Beijing+30: A Critical Moment for Global Women's Rights

A Historic 30th Anniversary

2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action — the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide. Adopted in 1995 by 189 governments at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, this document set a vision for women’s and girls’ rights globally.

Thirty years later, we stand at a crossroads: push forward or let backlash forces reverse hard-won progress.

The Stark Reality: 2025 Data

Poverty Crisis Persists

• 10% of women live in extreme poverty, a number that hasn’t improved since 2020
• 351 million women and girls could still be trapped in extreme poverty by 2030
• If governments act now, women’s extreme poverty could fall from 9.2% in 2025 to just 2.7% by 2050

Political Representation Stagnates

As of January 1, 2025:

• Women hold 27.2% of seats in national parliaments
• Up 4.9 percentage points from 2015
• But only 0.3 points from 2024 — progress has nearly stalled

Violence Epidemic

• One in three women experiences violence in her lifetime
• 35% of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence

The Perfect Storm of Backlash

24% of Countries Report Gender Equality Backlash

In reviewing progress thirty years after Beijing, nearly a quarter of countries report that backlash on gender equality has undermined the implementation of commitments that could unlock equality, rights, and protection for all women and girls.

Rise of Authoritarianism

• Nearly three-quarters of the world’s population lives under autocratic rule
• Democratic decay has curtailed rights and freedoms
• Insecurity, crises, and democratic decay have created a “perfect storm of backlash against women’s rights”

The $342 Trillion Choice

Economic Potential

With the right actions:

• The global economy could see a USD 342 trillion boost by 2050
• Closing care gaps could create 300 million jobs by 2035
• Closing the digital gender divide could save $500 billion over five years

Key Investment Areas

1. Social protection and care services
2. Digital inclusion and technology access
3. Violence prevention and response services
4. Political participation and leadership
5. Climate justice and sustainable development

Voices from the Frontlines

Jaha Dukureh, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for Africa

“The backlash against gender equality often stems from fear—fear of losing power, privilege, and control. As more women, survivors and marginalized groups demand equality and challenge long-standing systems of oppression, those who benefit from the status quo feel threatened.”

Tarana Burke, Founder of #MeToo Movement

“As bad as it looks, as hard as this moment is, we are in it because we’re winning. I feel hopeful when I am watching us continue to push through these moments and be really focused on the goal.”

CSW69: The Critical Review

The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) will meet in New York from March 10-21, 2025, to assess progress, reviewing a series of global, regional, and more than 150 national reports.

Meeting Focus:

• Assessing 30 years of progress and gaps
• Addressing emerging challenges and backlash
• Developing strategies for accelerated action
• Mobilizing political will and resources

Care Work: Society’s Backbone

The Unequal Burden

• Women do at least twice as much unpaid care work as men
• Care is “the backbone of all societies”
• Yet care work remains undervalued and unpaid

Transformative Potential

Investing in the care economy could:

• Create millions of decent jobs
• Reduce gender inequality
• Boost economic growth
• Build more resilient societies

The Digital Divide: A $500 Billion Opportunity

Current Gaps

• Women have less access to and use of technology
• Disparities in digital skills and literacy
• Online violence and harassment

Benefits of Closing the Gap

• $500 billion saved over five years
• Increased economic participation
• Improved education and health outcomes
• Enhanced political and social empowerment

The 2025 Call to Action

Immediate Priorities

1. Protect existing rights from further rollbacks
2. Invest in gender data to understand and address challenges
3. Support feminist movements by funding and amplifying their work
4. Counter backlash by combating misinformation and extremism
5. Build coalitions across movements and sectors

Let History Remember

“Let history remember 2025 as the year the world refused to give up on women’s rights.”

Youth’s Role: Catalysts for Change

Empowering the Next Generation

The 2025 theme particularly emphasizes empowering youth, especially young women and adolescent girls, as catalysts for lasting change.

Youth Priorities

• Access to education and skills
• Sexual and reproductive health and rights
• Freedom from violence
• Political participation
• Climate justice

A Moment for Global Solidarity

Beijing+30 Represents:

• An opportunity to renew commitments
• A moment to assess progress and gaps
• A platform to address new challenges
• A catalyst to build stronger movements

We Cannot Wait Another 30 Years

The world cannot wait for another 30 years to fulfill the promise of gender equality. Today we stand stronger, more united, more diverse, and determined to become the first generation to achieve gender equality.

The Path Forward

From Backlash to Breakthrough

Despite challenges, there are reasons for hope:

• Feminist movements are stronger and more diverse than ever
• Young generations are demanding change
• Technology offers new tools for organizing and advocacy
• Global solidarity is growing

Everyone’s Role

Achieving the Beijing vision requires everyone:

• Governments: Implement and fund gender equality policies
• Businesses: Ensure workplace equality and inclusion
• Civil society: Continue advocacy and accountability
• Individuals: Challenge gender norms in daily life

Conclusion: Choosing Our Future

Beijing+30 isn’t just an anniversary — it’s a defining moment for humanity. The choice we face is clear:

Do we succumb to backlash and let women’s rights regress by decades? Or do we seize this moment to finally deliver on the promises made 30 years ago?

The $342 trillion economic potential is just the beginning. The real prize is a world where all women and girls can reach their full potential, free from violence, discrimination, and poverty.

2025 must be the year we choose to move forward — for ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.

History is watching. The choice is ours.