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

The Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting, held in Geneva on 21-22 October 2024, marked a significant moment to evaluate progress on women’s rights and gender equality over the past five years in the UNECE region. Co-hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, the meeting featured a programme of 18 side events – five in-person and 13 online – that enriched the main discussions and focused on concrete solutions to accelerate gender equality.

The in-person side events covered themes such as women’s roles in post-conflict recovery, their leadership in justice systems, workplace rights amid technological changes, and strategies for countering gender backlash.

The side event “Women’s Leadership: Shaping Justice Systems” celebrated the contributions of women as judges, policymakers, lawyers, and leaders. Organized by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in cooperation with the Governments of Portugal, Spain, United States, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with the GQUAL Campaign, Generation Equality Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the event focused on women’s equal participation in decision-making and justice as a human right and key to good governance.

“The discussions emphasized promising approaches to enhance women’s leadership in the justice sector, stressing the need to address the complex barriers women face and to build partnerships across different sectors to advance progress,” stated Mark Cassayre, Permanent Observer of IDLO to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva. “It also called for strong accountability systems to fast-track the implementation of commitments outlined in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action,” noted Mark Cassayre.

The online side events expanded discussions into diverse areas such as women’s economic empowerment, gender-responsive budgeting, and violence against women and girls, including cross-cutting themes like education, agriculture, health, youth engagement, digital technology, and climate action.

The online event “Quality education begins with the heart of an educator,” was organized by the Women in Leadership Organization (WILO) in collaboration with international partners, including Soroptimist International, Women’s Federation for World Peace International, Medical Women’s International Association, and the Missions of Finland, Uzbekistan, and Albania. The event focused on the future of education, addressing topics such as gender dynamics in leadership, models for quality and continuing education in the digital age, and the diverse experiences of educators in global education systems.

“The panel discussions highlighted how digital platforms promote gender equality in education by broadening access and fostering inclusivity. Technology enables diverse voices, provides equal opportunities for all genders, and supports more equitable learning environments worldwide,” noted Dr. Dina Pacis, WILO Vice President and Professor of Education.

Another side event, “Addressing Work and Descent-Based Discrimination Against Women: A Prerequisite to Accelerate the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration.” explored the intersectional discrimination faced by women from marginalized communities. Organized by the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD), in collaboration with the ERGO Network and governmental representatives from Finland and North Macedonia, the event focused on issues like poverty, exclusion, and limited opportunities for groups such as Roma and Dalit women.

Gabriela Hrabanova, Executive Committee Director of ERGO Network and founding member of GfoD, called for stronger policies and tools to address these challenges. “Addressing work and descent-based discrimination against women is vital to achieving the Beijing Declaration’s goals. Roma women and others from the communities discriminated on work and descent (CDWD) face deep-rooted exclusion, poverty, and limited opportunities,” she mentioned. “It is important to ensure that the voices and rights of CDWD women, including Roma, Haratine, and Dalit women, are central to advancing gender equality.

The event called for collaborative efforts, including a policy brief with UN Women, specialized toolkits, and increased visibility to tackle their unique challenges and end systemic exclusion.

Throughout side events, participants highlighted the importance of working together globally, sharing knowledge, and multi-stakeholder partnerships in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. As the global community looks toward the Beijing+30 review in 2025, these discussions showcased both achievements and persistent challenges that require continued attention and resources across the UNECE region and beyond.