March 11, 2025
In a powerful and unified call for gender justice, the United Nations’ 193 member states have pledged to fast-track efforts toward achieving gender equality worldwide. This historic commitment comes as the global community marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action — a blueprint for advancing women’s rights adopted in 1995.
Despite progress made over the past three decades, the UN acknowledged that no country has fully realized gender equality, with millions of women and girls still facing systemic discrimination, violence, and lack of opportunity. The renewed declaration emphasizes the need for men and boys to act as strategic partners in dismantling patriarchal norms and promoting gender justice.
Among the key actions proposed are increasing women’s access to financial resources and credit, reducing the burden of unpaid domestic work, closing the gender digital divide, and ensuring equal access to quality education. Governments have also been called on to strengthen policies aimed at preventing violence against women and girls, one of the most persistent issues hindering true equality.
“We cannot afford to wait another generation for gender parity,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his address. “We need urgent, transformative action from governments, businesses, and communities to empower women and girls everywhere.”
The declaration also recognized the disproportionate impact of global crises — from armed conflicts to climate change — on women and underlined the importance of including women’s voices in peacebuilding, policymaking, and economic recovery efforts.
As the world reflects on 30 years of progress and setbacks, this renewed commitment offers hope for a future where every woman and girl can live with dignity, safety, and opportunity.
For more updates on women’s empowerment and global initiatives, stay tuned to She Lit