For All Women and Girls: Prof. Dr. Fatmagül Berktay on Keeping Beijing’s Promise Alive
#ForAllWomenandGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In 2025, the world marks 30 years since the landmark 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Prof. Dr. Fatmagül Berktay of Türkiye– a distinguished political scientist, and feminist scholar– reflects on the declaration’s normative legacy.
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Prof. Dr. Fatmagül Berktay, a renowned feminist scholar, has dedicated her career to advancing gender equality through academia and activism. Photo: UN Women/Ali Saltan
From Beijing 1995: A Voice for Women’s Rights
Prof. Dr. Fatmagül Berktay -a renowned professor at Istanbul University specializing in political thought, gender studies, and democracy- was on the frontlines at Beijing in 1995. “I took part in the Fourth UN World Conference on Women in Beijing as part of Türkiye’s official delegation,” she recalls. At the time, she was advising the State Minister for Women’s Affairs and had already contributed to the preparatory meetings in New York and Sinop. She vividly remembers the intensity of the negotiations, where every word in the final declaration was debated. “It was fascinating to witness how different countries tried to shape the agenda,” she says, noting that the feminist movement’s influence was evident even within official delegations.
The Beijing Declaration’s Normative Impact
The Beijing Declaration was not a legally binding treaty, yet its ideological impact has been profound. It created expectations that governments must be accountable for gender equality commitments. Berktay emphasizes that the real challenge after 1995 was “to bring the ideas expressed in the Declaration and Platform for Action back home, to make them meaningful nationally.” This framework drove progress worldwide, compelling governments to enact policies such as advancing legal equality, education for girls, and protections against gender-based violence.
A pivotal debate in Beijing was the universality of women’s rights, but the final declaration made clear: women’s rights are human rights. She believes that this principle remains one of Beijing’s most lasting contributions.
“It was a defining moment in rejecting cultural relativism as an excuse for inequality.”
- Prof. Dr. Fatmagül Berktay, political scientist and feminist scholar
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30 Years On: Progress, Backlash, and the Road Ahead
Three decades after Beijing, undeniable advances have been made. Millions more girls are in school, legal barriers have been removed, and women are more present in politics. However, Berktay warns of a growing backlash against gender equality. She stresses that progress is never guaranteed, and that continuous advocacy is essential.
After 30 years, Prof. Berktay’s message to younger generations is one of determination and hope. She dreams of “a world where people care for each other and for nature,” but acknowledges that achieving this remains a challenge. “Still, there is no harm in desiring and hoping,” she says. The Beijing Declaration lit a flame for women’s rights that must never be extinguished. She urges young activists to hold governments accountable and to fight for gender equality with renewed energy. For all women and girls, the promise of Beijing must live on.
