance for African & Arab States). She is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, journalist, CNS Special Correspondent, and development communication professional, and one of those media actors who will be onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[podcast] Transgender rights and gender justice: Translate promises into realities

This Podcast features Abhina Aher, a leading #ForceForChange for gender equality and transgender rights and justice. She is in conversation with Sumita Thapar, CNS Special Correspondent, and development communication professional, and one of those media actors who will onsite at the upcoming Women Deliver 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, aCast, Podtail, BluBrry, Himalaya, ListenNotes, American Podcasts, CastBox FM, Ivy FM, Player FM, and other podcast streaming platforms.

[video] Have we progressed on gender equality and human rights in Arab and African states?

[video] Translating transgender rights in context of each SDGs goal and target is vital

Youth-led initiatives put the focus on bodily autonomy and sexual health

photo courtesy: ARROW

The Asia Pacific region is home to 60% of the world’s young population - 750 million young people of all genders aged 15 to 24 years. Many adolescents and young people in the region continue to transition to adulthood with inadequate information, including on matters of sexual and reproductive health and rights, that affects their physical, social and emotional well-being. At the same time, honing the leadership abilities of these young people can make them effective advocates for social change by proposing and implementing creative solutions for the most pressing issues that are affecting societies.

Youth ChangeMakers: An idea can change the world…

So said Sivananthi Thanenthiran, Executive Director of The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), echoing the famous words of American civil rights leader Robert Williams. She was speaking to the youth changemakers who gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the three-day long Asia Youth Festival (19-21 September 2022) on innovation and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Youth Changemakers at the forefront of advocating for sexual health and rights

A regional initiative across countries in Asia is helping young people find innovative solutions to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights in their communities.