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What is Generation Equality?

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995

(Beijing Platform for Action)

is the most visionary agenda for the empowerment of women and girls, everywhere. Developed at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.  Also known as the largest-ever gathering of gender equality advocates the Beijing Platform for Action was adopted by 189 governments committed to taking strategic, bold action in 12 critical areas of concern:

poverty, education and training, health, violence, armed conflict, economy, power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, media, environment, and the girl child.

In 2020, it will be 25 years since the Beijing Platform for Action set out how to remove the systemic barriers that hold women back from equal participation in all areas of life, whether in public or in private. Despite some progress, real change has been agonisingly slow for the majority of women and girls in the world. Today, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality. Multiple obstacles remain unchanged in law and in culture. As a result, women remain undervalued.  They continue to work more, earn less, have fewer choices, and experience multiple forms of violence at home and in public spaces.

UN Women stands at the centre of mobilising governments and civil societies to keep the promises of the Beijing Platform for Action to all of society. In everything it does, it is committed to making gender equality a lived reality for all women and girls who have historically been marginalised and who have waited long enough. This is a vision of a more prosperous, peaceful and fair world that is ultimately better for both women and men alike.

Generation Equality begins now

In today’s world, both women and men and girls and boys all over the world are speaking up for themselves and for those who have been silenced, stigmatised, and shamed for far too long. Many are from a new generation. They are seizing the moment to re-imagine economies, societies, and political systems so that they uphold human rights and achieve gender equality, leaving no one behind.

UN Women is bringing together the next generations of women’s rights activists with the gender equality advocates and visionaries.  These were instrumental in creating the Beijing Platform for Action more than two decades ago. Collectively, these change makers of all ages and genders can tackle the unfinished business of empowering women through a new, groundbreaking, multi-generational campaign: “Generation Equality: Realising women’s rights for an equal future”.

The Generation Equality campaign demands equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work.  An end to sexual harassment and all forms of violence against women and girls.  Health-care services that respond to their needs.  Equal participation in political life and decision-making in all areas of life.

A series of galvanizing moments

The 25th anniversary commemoration of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2020 is a rallying point to insist on finally achieving the human rights of all women and girls.  It is organised as a global mobilisation.  Throughout the year, UN Women will build on other galvanizing moments in the 21st century women’s rights movement:

Chart: A roadmap to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 25th anniversary commemoration

A new report was released March 2020

Gender equality: Women’s rights in review 25 years after Beijing

The report shows that there has been progress such as more girls are in school than ever before.  Fewer women are dying in childbirth.  The proportion of women in parliaments has doubled across the world.  Progress has been too slow and uneven.  Women continue to shoulder the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work. The gender pay gap continues.  Women are on average paid 16 per cent per cent less than men.  In some countries, they are paid 35 per cent less. Nearly one in five women have faced violence from an intimate partner in the past year. Men still control three quarters of parliamentary seats.  A quarter century after the Beijing Platform for Action was adopted in 1995, no country in the world has achieved gender equality.  What will push the needle closer to equality?  Why do commitments remain unfulfilled?  What are the priorities for the women of the world?  Learn more: In UN Women’s  latest report on women’s rights.    Find out about the progress, gaps and challenges related to the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights.

Small actions, big impact

Three things you can do today to learn more, raise awareness and inspire others:

  1. Take our 12 steps for gender equality today!
  2. Read and share Generation Equality voices and stories
  3. Click here to tweet your commitment to an equal future and invite your community to join the movement.

Resources:  https://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/beijing-plus-25/toolkit