The Beijing+30 Action Agenda, marking the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, is a pivotal framework in our ongoing pursuit of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. 麻豆传媒 Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, was a watershed moment—a bold and unequivocal commitment by the global community to ensure women’s and girls’ full and equal participation in all aspects of life, and the realization of their rights. As we mark this important milestone, we must not only celebrate our achievements and take stock of the progress we've made since the original conference in 1995, but also confront the persistent and emerging challenges that hinder the realization of the full potential of women and girls around the globe. We must renew our collective commitment to address the obstacles that persist in achieving true equality.
The progress achieved by the international community has been undeniable. More women are in leadership positions. Girls' education has expanded, and critical legal frameworks for advancing gender equality, and the rights and empowerment of women and girls, have been put in place. Despite these advancements, progress still remains too slow and deeply fragile. Today, we confront a world marked by multiple, overlapping crises that risk undoing decades of hard-won gains—not only in advancing gender equality but also in ensuring both global sustainable development and the growth and prosperity of nations. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities, pushing many women back into poverty and increasing their burden of unpaid care work.
Women in many parts of the world continue to face systemic barriers, including wage gaps, underrepresentation in leadership positions and social norms that perpetuate gender inequality. Gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue, affecting women’s physical and mental well-being, highlighting the need for better protection and support systems. We have also witnessed increased targeted attacks against women and girls. In various regions worldwide, girls still face obstacles that hinder their access to quality education and healthcare services.
The , held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025, convened the international community not only as leaders and advocates but also as custodians of a vision that set the most ambitious and transformative agenda for gender equality, and the rights and empowerment of all women and girls. The advancement of gender equality is fundamentally linked to broader social, economic and environmental goals—recognizing that the empowerment of women and girls is essential for sustainable development, peace and security. It also requires accelerating progress towards closing the gender gap and eliminating inequalities across various sectors, including the technology decision-making process, education, health, and economic and political representations, as well as tackling the impact of climate change. The agenda emphasizes a holistic approach, integrating gender perspectives into all policies and programmes while addressing the root causes of gender inequality, including economic disparities and legal barriers, to create a sustainable path towards empowerment and equity.
A necessary element to supporting implementation of the Beijing+30 Action Agenda is strengthening the production and utilization of gender data to effectively identify progress gaps, better understand the challenges faced by women and girls, and allocate resources more effectively where they are most needed. This includes data regarding paid and unpaid care and the support economy. Unpaid care work, including activities such as caregiving and domestic tasks, are disproportionately shouldered by women globally. This imbalance not only perpetuates gender inequality but also has profound economic implications. If assigned a monetary value, women’s unpaid work would exceed 40 per cent of gross domestic product in some countries. Globally, women and girls spend more than 2.5 times as many hours a day engaged in unpaid care work as men do. This invisible contribution often goes unrecognized in traditional economic metrics, leading to significant disparities in labour force participation and economic security.
Men and boys must play critical roles as champions and advocates of the rights of women and girls, whether in schools, organizations or board rooms, in the field or online. One essential avenue of allyship must include pushing for innovative public policies that recognize, reduce and redistribute care and support work. By fostering an environment where caregiving is viewed as a shared responsibility, we can move closer to a society that values and supports all its members equally, men and women alike. Implementing flexible work arrangements and more effective paternity leave policies will enable men to engage more fully in caregiving responsibilities without concern over professional repercussions. Community initiatives that enhance awareness of the importance of shared caregiving responsibilities, celebrate male caregivers, and provide support networks can also serve to further normalize men’s involvement in care work and give boys positive role models to emulate.
In Saudi Arabia, we have taken significant steps to foster gender equality and promote women's rights. emphasizes women's empowerment as a cornerstone of national development. We are committed to creating an environment where women can thrive socially, economically and politically, where their voices are heard and their contributions are celebrated. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a series of policies and initiatives to enhance women’s participation in the labour market and to alleviate family burdens that could hinder them from achieving their academic and professional aspirations. Governmental and civil entities have collaborated to provide sustainable solutions that promote job stability and create a more flexible work environment—supporting women in their efforts to contribute to economic and social development. As a result, the Kingdom has successfully surpassed its target for women’s participation in the labour market, initially set at 30 per cent. By the third quarter of 2024, women’s participation in the labour market reached 36.2 per cent. This achievement underscores the commitment to empowering women and reflects significant efforts to enhance their economic involvement.
The status of women has improved significantly since the first Beijing conference in 1995, yet there is still much work to be done to achieve true equality. Addressing the challenges facing women requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses policy change; promotes gender equality; strengthens legal protections; and expands supportive services for survivors─particularly in cases of gender-based violence, including sexual and physical violence. Empowering women is central to the overall health and prosperity of all nations. By raising ambitions and political will, and matching commitments with action, our community of nations can demonstrate how multilateral cooperation contributes to human civilization and the prosperity and dignity of half of humanity.
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