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Some stories were never meant for children. Malak’s is one of them.

Share the first of our ‘Unfairy Tales’ to fight stigma about refugees. They all deserve an ‪#‎actofhumanity‬: http://uni.cf/actofhumanity 

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Safe cities, decent work and sustainable consumption are just 3 of the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development that were adopted by the United Nations in 2015. They aim at creating a peaceful, inclusive, sustainable life for everyone everywhere by 2030.

See the full list of commitments here: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

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A young woman picks cashew fruits on a farm in rural La Côte d'Ivoire.

Photo and Words by Nana Kofi Acquah (www.nkaphoto.com) @africashowboy (Copyright: 2016).

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A Tribe Called Red. (also: can you believe that hoop dancer?  whaaaat?)

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Join our Write for Rights webinar today at 9PM EST to learn how YOU can help change a life.

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Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.

Consumers and businesses can now make a New Year’s Resolution to protect their purchases from modern slavery.

READ this blog by Susan Galer, Communications Director at SAP, where she reflects on the power of our partnership and the marketplace to help ‪end slavery.

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Help get the ocean on the agenda at COP21

Ocean life is directly affected by rising temperatures and changing chemistry – yet these impacts are not being considered by world leaders at the climate talks in Paris. Join Julie Packard and Sylvia Earle, and help get the ocean on the agenda at ‪#‎COP21‬ by signing the ‪#‎OceanForClimate‬ petition.

Sign the petition here

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A 40-year-old man proposed to Salamatou when she was just 14. Every year, tens of thousands of girls are married before reaching their 18th birthday. 

They are some of the most vulnerable girls on earth. They are denied their rights, they are at risk of abuse, their health is jeopardized, and their future prospects are limited. 

From 25 November to 10 December, the world observes 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. 

In Niger, which has one of the highest child marriage rates in the world, 16 extraordinary girls refused to become child brides. Read their stories here: http://www.unfpa.org/16-girls-16-stories-resistance

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Thanks to all who came out to support us as we mourn the deaths of our colleagues and patients killed in the U.S. attack on our hospital one month ago in Kunduz. “Our call for an #independentinvestigation is about being able to care for people trapped amidst wars in Afghanistan, Yemen, Ukraine, Syria, and beyond. As we grieve, we continue to fight back for the respect of the Geneva Conventions. We are fighting back for the sake of our patients”. https://www.change.org/p/tell-president-obama-to-consent-to-independent-investigation-of-kunduz-hospital-bombing

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The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has made an urgent call for an end to child statelessness.

A stateless child is born somewhere in the world at least every 10 minutes. In countries hosting the 20 largest stateless populations, at least 70,000 stateless children are born each year.

UNHCR says children and youth have a sense of identification with the countries in which they were born and have lived all their lives. In almost all cases the best solution to statelessness is to turn a child’s existing links with his or her country of birth and upbringing into the legal bond of nationality. It is vital that this is achieved as early as possible so that no child grows up with the indignities and harm caused by statelessness.

Read the stories of 3 stateless children and lend your support to the campaign to end child statelessness here: ‬http://www.unhcr.org/ibelong/

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“My cat died about a week before Brook did. Her name was Naja. She used to always nuzzle in between Brook and I, so we would laugh about how she was jealous and trying to come between us. Whenever we’d see a stray cat on the street, Brook would say that Naja had sent a spy to keep an eye on us. I didn’t see a stray cat for a whole week after Naja died. When I finally saw one, I took this photo and sent it to Brook. He texted back that Naja had sent the cat to keep an eye on me. I got a call that night at 1:07 AM. Brook had a heart attack. He passed away before I got to the hospital. I like to imagine Brook and Naja nuzzling together in heaven. It’s one of the things that’s helped me get through these last few months.” (2/2)

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Stigma Feels Like

“The time I decided it would be easier to fight this alone than tell anyone and risk having them think I’m ‘crazy.’

Feeling ‘crazy.’

Not wanting to have kids in case you pass this onto them.

A hand closed around your throat so you can’t speak.

Embarrassment swimming deep in your belly.

Guilt between your teeth.

Questioning your own strength.

Questioning your own mind.”

- Fortesa Latifi, “What Stigma Sounds Like” 

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Hadia, 8, stands by her house in Pakistan that was destroyed by last week’s earthquake. She is often sent back inside to gather supplies. UNICEF Pakistan and UNICEF Afghanistan are working with their governments to deliver life-saving supplies to the most vulnerable children and families. © UNICEF/MCDA2015-00003/Georgiev

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‘It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done’: the Irish women forced to travel for abortions

The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have incredibly strict abortion laws, and it’s taking a toll on Irish women. Those who seek an abortion are forced to travel to the UK or elsewhere – often at significant financial burden. And then there’s the massive social stigma that can come from friends and family for wanting to terminate a pregnancy. 

“It was the scariest thing I have ever done,” said one woman. 

Read these women’s stories at theguardian.com and learn more about abortion rights in Ireland.