Women's rights Videos - ViewChange.org

In Egypt, traditional gender roles mean many women grow up without access to education. But change is coming. Small schools, established with the help of UNICEF, are opening their doors to both sexes, and young girls like Yusriya are grasping the opportunity to learn with both hands.

Mauritania: A Question of Rape

In the Islamic state of Mauritania, women who have been raped often end up in prison. About 60 percent of women who come forward with allegations of sexual violence are accused of Zina, or a crime against morality. It is therefore unsurprising that most choose to remain silent. Fatima M'Baye, the first female lawyer in Mauritania, is part of the movement to blunt the harsher aspects of Sharia, and also help women overturn their convictions.

On the Ground with Nicholas D. Kristof: What Are You Carrying?

In eastern Congo, New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof learns first hand how difficult a woman's burden can be.

Vital Voices: Kakenya

Kakenya Ntaiya had a dream: to become a teacher. On the way to achieving it, she has had to overcome obstacles and make tough compromises. But, after becoming the first girl from her Maasai village to attend college, she has opened a path for other young girls achieve their dreams.

Parteras

Midwives in Chiapas, Mexico's poorest state, represent the front line in a nationwide battle to improve the lives of women. They are helping to reduce domestic violence and improve education, while also working hard to maintain a maternal mortality rate of close to zero.

India: The Gulabi Gang

Sampat Pal is a campaigner with a mission: to ensure that those born into the lowest caste have an education, avoid child marriages, and earn a decent wage. But, while Mahatma Gandhi famously preached non-violence, Pal believes that India's long history of patriarchy, abuse, and corruption demands a new style of justice.

Where the Water Meets the Sky

Written by Jordan Roberts (March of the Penguins) and narrated by Academy Award®-winner Morgan Freeman, Where the Water Meets the Sky tells the inspiring story of a group of women in a remote region of Northern Zambia who achieve the unimaginable: they learn how to make a film as a way to speak out about their lives, raising an issue that no one will discuss - the plight of young women orphaned by AIDS.

Why Women Count: Nigeria - Love of Indigo

Nike Okundaye is an internationally renowned artist specializing in Adire, the traditional Yoruba indigo art from western Nigeria. She has used her craft to overcome a difficult past, and now trains disenfranchised young Nigerian women, including former sex workers in Italy.

TICAD: Towards a Vibrant Africa

The Tokyo International Conference on African Development is more than just a conference. It has become a major global framework for Asia, Africa, and the UNDP to collaborate in promoting Africa's development. Here are five projects working to improve people's everyday lives throughout the continent. Produced by UNDP.

ViewChange: The Mothers Index

Being a new mom is rewarding and challenging. But what extra burdens do mothers in poor and rural communities face? Take a tour of the world's best and worst places to be a mom, in this report from Save the Children and ViewChange.org.

explore: Rural Women

Women in rural China have one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Wu Qing at the Development Center for Rural Women believes that empowering women with the idea of equality, giving them out-of-home work skills, and instilling them with a sense of social responsibility will increase their feeling of self-worth and improve their quality of life. To plant the desire for knowledge, the center also started a grassroots literacy program.

explore: A Place to Run To

In the town of Iqaluit in the far north of Canada, domestic violence is a serious problem. But Arctic women are supporting each other at Qimaavik, a safe haven for abused women and children. Through peer support and counseling, they are rebuilding their self-esteem and healing wounded spirits.

Water Pressures

Average rainfall in the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan, India, can be as little as two inches a year. Having access to water in the area determines the difference between getting an education and living a life that revolves around spending the majority of the day walking to get water. A local NGO has teamed up with villagers to build wells and provide the local population with clean, safe drinking water. This has given many young people the freedom to learn and grow.

Half the Sky - A Talk with Nick Kristof

New York Times reporter Nick Kristof has been covering gender and poverty issues for decades. His new documentary is called Half the Sky - Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, inspired by his widely acclaimed book of the same name. Speaking at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco, Nick talks about the value of investing in women across the globe.

Women Empowered: Learning to Lead

Filmmaker Phil Borges travels to India to learn about an innovative education program called Udaan. It targets girls who missed out on education earlier in their lives. They not only master skills, but also find their voices and prepare to become leaders in their communities and nation.

Status of Women in East Timor

Australia's aid program in East Timor has a strong gender focus. One example of this is in the justice sector, where AusAID is supporting civil society organizations that address violence against women and improve access to information and services.