Soroptimist International (SI) recently hosted an informative webinar exploring key milestones and frameworks for advancing gender equality, including CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Featuring a panel of expert speakers from across SI—Berthe De Vos-Neven, Dawn Marie Lemonds, Linda Witong Abrahm, and Pat Black—the event provided a detailed overview of these critical instruments, their intersections, and the challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality worldwide. The discussions reflected on past achievements, evaluated ongoing progress, and identified actionable steps for the future.
Watch the full webinar recording here.
CEDAW – Presented by Berthe De Vos-Neven
The first presentation was delivered by Berthe De Vos-Neven, Soroptimist International’s main representative to the UN in Geneva and the newly elected International Director of Advocacy. Berthe’s presentation focused on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), widely known as the “International Bill of Rights for Women.” Adopted in 1979, this landmark treaty aims to outline a framework toward achieving gender equality worldwide and remains a cornerstone in the fight against discrimination.
Berthe outlined the core principles of CEDAW: substantive equality, non-discrimination, and states’ obligations. She explained that the convention provides a comprehensive framework to combat gender-based discrimination, including violence, unequal pay, and harmful stereotypes. She also stressed the significance of its implementation, as ratifying states are legally bound to incorporate gender equality into national laws, establish mechanisms to protect women, and submit regular progress reports. Highlighting the vital role of civil society, Berthe encouraged NGOs to engage with the CEDAW committee by submitting shadow reports and participating in sessions, where their insights contribute to holding governments accountable and ensuring progress. The presentation set the stage for understanding CEDAW’s critical links to global advocacy and its relevance to achieving gender equality.
Beijing Declaration and Platform For Action
The next presentation in the webinar was delivered by Dawn Marie Lemonds, who shared her reflections on attending the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. She described the transformative nature of this event, which she referred to as the most significant experience of her life. The conference was split between two locations: Beijing, where the official government-led conference took place, and Huairou, where the NGO Forum was held with over 30,000 participants. Dawn Marie highlighted how the forum brought together diverse voices, creating a space for collaboration and dialogue on critical issues affecting women and girls worldwide.
Dawn Marie provided a vivid account of the energy and diversity of the NGO Forum, which featured over 2,000 events ranging from workshops to tribunals on topics such as violence against women and human trafficking. She described the determination and creativity of participants, including Soroptimists who hosted workshops and contributed to discussions despite logistical challenges. She also emphasised the importance of the Beijing Platform for Action, a historic outcome document from the official conference that outlined 12 critical areas for achieving gender equality, including poverty, education, health, and violence against women. Dawn MArie closed her presentation by encouraging the audience to attend such events, as they offer unparalleled opportunities for learning, networking, and advancing the global movement for women’s rights.
Linda Witong – SI and the Beijing Platform for Action + 30
The third presentation in the webinar was delivered by Linda Witong Abrahm, who reflected on Soroptimist International’s involvement in the review of the Beijing Platform for Action, 30 years after its inception. She highlighted the ongoing process of evaluating progress and challenges in fully implementing the platform’s 12 critical areas of concern. This work involved gathering feedback from NGOs, civil society, global organisations, and countries within the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region.
Linda shared sobering statistics, noting that despite some progress, significant challenges persist in achieving gender equality. These include the continuing prevalence of poverty, violence against women, limited access to education and healthcare, and underrepresentation in leadership positions. She particularly emphasised the devastating impact of intersecting crises—such as economic instability, armed conflict, climate change, and digital inequities—on women and girls. These “polycrises” have deepened inequalities and hindered progress, exacerbated by inadequate funding for gender equality initiatives and rising authoritarianism in some regions.
In her closing remarks, Linda outlined key recommendations to accelerate progress, including strengthening legal protections for women and girls, increasing investment in education and economic opportunities, enhancing data collection, addressing gender-based violence, and fostering international cooperation. She stressed the importance of continuing Soroptimist International’s advocacy efforts and collaboration with other NGOs and Member States to address these challenges and ensure that the Beijing Platform for Action remains a vital pillar in achieving global gender equality.
Pat Black – Sustainable Development Goals
The final presentation of the webinar was delivered by Pat Black, who provided an insightful overview of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their intersection with Soroptimist International’s mission. She began by tracing the evolution of the SDGs from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), highlighting their initial achievements and the gaps that necessitated a more ambitious framework. Adopted in 2015, the SDGs encompass 17 goals aimed at eradicating poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring peace and prosperity by 2030.
Pat emphasised the interconnected nature of the SDGs, noting that progress in one area is intrinsically linked to advancements in others. She detailed the targets most relevant to Soroptimist International’s work, particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). Within SDG 5, she spotlighted critical targets such as ending child marriage and female genital mutilation, increasing women’s political leadership, reducing unpaid care work, and improving access to technology. For SDG 4, she stressed the importance of quality education, pointing out the need to train teachers, close disparities between urban and rural areas, and improve school infrastructure, including sanitation and menstrual hygiene facilities.
Reflecting on progress towards the SDGs, Pat acknowledged that while some strides have been made, particularly in education, no goal has been fully achieved, with five years remaining until the 2030 deadline. She attributed this to challenges such as insufficient data collection, lack of accountability, and the voluntary nature of reporting. Pat underscored the importance of integrating frameworks like CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action with the SDGs to achieve meaningful gender equality. She concluded with a call to action, urging Soroptimists to engage in advocacy and international events, such as the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to drive progress and hold governments accountable.
Q&A Session
One participant asked: “What happens beyond reporting under CEDAW, and what can be done if a country or organisation does not follow it?”
Berthe De Vos-Neven responded: “There can be criticism and negative publicity, but unfortunately, there aren’t specific measures to punish a State for non-compliance. This is a problem with many UN treaties—they rely on voluntary participation. States may be called to answer questions at the General Assembly, but that’s the extent of enforcement.”
Another participant asked: “How can Soroptimists assist in creating shadow reports? What information would be useful, and how can club members participate?”
Berthe explained: “When I write shadow reports, I send questions to unions or countries to gather specific information the UN experts request. Unfortunately, not many unions respond. I urge members to answer these calls for information—this is crucial for creating impactful reports. Shadow reports must focus on the experts’ questions and be relevant to national-level issues aligned with Soroptimist work. Reports are limited to 3,000 words, so precision is key.”
A participant asked: “Have Soroptimists ever had a role in reflecting or commenting on State reports at the General Assembly?”
Berthe clarified: “At the General Assembly, NGOs like Soroptimist International are only observers. We cannot speak; we can only attend and listen. However, any NGO with ECOSOC status can observe and be present during these sessions.”
Another participant posed the question: “How can we involve men and boys in the fight for gender equality and against gender-based violence?”
Pat Black responded: “There is a global organisation called the White Ribbon Alliance that engages men to pledge to challenge violence against women and girls. They also conduct training, such as with the Australian Army. Soroptimists can explore partnering with them to involve men in advocacy. The Republic of Ireland, for instance, collaborated with them at one point. You can find more information on the White Ribbon Alliance online.”
A final question was asked: “What is Soroptimist International doing for women in Afghanistan?”
Leigh Ellwood-Brown responded: “It’s a challenging situation, but we are working through organisations like Every Woman Treaty, which has connections within the country. For example, we recently helped connect Afghan women with opportunities, such as applying for sponsorships to attend CSW69. These efforts rely on collaborating with organisations already operating in those regions.”
Conclusion:
The webinar underscored the importance of collaboration, accountability, and proactive advocacy in advancing gender equality. From the foundational work of CEDAW to the transformative Beijing Platform for Action and the ambitious targets of the SDGs, the speakers highlighted the interconnectedness of these frameworks in addressing global challenges. The engaging Q&A session further illuminated practical ways Soroptimists and their partners can contribute to these efforts. As we move closer to 2030, this webinar serves as both a call to action and a reminder of the critical role we all play in shaping a more equitable future.