It's summer and in the sweltering heat of Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, we sought refuge in a tranquil, shaded area. I was about to take an interview. A conversation with a young community member. The interview quickly turned into a heart-to-heart. Nineteen-year-old, Debbie Chinochema, looked me in the eye, smiled intermittently, before sharing her journey. It was a story of surviving stigma to becoming a community champion, and then evolving into a strong voice for adolescents living with HIV.

UN Volunteers Hawzhin Hussein, Noor Alhasany, Hajer Al-Sallami, and Ramia Al-Hakeem promote women's empowerment for a more inclusive and equitable society in Iraq.

Throughout the country, including in the Kurdistan region, they coordinate projects and manage initiatives aimed at empowering women across various sectors. Projects include education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political participation for women.

Hawzhin, Noor, Hajer and Ramia emphasize that society cannot progress till dedicated investments are made in women-centric initiatives. 

Through concerted efforts in Central Asia, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) aims to expand the opportunities for women and girls, promote positive social norms by engaging men and establish comprehensive systems and mechanisms for women and adolescents.

Héloïse Versavel, UN Volunteer Gender-Based Violence Specialist supports UNFPA in Kazakhstan. She has a background in Human Rights Law.