APO International

“I used to be a kindergarten teacher and loved it, but then I felt I was ready to play with older children,” says Colonel Maysaros Chea from Cambodia, cheeky smile on her face. She would have barely left kindergarten herself, as a little girl, when a UN peacekeeping operation on her home soil shepherded Cambodia to free elections, held in 1993. Little did she know then, or even 17 years […]

On Wednesday 6th March 2024, Ambassador Georges Tirant chaired the first meeting of the Seychelles’ Honorary Consuls falling under the jurisdiction of the Seychelles Embassy in Paris. The meeting which was held in Barcelona, Spain, brought together eight Honorary Consuls from various countries across Europe mainly from Spain (Sevilla, Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona), Italy (Rome), France (Lyon), Czechia, and Russia. This meeting was hosted by the Dean of the Honorary Consuls, Mr […]

To coincide with the International Women’s Day, the President of the Republic, Mr Wavel Ramkalawan has recently appointed four women professionals in prominent positions in the administration of the country.  These are: The re-appointment of the Governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles, Ms Caroline Abel, the new Principal Secretary for Finance, Ms Astride Tamatave, the new Commissioner General of the Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) Mrs Varsha Singh, and also the appointment of the Chief […]

On International Women's Day 2024, we stand at a critical juncture in the journey toward gender equality in Kenya. The strides made in women's economic empowerment are commendable, yet the persistent gender pay gap and the burden of unpaid work underscore the need for relentless focus and action. As we celebrate the achievements, we must confront the realities and recommit to driving change for women and girls nationwide. The latest […]

On this International Women's Day 2024, UN Women Sudan emphasizes the critical importance of investing in women to accelerate peace processes and enhance humanitarian responses, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Under the theme "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress," UN Women Sudan acknowledges the resilience of Sudanese women who, despite facing significant challenges, continue to advocate for peace and equality. Conflict exaggerates existing gender disparities, leaving […]

In Kenya and Zimbabwe, authorities and civil society groups are using a wide array of tactics to prevent gender-based violence. As part of UN Women’s Generation Equality Forum Action Coalition on Gender-based Violence, the Government of Kenya and the civil society organization Yes Trust Zimbabwe have each forged their own paths in reducing violence against women and girls.  Yes Trust Zimbabwe In Zimbabwe, Yes Trust has trained more than 50 […]

The greenhouses of the Kambuku Cooperatives stand proudly among newly planted maize fields about 23 kilometres from Malawi’s capital city of Lilongwe. The facilities stand out not just because they represent an innovative farm practice for the region, but also because they aim to address both climate change and gender-based inequalities faced by women farmers. Women constitute 70 per cent of full-time farmers in Malawi, and produce more than 80 […]

Launched in 2017, the Accelerating Women-Owned Micro Enterprises programme in Southern Africa has equipped more than 2,400 women who own micro-enterprises in Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia with the skills they needed to improve their businesses.  The programme—recently renamed EntreprenHER at the official launch of Phase III on 2 February 2024 in Botswana—engaged trainers in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa to lead workshops on small business management, particularly targeted at […]

“I lead a team of six amazing women, with specialties from pharmaceutical supply chains to software engineering and digital marketing – our journey so far in empowering young women to take charge of their health has been nothing short of amazing,” said 26-year-old Chioma Uzoma from Nigeria. Ms. Uzoma is among14 winners of the female-led 4HerPower Challenge, an initiative between UNFPA – the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency – MIT Solve and Organon, […]