UN Women’s Affirmative Procurement Regional Initiative, funded by the African Development Fund and We-fi (Women Entrepreneurs Financing Facility) has helped improve the abilities of women entrepreneurs and business operations of 1,035 women-led SMEs through targeted training in procurement processes, digital skills, and financial management in across Nigeria, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali. Of these, 659 women-led SMEs secured new contracts across public and private sectors, and 245 registered on the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM) platform. They can therefore, access procurement contracts with the UN system in the future. Over 1,700 women entrepreneurs in the four countries are equipped to navigate procurement processes and apply for public bids.

The Affirmative Procurement Initiative is fully aligned with the UN Women Strategic Plan, and tackles root causes and capacity gaps. Its results-focused approach is rendering changes in translating the dynamic set of global gender equality and empowerment norms and standards gender-responsive laws. It also enabled more women entrepreneurs in West and Central Africa to get equitable access to high-quality public goods, services, jobs, and resources that are responsive to their needs.

In 2024, Kaduna State in Nigeria, home to 9 million people, adopted groundbreaking legislation to give women preferential access to public contracts, thanks to UN Women’s support through the regional Project on Affirmative Procurement Reform in West Africa. This important normative landmark outcome advances women’s economic empowerment in West and Central Africa and directly contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The Affirmative Procurement Act, adopted, allows women-led businesses to bid even if they do not yet satisfy the prior registration requirement and provides for the minimum allocation of 5 to 20% of the market to them, depending on the type of bid.

The Government of Timor-Leste adopted the second National Action Plan 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP 1325) for the period 2024–2028 on 10 January 2024. The official launch ceremony, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) with the support of UN Women, took place on 16 February 2024.The adoption of second NAP 1325 also demonstrates Government’s commitment to ASEAN Road Map where enhancing women’s participation in peace and rehabilitation processes is a key area of work.

The NAP 1325 contributes directly to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly to SDG 5, 10, 11, 13 and 16. SDG 5:By directly addressing women's participation in leadership roles, combating gender-based violence, and promoting equal access to economic opportunities. SDG 10:By advocating for the inclusion of marginalized women and girls in peacebuilding processes. SDG 16: By promoting women's participation in peace negotiations and conflict resolution mechanisms. SDG 11:By addressing the specific needs of women and girls in urban settings during conflict and post-conflict situations. SDG 13:By integrating gender perspectives into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The Timor-Leste Country Office (TLCO) played a pivotal role in the development and eventual adoption of the second NAP 1325. TLCO provided technical support to the MOI throughout the process which included capacity development of the key stakeholders, national consultations, drafting the NAP and validation workshops to finalise the NAP. It also supported the establishment of a technical NAP drafting team comprising government advisors, consultants, and experts. TLCO also ensured that the second NAP 1325 aligns closely with two sets of standards, Security Council resolution 1325, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action. 

MoI ensured a participatory and inclusive process; ensuring CSOs fully engage in the development process, and their voices, needs, and concerns were reflected in the second NAP, thereby ensuring shared ownership of the NAP at the local level. With TLCO’s facilitation of participatory and inclusive consultations, 15 government institutions and 14 civil society organizations (CSOs), including traditional leaders, faith-based groups, women’s groups, rural women, women with disabilities, survivors of past conflicts, and people with disabilities participated in the process.  

MOI also led the development of a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework to track the progress of NAP 1325. TLCO supported MOI in designing tools and identifying key indicators, data collection methodologies, and institutional responsibilities. The LM-CSO Workshop held by MoI with TLCO’s support in August 2024, provided a platform for finalizing M&E components for the NAP, ensuring robust accountability mechanisms.

UN Women’s partnership with the Government of Liberia has driven meaningful progress in women’s political leadership and participation in security decision-making, contributing to SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and Outcomes 3 and 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (Sustaining Peace and Security; Governance and Transparency).  In 2024, women were appointed as Minister of National Defense and Spokesperson for the Liberia National Police for the first time. While the security sector remains male-dominated, these milestones reflect UN Women’s contribution through sustained advocacy and programming to increase the number of women in military and police roles. Moreover, women's representation in the ministerial cabinet increased from 26.3 percent in 2023 to 35 percent in 2024, while the share of women deputy ministers rose from 23 percent to 31 percent. At the local level, women now hold 11 percent of appointed positions, up from 8 percent in 2023. 

UN Women facilitated these achievements by collaborating with local women’s rights organizations, such as Sister Aid Liberia and the Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia, to enhance the advocacy and political leadership skills of over 500 women. This entailed providing evidence-based tools to support their engagement with decision-makers, leading to the targeting of 412 male leaders, including traditional leaders across seven counties[1], to actively support women’s participation. This positively influenced men's roles in promoting gender parity and contributed to 58 women being appointed to local leadership roles, including town chiefs and district commissioners, thereby increasing women's representation in local governance.  These results align with increased funding to support women's meaningful participation in public life. In 2024, five[2] ministries and agencies, including one security institution, allocated over $250,000—a 2 percent increase from 2023—to better support their women employees. 

With funding from the Governments of Ireland, Sweden, UNDP, and the UN Peacebuilding Fund, UN Women is advancing transformative approaches with the potential to create a more just, equal future for women and girls in Liberia. 

In 2024, UN Women in Kenya successfully promoted gender-responsive climate action while building resilience and improving livelihoods for women, girls, and communities, thereby contributing to SDGs 1, 5 and 13.

621 women from 42 groups generated an income exceeding USD 143,733 in 2024 through Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices. This was achieved through public awareness campaigns on the importance of adopting CSA technologies, greater acceptance and support for women’s participation in agricultural and climate resilience and training carried out by agricultural extension agents. In addition, 27 Village Savings and Loans Association groups accessed USD 7,335 in loans in 2024, up from USD 6,122 in 2023. This enabled the women to invest in climate-resilient agricultural practices and enhancing their economic stability and resilience against climate shocks. It facilitated the adoption of new technologies and diversification of income sources, leading to improved livelihoods and greater agency for women within their communities. This has resulted in increased income for women, and reduced household poverty and gender-based violence, which in turn has contributed to increased school attendance for girls and fewer early marriages.

UN Women achieved these results through the “Kenya Economic Empowerment of Women through Climate-Smart Agriculture (WEE-CSA) in Arid and Semi-Arid Central Areas” project, carried out jointly with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, three Civil Society Organizations (Hand in Hand East Africa, Anglican Development Services Eastern and Village Enterprise), and the county governments in Laikipia, Kitui and West Pokot counties. UN Women empowered farmers through training, resources, and support for CSA practices, and fostered gender transformation through media campaigns, leadership and entrepreneurship training, market access facilitation, and promotion of gender-responsive policies.

The project was announced by OECD-DAC as a global, best practice project.

In 2024, Bolivia made significant progress in promoting gender-focused policies, mechanisms, and economic initiatives, contributing to women's economic empowerment and reducing inequalities, particularly in the productive and financial sectors (SDG 5, SDG 8, and SDG 10). Through strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Productive Development and Plural Economy, financial regulators, such as the Financial System Supervisory Authority (ASFI) and the Pension and Insurance Supervisory and Social Control Authority (APS), BancoSol, and economic associations, gender perspective have been increasingly integrated into financial instruments, policies, and public-private initiatives. These efforts have led to tangible improvements in women's access to financial services and economic opportunities, contributing directly to inclusive economic growth and the achievement of SDG 8.

As part of these efforts, Bolivian financial regulators ASFI and APS have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing women's financial inclusion by promoting more equitable access to credit, savings, and financial services. A total of 40 financial institutions and development partners have strengthened their knowledge and tools to foster a more inclusive financial sector.

BancoSol, a member of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, has established itself as a leader in gender-focused financial services by launching Bolivia's first Gender Social Bond. As part of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) 2.0 Accelerator Program, this microfinance institution received specialized technical support from UN Women, enhancing its capacity for gender-responsive monitoring, reporting, and evaluation. This progress was globally recognized at the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) meeting.

At the public policy level, the national and subnational governments, with technical assistance from UN Women, are developing comprehensive policies to ensure gender equity in unpaid domestic and care work (SDG 5 and SDG 10). These include:

•  A National Care Policy to recognize and redistribute care responsibilities.
• A Social Reproduction Policy addressing unpaid and care work.
• Municipal care policies in Santa Cruz and El Alto, integrating localized strategies for care services.

Moreover, economic opportunities for women have expanded through targeted support programs implemented by UN Women with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). A total of 130 micro and small women-led enterprises now benefits from increased productivity and income thanks to the provision of machinery and equipment, while six institutions have received 111 essential equipment pieces to strengthen their operations. Through specialized training programs, 4,104 people (3,851 women) have enhanced their skills in business management and technical abilities, facilitating their access to sustainable economic opportunities (SDG 1, SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 10).

Additionally, leveraging a joint approach of the Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW) and Women’s Economic Empowerment programs, 150 women recyclers now work in safe conditions with access to protective equipment, while 264 women have strengthened their skills in gender-based violence prevention, waste management, and occupational health and safety. This initiative, funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), has contributed to greater economic autonomy for women in the recycling sector, improved their access to justice, and promoted safer, more sustainable working environments. (SDG 1, SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 10 and SDG 11).

Furthermore, two autonomous Indigenous communities have advanced gender-responsive public procurement policies, with technical assistance of UN Women provided through the State Autonomies Service. As a result, the Guaraní Indigenous Autonomy of Kereimba Iyambae approved Regulation 64/2024, expanding opportunities for 45 community organizations, with significant participation from women, to access diverse income-generating alternatives. This milestone strengthens the livelihoods and economic resilience of Indigenous women, their families, and communities while aligning with the principles of parity and equity in economic participation (SDG 1, SDG 5, SDG 8, SDG 10, and SDG 16).

Albanian institutions are now systematically monitoring gender-based killings, enhancing accountability and protection mechanisms, and implementing policy and legislative recommendations to address gender-based violence. This progress also enables partners, including civil society organizations and media, to take more informed and effective actions. These achievements have been made possible in cooperation with UN Women, as part of the UN Joint Programme ending violence against women in Albania, financed by the Government of Sweden. 

In March 2024, the Ombudsperson of Albania established the Observatory on Femicide. Femicide, defined as the gender-related killing of women and girls, is a severe violation of human rights and a form of gender-based violence. Despite its severity, femicide is not legally recognized in Albania's Criminal Code. By enhancing accountability and protection mechanisms, the Observatory on Femicide delivers regular, independent evidence on the impact of government policies addressing gender-based violence. It serves as a model for comprehensive data collection and analysis on gender-based violence, fostering coordinated action and knowledge sharing to amplify its impact.

As the first initiative of its kind in the Western Balkans and one of the few in Europe, the Observatory on Femicide systematically tracks and analyzes femicide cases using a global methodology developed by UNDOC and UN Women. The observatory provides crucial insights into judicial procedures, highlights systemic strengths and weaknesses, and offers recommendations to improve the prevention and response to femicide. The establishment of the Observatory on Femicide is the result of several years of collaboration between UN Women and the Ombudsperson, a partnership instrumental in achieving this milestone. The Observatory contributes to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, target 5.2 on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, and SDG 16, including target 16.1, which aims to reduce all forms of violence.

The first Report on the Killing of Women and Femicide in Albania (2021–2023) emphasizes the urgency of recognizing femicide as a distinct criminal offense and presents both quantitative and qualitative findings. It offers actionable recommendations to enhance institutional coordination, strengthen investigative and punitive measures, and improve survivor support services. Key recommendations include legislative reform to include femicide in the Criminal Code and a more cohesive response from responsible institutions to prevent and address gender-based violence.

National-level data reveal that from 2021 to 2023, Albania recorded 24 femicides. Ninety per cent involved victims who had previously experienced violence from perpetrators, underscoring the importance of early intervention.