Blog of Berthe De Vos Neven, SI Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
The SI UN team in Geneva played an active role in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Beijing+30 Civil Society Forum, hosted by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW) in Geneva. This forum gathered NGOs, Member States, and various UN stakeholders from the UNECE region, which includes 56 countries such as those in Europe, Türkiye, Russia, Canada, and the United States. The primary purpose of the CS Forum was to conduct a thorough review of progress in the UNECE region concerning the goals set out in the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action (BPA), particularly regarding its 12 Critical Areas of Concern.
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the cornerstone document resulting from the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, serves as a foundational guide for measuring achievements, identifying gaps, and addressing challenges related to the rights and well-being of women and girls both locally and globally. To maintain momentum, the UNECE conducts a review of key conventions and agreements every five years in Geneva. Beside these official reviews, the NGO CSW Geneva organised each time a consultation for Civil Society of the ECE region.
This year the process started in August 2023 and included a comprehensive civil society consultation where all interested groups are encouraged to join online working groups dedicated to each of the BPA’s 12 Critical Areas of Concern. Each working group, led by two Co-Chairs, has compiled statements based on their evaluations and perspectives on these areas.
Each of the 12 working groups developed a detailed 1,000-word statement featuring three specific calls to action, collectively reflecting civil society’s analysis of the past thirty years. These statements, representing civil society’s perspective on achievements and future priorities, are publicly accessible on the NGO CSW Geneva website and have been formally submitted to Member States in a printed version.
Furthermore, each working group has prepared a comprehensive background paper, providing further context, rationale, and supporting evidence for their recommendations. Each working group also produced a video and organised a workshop during the Civil Society (CS) Forum, dedicated to one of the 12 critical areas of concern. Numerous Soroptimists from the ECE region actively contributed to the working groups and played key roles in organising the CS Forum workshops.
The two-day CS Forum featured interactive workshops on gender equality and women’s empowerment, intergenerational dialogues, advocacy training, and strategy sessions, designed to enhance collaboration and deepen understanding of effective advocacy approaches. The CS Forum welcomed 275 participants, including 28 Soroptimists, from across the ECE region, who engaged in meaningful discussions and joined forces with other organisations to strengthen efforts toward gender equality and a more robust movement for gender parity.
The CS Forum also served as an essential preparatory event for the UNECE Beijing+30 Review Committee meeting, which convened in Geneva on October 21 and 22. During these consultations, stakeholders exchanged best practices, critically assessed progress related to the Beijing Declaration, and laid a solid foundation for advancing gender equality in the UNECE region.
Thank you all for your participation, with special gratitude and appreciation extended to Linda Witong, SI Advisor, for her outstanding research work, which provided the foundational basis for each of the 12 statements.
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