Gender equality, women’s empowerment, and advancement of all women in the world — such powerful and important concepts of today. But do you know whom we should thank for the opportunity to celebrate the recent promotion of women’s rights? It is due to the Beijing Declaration on gender equality.
The term Beijing Declaration stands for the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action that was adopted by the United Nation’s Fourth World Conference on Women, which took place in Beijing in September 1995. Members of 189 countries unified in the decision to protect the human rights of women and girls to ensure gender equality. The Beijing Declaration is perceived as the most comprehensive global policy framework for women’s rights. It covers 12 areas where urgent changes are needed to achieve equality for women. These critical areas include:
- women and poverty
- education and training of women
- women and health
- violence against women
- women and armed conflict
- women and the economy
- women in power and decision-making
- institutional mechanisms
- human rights of women
- women and the media
- women and the environment
- the girl child’s rights
For each area, there are specific measures and expected outcomes, the latter being reviewed and published every five years.
In 2020, the Beijing Declaration reaches its 25th anniversary. While in 25-years run many developments successfully found place in society, several challenges are still there to tackle. Among others, women still face some inequalities in the labour market, public infrastructure, and healthcare. Moreover, women continue to suffer from gender-based violence and stereotypes in various aspects of life. Needless to say, all these issues still need to be addressed.
The International Women’s Day 2020 is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. This year, the Committee on Women’s Rights of the European Parliament focuses on issues of women in the economy, women’s entrepreneurship, gender pay and pension gaps, and women’s role in the climate change fight
Sources:
The term “Beijing Declaration”. IATE. https://iate.europa.eu/search/standard/result/1583307356744/1. Accessed March 3, 2020.
International Women’s Day 2020: 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. European Parliament. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20200213STO72577/international-women-s-day-2020-25th-anniversary-of-the-beijing-declaration. Published 2020. Accessed March 3, 2020.
12 critical areas. UN Women. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/csw59/feature-stories. Accessed March 3, 2020.
Beijing +25 The 5th Review of the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action in the EU Member States. Council of the European Union. https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-14254-2019-ADD-2/en/pdf. Published 4 October, 2019. Accessed March 3, 2020.
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. UN Women. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/pdf/BDPfA%20E.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2020.
Beijing Platform for Action – 25 years on. European Parliament. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/646163/EPRS_BRI(2020)646163_EN.pdf. Published 2020. Accessed March 3, 2020.
Written by Iryna Verba.
Terminology Study Visitor at the Terminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament (Luxembourg). She comes from Ukraine and currently studies in the Master program Learning and Communication in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts at the University of Luxembourg.