Commemorating Beijing+30: progress and milestones in gender equality
By Womankind Worldwide
30 years ago, policy makers, governments, human rights activists, women human rights defenders and gender equality enthusiasts adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDfA) paving the way towards achieving gender equality.
Hailed as one of the most promising instruments advancing women’s rights globally, BDfA (adopted by 189 countries) established commitments towards transforming education, health, violence against women, women and the economy, and political participation.
Marking its 30-year anniversary in 2025, this year’s sixty ninth session of the Commission of Status of Women (CSW69) from 10-21 March 2025 in New York, will appraise and review BDfA, outlining some of its major achievements, milestones and challenges as the world gears up for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Womankind Worldwide together with partners will be co-hosting side events focused on Beijing+30 and its vitality towards the feminist movements. From women’s participation in leadership to women’s economic empowerment to ending violence against women and girls, we will reflect on the persistent gender backlash and explore ways in which we will continue to build momentum.
We invite those attending CSW69 to join us in these sessions being co-hosted with partners and allies. Together, let us hold mutual accountability centering the voices of diverse women and girls to tackle some of the most pressing issues preventing the advancement of women’s rights globally.
‘‘As we celebrate 30-year’s post Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDfA), we are at a pivotal moment in the journey, where we must refresh and renew our commitment and efforts towards gender equality. While we pause to celebrate the progress and achievements made, we must acknowledge that the path ahead demands renewed commitment, unwavering solidarity, care for self and each other and bold actions towards a world where every woman and girl can fully enjoy their rights and potential.’’ Diana Njuguna, Disha Sughand, Co-CEOs, Womankind Worldwide.
Session 1: Feminist movements and the Beijing Vision, 30 years later!
Date: 19 March 2025, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm, CCUN 2nd Floor
Hosts: Womankind Worldwide, Polycom Girls, FEMNET
About event
In this event Womankind Worldwide will be launching the BDPfA+30 Review Report which unpacks the progress made 30 years since the adoption of the BDPfA; what has been achieved so far and how women’s rights and feminist organisations can hold their governments accountable to the promises made for gender equality.
Session 2: Why feminists should lead: A call to accelerate the promise of Beijing+30
Date: 18 March 2025, 12:30pm-2pm, CCUN 8th Floor
Hosts: AWESOME Programme and Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)
About event
This event will feature a high-level roundtable discussion highlighting learnings from the AWESOME programme focused on the status of women’s participation in leadership across three countries: Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. A policy brief on ending violence against women in politics will also be launched during the event.
Session 3: Women’s Advocacy for Voice and Empowerment
Date: 18 March 2025, 2:30pm-4:40pm, CCUN 8th Floor
Hosts: The Women’s Advocacy for Voice and Empowerment (WAVE) consortium
About event
This event will feature a 30-minute screening of a documentary showcasing the experiences of local organisations in grassroots movement building. It will highlight inclusivity, amplify marginalised voices, and strengthened advocacy through intergenerational leadership, well-being in activism, and intersectional advocacy in a homophobic, patriarchal, and repressive Uganda. There will also be a 40-minute plenary session on navigating programming with limited funding.
ENDS: Womankind takes collective action alongside women’s rights organisations, feminist movements and activists in Eastern and Southern Africa and South Asia. We support diverse women’s rights organisations, representing the most marginalised groups – including LBTQI+, women with disabilities, young women, Indigenous women and women in the criminal justice system – to challenge inequality, at home, in communities and the workplace. We fund and strengthen these movements and advocate for change alongside them.
