A statement marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing conference laments the slow pace of progress on gender justice
(LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is urging world leaders, meeting at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on 1 October; to “safeguard the gains made in gender equality and women’s empowerment and to commit to further action.”
The declaration coincided with the high-level gathering of the UNGA to mark the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women; which occurred in Beijing, China, in September 1995. Representatives from 189 nations at the meeting adopted a forum for action, presenting a vision of fair treatment and equality for women and girls everywhere.
In its statement, the LWF says; “We celebrate the milestones that have been achieved, but we mourn the slow speed of change, the inequalities that exist and the resistance towards women’s rights motivated by state and non-state actors opposed to gender equality”. A quarter of a century after the Beijing meeting; it states that women continue to face various forms of gender inequality and violence.
New dimensions of inequality and discrimination
“The COVID-19 pandemic amplified pre-existing gender inequalities and focused the spotlight on new forms of injustice and discrimination;” the statement stated. “Accessible statistics show that domestic and relationship abuse has risen dramatically since COVID-19, and lack of access to intervention services has further exacerbated the condition”. Internationally, women and girls are underrepresented socio-economically and in public life; whereas an estimated 130 million girls worldwide remain out of school.
The declaration of 1 October calls for all governments and the international community to fully enforce the agreements and obligations set out in the Beijing Declaration and Forum for Action, as well as those laid out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Convention on the Elimination of any type of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Mr. Isaiah Toroitich, Head of Global Advocacy at LWF, said; “As a result of an ongoing pandemic, human rights advocacy, limited global unity and dedication to multilateralism; the LWF promotes gender equity as an essential cornerstone in maintaining equality for all. We will intensify our lobbying activities to ensure that gender equity is a reality.”
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