UN Conference Calls For Renewed, Bold Efforts To Make Gender Equality Commitments A Reality In Asia And The Pacific

Bangkok, 19 November 2024 

The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review opened today, bringing together over 1,200 delegates from governments, civil society and youth groups, the private sector and academia to discuss progress and priority actions to support gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and UN-Women, the three-day conference in Bangkok is being held ahead of next year’s 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. That landmark international commitment continues to shape policies toward gender equality.

“Where new opportunities emerge, we must ensure women and girls are positioned to thrive,” ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana underscored in her opening remarks, adding the women must be at the forefront of the issues that define our common future such as climate action and digital transformation.

“These are the megatrends of our time, and without a focus on gender equality, they risk deepening inequalities. We must provide women with the tools, training and resources to lead in these areas to ensure they not only participate in but also drive forward the solutions of tomorrow,” Alisjahbana said.

“As we look forward, the Beijing+30 Review offers us a unique opportunity to galvanize political will and public engagement to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action,” said Sima Bahous, UN Women Executive Director.

“Let us take this moment to recommit to the principles of the Beijing Platform for Action, ensuring that women and girls in our region are at the center of our economic, social, and political agendas. We must continue to push forward with bold actions that not only address current challenges but also pave the way for future generations to thrive.”

More girls across Asia and the Pacific are in school today than ever before. Maternal mortality has declined by one-third since 2000, and women have gained greater access to leadership positions in politics, business and decision-making spaces.

Despite these achievements in recent decades, progress remains slow and uneven across the region. Critical bottlenecks remain: Deeply entrenched discriminatory social norms and gender stereotypes; high levels of gender-based violence; disproportionate unpaid care and domestic work; and limited investments in addressing gender equality.

“Increasing investments, political will and addressing the rising attacks on gender equality and human rights around the world are paramount. Achieving gender equality requires the active participation and commitments of all stakeholders in working together to dismantle systemic barriers and promote equal opportunities for all,” said H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand.

“Our presence here today is a reminder that while we have made significant strides, much work remains ahead of us. Together let us advance towards a future where no woman or girl is left behind, and gender equality is truly acknowledged and realized across Asia and the Pacific,” said H.E. Kantha Phavi Ing, Minister of Women Affairs of Cambodia, who was also elected as Chair of the Conference.

Representing over 800 civil society organizations in the region, Shahrzad Koofi Ahmadi highlighted the impacts of recent crises: “Women and girls, particularly those facing multiple forms of discrimination, are paying the highest price. These pose a grave threat to previously agreed normative frameworks and commitments to gender equality and the fulfillment of women’s rights in the region.”

Meanwhile, youth representative Aizhan Dzhanaeva called upon countries to bridge the gender digital divide and address technology facilitated gender-based violence, hate speech and misinformation.

At the conference, ESCAP and UN Women also launched a new report Charting New Paths for Gender Equality and Empowerment: AsiaPacific Regional Report on Beijing+30 Review. The report highlights the challenges ahead, but also forward-looking strategies and solutions under six thematic areas: poverty reduction and human capital development; shared prosperity and decent work; freedom from gender-based violence; meaningful participation and gender-responsive governance; peaceful and just societies; and gender and the environment.

The report further emphasizes three pivotal actions to strengthen the foundation for accelerating progress in gender equality across all sectors, including transforming gender norms; strengthening the collection and use of gender data; and fostering gender-smart investments and cross-sectoral partnerships.

On the sidelines of the conference, a special event on the care economy will be held as well as various independently organized events, exhibitions and performances including a digital art exhibition and a chat GPT gender robot trained to answer gender-related questions.

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