In Focus: Beijing+30 in Europe and Central Asia

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In 2025, the global community will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). The Beijing Declaration serves as a global policy framework and blueprint for achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls worldwide.

Adopted in 1994 by 189 countries, the Beijing Declaration calls upon governments, the international community, and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to take strategic action.

As a pivotal framework for transformative change, the Platform outlines comprehensive commitments for women across 12 critical areas of concern, namely, poverty, education and training, health, violence, armed conflict, economics, power and decision-making, institutional arrangements, human rights, media, environment, and the girl child.

With the 30^th anniversary of Beijing in sight, the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) gears up for new initiatives and opportunities to reengage, reaffirm commitments, bolster political will, mobilize the public, and take stock of progress made. Additionally, it seeks to identify actions needed to overcome barriers to gender equality and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Check this space for news and updates and join the conversation using the hashtag #Beijing30!

United to Advance the 2030 Agenda: Central Asia Countries Pledge to Act for Gender Equality in the Region

Civil society from the UNECE region make their voices heard and call for new gender equality commitments

Side events amplify calls for gender equality at Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting

Press release: Member States renew their political commitment to gender equality at the Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting

Together for equality: UN Women revives the spirit of Beijing by uniting civil society under the theme 'We are Many and One'

Institutional mechanisms from the region place gender equality at the heart of their work

Final Beijing+30 dialogue: Youth from Europe and Central Asia advocate for co-creating an equal future

Civil society organizations from Europe and Central Asia lead the way in shaping the Beijing+30 review process

Youth across the region call for intergenerational dialogue to break down gender stereotypes

Region’s civil society organizations join forces to build peaceful societies free from violence, stigma, and stereotypes

Civil society from Europe and Central Asia mobilizes to advance progress on gender equality ahead of Beijing+30 anniversary

Youth and Adolescents from Europe and Central Asia Open the Dialogue on Gender Equality

Speak youth to power: UN Women Europe and Central Asia launches a blog for youth to speak out for gender equality and women’s rights in commemoration of the Beijing Declaration's 30th anniversary

 

 

2025 marks a once-in-a-generation milestone for women’s rights and gender equality: 30 years since the world committed to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most groundbreaking global agenda for gender equality. In this historic context, leaders from around the world, including those from the Europe and Central Asia region, gathered at the United Nations to celebrate the Beijing Declaration -and to move beyond words.

12 governments - Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan – have mobilized 20 national actions in support of the Beijing+30 Action Agenda, a voluntary, action-oriented platform to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda.

In this spirit, UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia launches the communications campaign “Unstoppable,” which features 13 inspiring stories of 13 unstoppable women from these countries. These are women who, through their actions and relentless energy, are turning the Beijing+30 Action Agenda - with its six priority areas: digital revolution, freedom from poverty, zero violence, full and equal decision-making power, peace and security, and climate justice – into reality.

Read their stories. Get inspired. Be unstoppable. For ALL women and girls.  

Gentiana Susaj, Lawyer and accomplished Aikido black belt

Ajna Jusić, Human rights activist and psychologist

Baia Pataraia, Human rights defender and lawyer

Aigerim Kussainkyzy, Senior lecturer and researcher, Maqsut Narikbayev University, Astana

Shpresa Agushi, Executive director of the Network of Roma, Ashkali, and NRAEWOK

Dana Orozkulova Abdulkhamitovna, A teacher, a local council deputy and an advocate for women’s rights

Diana Guțu Zamfir, Teacher and entrepreneur

Benazi Shemovska, Teacher and advocate for women’s rights

Jelena Ružić, Women’s rights advocate and founder of the Women’s Association of Kolubara District (ŽUKO)

Tahmina Khaidarova, Leads the Tajikistan Network of Women Living with HIV (TNW Plus)

Gülfer Kırbaş, Women’s rights activist

Yuliia Zavalniuk, Entrepreneur - empowering women in Ukraine

Saodat Shermatova, One of Uzbekistan’s first female bus drivers

In the words of Aina Calvo Sastre: If we continue on this path, it will take around 100 years to achieve gender equality

Speech: Let us continue to hold hands with women and their communities because community resilience is critical to building our economies and our future

Interview: Our communities, our democracy and the resilience of our planet cannot thrive without equality

Take Five: Digitalization is no longer an option; it is a necessity for building an inclusive and sustainable future

Interview: Trade unions have a long history of advocating for gender equality and economic justice for women

Interview: Development funding should prioritize initiatives at the intersection of gender equality and digital transformation

Interview: Women’s economic empowerment requires a systemic approach that ensures their representation in decision-making

Take Five: Rural women must be viewed as key agents of change and leaders in agriculture

In the words of: We need to ensure that the fiscal space we create is used effectively to address gender inequality and improve the well-being of women

In the words of Nicole Ameline: The time for 50/50 gender parity is now

In the words of Leyla Hasanova: I call on all young women changemakers to unite their efforts to accelerate gender equality

Take Five: Gender-based violence survivors can guide the transformation of our health systems and shape policies that truly support them

In the words of Guncha Annageldiyeva: “We must strive to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or gender, has the opportunity to contribute to peace discussions”

In the words of Branislava Arađan: “Online harassment can hinder young women’s participation in public discussions and activism”

Take five: “Participatory policy-making and meaningful youth involvement are vital in our rapidly changing world”

Türkiye

What happens online doesn’t stay online – it spills into real life and threatens women’s safety and wellbeing

Türkiye

Gender equality and women’s rights cannot be separated from women’s access to healthcare

North Macedonia

Missed opportunities, dreams put on hold, and lost dignity: The hidden cost of menstrual poverty

Türkiye

Every time we stand up for women’s independence and their right to make their own choices, we move closer to a fairer world

Serbia

Gender equality begins when every woman feels safe

North Macedonia

Let's close the gender gap by empowering women to thrive in any profession

Tajikistan

Changing our collective mindset is a gradual process

Türkiye

I love playing football and want to do it without facing discrimination

Ukraine

Appealing education and awareness campaigns are essential to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination

Türkiye

Legal, social, economic, and political changes are crucial for a more just world

Kazakhstan

Without safety at home and work, women do not have the same personal and professional opportunities as men

Kazakhstan

How can men respect women as equals when they are taught that being “like a woman” is the worst thing?

Serbia

By understanding the power of language, we can build a Serbia where gender equality becomes the cornerstone of our identity

North Macedonia

How has violence against women become routine, recurring news in our country?

High-level meeting “Five years to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Central Asia perspectives on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5”

Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting “Reviewing 30 years of Beijing Commitments to Accelerate Gender Equality in the UNECE Region”

International Conference “Charting the Future 30 Years after Beijing: Effective Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment”

Third Youth and Adolescent Dialogues ahead of the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Third Civil Society Online Consultation ahead of the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Call for Side Event Proposals: Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting

Youth and adolescent dialogues ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Civil society consultation ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

The Beijing+30 National-level Review and Questionnaire Virtual Workshop

Socializing the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action

Following a call for applications, UN Women ECARO established the Beijing+30 Civil Society Steering Committee in April 2024, comprising 12 civil society organizations with different profiles and mandates from the region are part of this committee.

The Committee aims to ensure effective engagement of regional and national women’s rights organizations and civil society groups in the regional review process for the 2025 global review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It will also offer input into the review process, organize forums, contribute to negotiation processes, and facilitate the involvement of civil society organizations to drive meaningful change. Check out the list of the organizations right here.

Meet Beijing+30 Steering Committee Members.

If you have any questions, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions here.

• Beijing+30 Action Agenda: For ALL women and girls
• UN Women CSW69/Beijing+30 Preparations Web Page
• Guidance Note for Comprehensive National-Level Reviews
• Regional assessment of implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in Europe and Central Asia
• Beijing+25: Current context, emerging issues and prospects for gender equality and women’s rights
• Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting, Key messages from sessions
• Regional Review of Progress: Regional Synthesis for Beijing+25
• Regional Synthesis Report “Key trends on gender equality across the Economic Commission for Europe region”
• Parliamentary document "Investing in women's economic empowerment: The path to inclusive, peaceful, prosperous and sustainable societies in the Economic Commission for Europe region"
• Parliamentary document “Women in leadership and their full and equal participation in decision-making in the Economic Commission for Europe region”
• Parliamentary document “Breaking the Cycle: Ending Violence against Women and Girls in the Economic Commission for Europe Region"
• Parliamentary document “Leveraging financing flows for gender equality and women’s empowerment in the Economic Commission for Europe region”
• Parliamentary document “Gender dimensions of just transitions in the Economic Commission for Europe region”
• Parliamentary document “Status of rural women in the Economic Commission for Europe region: Action needed”
• Parliamentary document “Empowerment and Equality for Migrant Women and Girls: Progress and Opportunities in the Economic Commission for Europe Region”