Youth and Adolescents from Europe and Central Asia Open the Dialogue on Gender Equality
UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia kicked off the first youth dialogue ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action
Date:
14 May 2024 – Around 40 adolescents and youth from Europe and Central Asia region participated in the first online dialogue ahead of the 30th anniversary in 2025 of the Beijing Declaration of Action and Platform for Action, which was adopted during Fourth World Conference on Women.
UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia organized this dialogue as part of a series of dialogues towards developing coherent and impactful proposals to contribute to the regional review of the Beijing Platform for Action.
In view of this milestone, in 2023, a critical review of state actions and compliance with the Platform's objectives began, which will culminate in a global assessment at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2025.
“Young people’s right to participation is at the core of the Beijing Platform for Action. The regional dialogues serve this specific purpose: to provide youth and adolescents with the space to exert their rights to be engaged and create a world fit for current and future generations,” stated Elisa Fernandez Saenz, Deputy Regional Director for ECARO.
During the dialogues, in line with the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’, youth in the region have the opportunity to relate the various challenges they face and their lived experiences.
“The Beijing Platform for Action is key to the advancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the international community. It is also a key platform to see young people voice their priorities and needs”, stressed Gabriela Alvarezminte, Regional Gender Adviser for UNFPA Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.
There was an initial short informative dialogue session on the content of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the importance of advocating for gender equality in the region and opportunities for youth engagement in the review process. Young people then shared their queries on how to strategically engage at the national, regional and global levels.
Dunja Trifunovic, a 20-year-old youth climate activist from Serbia, emphasized the need for continued capacity building to amplify youth advocacy ahead of the anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. “Being here, I feel that the voices of young people are listened to. It is important for them to access capacity building on this [Beijing Platform for Action] process, and understand what constitutes successful engagement,” said Dunja Trifunovic.
Roman Banari, General Secretary of National Youth Council of Moldova, added, “In Moldova, we engage with young people to promote their vision in a number of national and international processes. Still, we have limited experience engaging within the Beijing Platform for Action, so it is useful for us to learn more about how we can be engaged and influence this process.”
In the coming weeks, youth and adolescents will be invited for additional sessions of online dialogues where they will share their perspective and recommendations on the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Platform for Action. These recommendations will then be disseminated and presented during the Beijing +30 Regional Review Meeting on 21–22 October 2024 in Geneva, co-organized by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and UN Women ECARO.