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Muhammad Yunus — Women at the centre of our economic activity
 Professor Muhammad Yunus established the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh with the objective of helping poor people escape from poverty by providing loans without collateral to support income-generating activities. From Prof. Yunus's personal loan of small amounts of money in the mid-70s to destitute basket-weavers in Bangladesh, the Grameen Bank has advanced to the forefront of a burgeoning world movement toward eradicating poverty through micro-lending. Today it has 8.4 million borrowers of whom 97 per cent are women, and has lent over USD 8.4 billion with a near 100 per cent repayment rate. Prof. Yunus received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, and holds numerous other awards.
Read his op-ed »
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Below some select stories that showcase how the UN system works to lift women out of poverty.
- "I bought a mattress and health insurance" – rural Rwandan farmer, UN Women
- In southern Malawi, reaping the benefits of investing in adolescent girls, UNFPA
- Women's cooperatives changing lives and lands in Upper Egypt, UN Women, UNDP, UNIDO, ILO
- In the words of family farmers:
Ana Maria Gonzalez (Guatemala) | Awa Jagne (The Gambia), IFAD
- Ecuador: Struggling Refugee Family Finds Welcome Breathing Space, WFP
- Community listeners' clubs empower rural women and men, FAO
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Our champions are women and men who have made gender equality and women's empowerment their cause and mission in life. Our newcomer this month:
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Arunachalam Muruganantham – Breaking taboos, pioneering innovation for women’s health
 Arunachalam Muruganantham invented a machine to make low-cost sanitary towels, refusing enormous quantities of money to sell the patent for the machine to any commercial company. He risked everything he had to not only improve women’s health, but also went one step further to promote women’s ability to pull themselves out of poverty. Read more »
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This series of portraits spotlights women and girls who have made it in their respective fields — often in uncharted territories — by overcoming barriers and beating the odds to reach their goals. Our newcomers this month:
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Rafea Um Gomar: A ray of light for many
 Rafea Um Gomar, a brave Bedouin woman from a rural village has not only become the first female solar engineer in Jordan, but she has also set up 80 solar installations along with co-engineer Sahia Um Badr, providing electricity to her village. Today she is an elected leader, a role model and a teacher in her community, training many others how to use sustainable energy. Read more »
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Graça Sanches - A passion for politics and the poor
 One of youngest Members of Parliament in Cabo Verde, Graça Sanches became a parliamentarian at the age of 30. Raised in a humble environment in Praia, the capital city, her priority has also been to make sure that all people, especially the impoverished and marginalized, were given the same rights as other citizens. She is also the President of the Network of Women Parliamentarians. Read more »
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Isha Johansen - Scoring a goal for equality
 A household name in Sierra Leone, Isha Johansen is the first female President of Sierra Leone’s Football Association and currently, the only female Football Association President in the world. From her passion of the game, another of her leading projects, entitled FC Johansen, was born at the end of the country’s decade long civil war in 2002. This project aims to keep young boys in school through instilling in them a passion for football. Read more »
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From local to global
 Teresa Oleszczuk is a women’s rights activist who took part in the Beijing Conference in 1995. She is one of the founders of the La Strada Foundation against Trafficking in Persons and Slavery, an organization that works to combat human trafficking in Poland and in several countries across Europe. Read more »
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Beijing+20 Events Around the World
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Calendar of Events
 This document highlights global, regional and national events taking place from 2014 to 2015 related to the 20-year anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+20). Download schedule of events »
Have a Beijing+20-related event to recommend for the calendar? Email beijing.20@unwomen.org.
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