30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action, women's rights are increasingly "fragile"

The rights of women and girls are facing unprecedented and growing threats around the world.

The UN Women report shows that when women's rights are fully protected in their countries, families, communities and economies thrive. (Source: UN Women)

A new report titled “Reviewing Women’s Rights 30 Years Since Beijing” by UN Women (the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) found that by 2024, nearly a quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash against women’s rights.

Despite significant progress, only 87 countries have ever been led by women, and every 10 minutes a woman or girl is murdered by an intimate partner or family member. Digital technology and artificial intelligence are spreading harmful stereotypes, while the digital gender gap is limiting women’s opportunities. The rights of women and girls face threats such as higher levels of discrimination, weaker legal protections, and less funding for programs and organizations that support and protect women.

Over the past decade, the world has seen a worrying 50% increase in the number of women and girls living in conflict, and women’s rights defenders face harassment, personal attacks and even death on a daily basis. Global crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate emergency, and soaring food and fuel prices “add to the urgency of the response”.

“When women and girls thrive, we all thrive. Yet, globally, women’s human rights are under attack. Instead of mainstreaming equality, we are witnessing a rise in misogyny,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Together, we must stand firm in making human rights, equality and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere.”

With the new “Beijing+30 Agenda for Action,” the report sets out a six-point action plan to tackle gender inequality: a digital revolution for all women and girls, freedom from poverty, eradication of violence against women and girls, full and equal decision-making, peace and security, and climate justice.

“UN Women is committed to ensuring that ALL women and girls, everywhere, can fully enjoy their rights and freedoms,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous. “Women and girls are demanding change -- and they deserve it."

2025 marks 30 years of progress since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most far-reaching roadmap for women’s rights since the 1995 World Conference on Women. Progress has been made, with equal access to girls’ education and a one-third reduction in maternal mortality. Women’s representation in parliaments has doubled and countries have continued to eliminate discriminatory laws, with 1,531 legal reforms between 1995 and 2024 in 189 countries and territories.

However, the world still needs to make significant efforts to achieve gender equality and bring the world closer to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The report “Reviewing Women’s Rights 30 Years Since Beijing” demonstrates that when women’s rights are fully protected in their countries, families, communities and economies thrive.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/30-nam-tu-cuong-linh-hanh-dong-bac-kinh-quyen-cua-phu-nu-ngay-cang-mong-manh-307052.html