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STORIES OF CHANGE

South Sudan:
Climate Impact

Credit: WfWI

*This story contains sensitive content and distressing themes of rape and sexual assault. The content may be triggering for individuals who have experienced or are sensitive to violence, abuse or related topics.

How Women are Weathering Climate Impact and Increased Violence

In Mugwo Payam, Yei River County, this year’s heavy rainfall has washed away crops and spurred the growth of tall grasses on Winny's family farm, creating an extra hazard. As she prepares for the day ahead, Winny knows she must be cautious.

"The tall grass hides men who rob and rape women along the roads,” she explains.

Deforestation and drought force women and girls to travel long distances for vital resources, exposing them to heightened risks of robbery, rape, and intimate partner violence. This environment has also disrupted girls’ education, as they are often pulled from school to help their mothers look for foods and water, says Winny.


Empowering Women Through Training 
Winny is one of the first 247 women participating in the Stronger Women, Stronger Nation (SWSN) programme led by Women for Women International (WfWI), in partnership with Women for Change and the South Sudan Law Society, to address violence against women and girls in the volatile context of South Sudan.

Funded by the UNTF during the first year, the initiative has already engaged nearly 500 members, including displaced persons, in community-led activities to help women adapt to climate impacts and protect their rights.
Adapting Training to Climate Challenges 

Recognising floods and poor infrastructure make it hard for women to attend centralised programs, the initiative brings training directly into communities. In response to these challenges, WfWI has taken training and services directly to the communities; provided weather-resistant equipment for staff and trainers; planted trees near training centres for easier access to firewood; and promoted beneficial agricultural practices such as organic manure, crop rotation, and kitchen gardening.
 
The initiative addresses the intersecting crises of poverty, climate change, and gender-based violence. It strengthens women’s economic independence, advances social norms around rights and protection, and builds resilience amid instability. Despite immense challenges, programmes like SWSN are helping women in South Sudan reclaim their safety and autonomy.
So far, SWSN has empowered participants through:  

  • Informational training: critical modules that include the value of women’s work, health education, rights and decision making, financial literacy which encompasses benefits of saving, and group formation, including how to from and run a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA).
      
  • Skill-building: numeracy, business skills, and a chosen vocational skill. Vocational training has focused on agriculture and bakery as the most economically viable vocations for women in Mugwo.

  • Resource provision: includes monthly cash stipends, resources to pursue chosen vocations, referrals to health and legal services, and access to savings groups.

  • Connections to networks: shared support through local women’s networks, global supporters, and fostering connections with other women, including former graduates from the programme.
Women harvesting tomatoes. Credit: WfWI

Supporting vulnerable women in war-torn Ukraine

In a landscape where gender-based violence looms large and support services are scarce, especially for the most vulnerable communities, the need for action has never been more urgent.

Discover how Club Eney, with support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, remains a beacon of hope, offering shelter, medication, and vital support to marginalised women and girls in war-torn Ukraine.

Cambodia: Digital Resilience

Members of the youth group Breakthrough (from left) Ung Rong Phaltevy, Sinoun Poev and Bodalin Heng, shown in Phnom Penh on 2 July 2025, are among activists of women-led Cambodian civil society groups facing increasing online risks. UN Women recently organized a workshop to bolster the cybersecurity skills of these groups. Photo: UN Women/Lim Sophorn

In Southeast Asia, women-led civil society organisations (CSOs) face significant challenges from technology-facilitated violence as they carry out their advocacy work. A 2024 study found that 73% of these CSOs experienced online harassment, 71% faced trolling, and 61% were victims of doxing. These attacks often silence women’s voices and limit their participation in digital spaces.

For women-led CSOs in Cambodia, this is especially urgent as they continue to face disproportionate levels of online threats.

To deal with this problem, UN Women, with support from the Australian Government’s Cyber and Critical Tech Cooperation Program, brought together 28 representatives from 12 CSOs in Cambodia to join the workshop on Empowering Women CSOs in Cambodia Through Cybersecurity Capacity Building.  
These organisations are building their cybersecurity skills to protect themselves from digital abuse. Through training sessions and e-learning tools, women activists are learning how to safeguard their online presence, ensuring they can continue their work advocating for gender equality and human rights without fear.

Pho Sophea of Rainbow Community Kampuchea said,
"We learned practical things like how to create strong passwords and back up important documents — essential not just for ourselves but for our organizations."

Cambodia’s rapid digital transformation has outpaced digital literacy. Only 30 per cent of the population possess foundational digital skills.

This gap creates fertile ground for cyberattacks like identity theft, impersonation, data breaches and ransomware.

By strengthening their digital resilience, these women-led groups are reclaiming control over their online spaces and creating safer environments for future generations of women activists in Cambodia. Your support these 16 Days of Activism will ensure vital programs like this receive continued funding through the UN Trust Fund.

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