Gender equality is a fundamental condition for the full enjoyment of human rights by women and men, and promoting gender equality worldwide is one of UNESCO’s global priorities.

International instruments now exist to promote and defend women’s rights, but gender inequalities are persistent in a wide range of areas. Violence against women, gendered poverty, women’s exclusion from decision-making in political and economic life, these are just examples of issues which must be resolved if gender equality is to be achieved. Overcoming these inequalities requires profound transformations in social structures and relations between men and women.

The Social and Human Sciences Programme contributes towards UNESCO’s priority on gender equality by promoting policy-oriented research, capacity-building, training and advocacy for gender equality and women’s rights worldwide.