The Sixty-Ninth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, from 10 to 21 March 2025. In place of a priority theme, the focus of this year’s session stood out as a key moment to review the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) 30 years after its implementation.
Soroptimist International is now pleased to announce our key takeaways and analysis of the issues, discussions, and priorities raised during CSW69.
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
As an instrumental framework and roadmap toward achieving full gender equality and parity, the BPfA review highlighted a range of key priorities, including commitments to women’s economic empowerment, zero tolerance for violence against women and girls, increasing women’s roles in decision-making, bridging the gender digital divide, strengthening national mechanisms, investing in care systems, and providing financial support for recommendations.
Now, following CSW69, the Political Declaration on the BPfA and the Multi-year Programme of Work have been agreed upon by consensus. Despite mixed reviews, it has been widely noted that progress toward gender equality has been slow – with the global “polycrisis” cited as a core reason for this. Among multiple and overlapping challenges, including climate change, food and fuel crises, and widespread discrimination against all women and girls, it is crucial that we see renewed and continued efforts toward fully implementing the BPfA and an improvement of accountability at all levels.
The 12 Critical Areas of Concern
In 1995, the BPfA flagged 12 critical areas of concern, where urgent action was and is needed to ensure greater equality and opportunities for women and girls. Now, 30 years later, the CSW69 Political Declaration has highlighted the main challenges faced by women and girls that have hindered the full implementation of the BPfA.
In our Key Takeaways document, each of the 12 Critical Areas has been addressed with consideration of what has changed since 1995, including where progress has been made, as well as what challenges persist or have arisen to hinder progress.
For instance, poverty remains deeply entrenched, with millions of women and girls facing persistent economic insecurity, compounded by conflict, climate change, and austerity measures. Access to education has expanded, yet millions of girls remain out of school, and barriers to employment in fields like science and technology persist. In addition to this, health outcomes have stalled, conflicts and crises have disproportionately impacted women and girls, and representation in decision-making remains limited.
Without accelerated, transformative action, many women and girls risk being left further behind.
New challenges and barriers have arisen beyond these areas, too. Technological advancements, including AI, are enabling new forms of violence and abuse, including harassment, the spread of misinformation, and increasing risks to the safety of young women. Furthermore, existing inequalities and harmful practices persist – practices such as child, early, and forced marriage and unions have decreased only marginally, whilst funding and legal protections to address violence against women and girls still fall short of adequately addressing these issues.
Calls to Action
These overlapping and mutually reinforcing crises risk reversing hard-won gains, undermining efforts towards gender equality, and leaving many further behind.
For progress to be made and to ensure the full implementation of the BPfA, coordinated action at all levels is essential. Demanding accountability and action by ensuring the full implementation of gender-responsive laws, budgets, and frameworks is part of this. Additionally, economic and digital empowerment must be prioritised, closing persistent gaps and safeguarding women and girls’ access to opportunities, financial services, and online spaces. Ending all forms of violence against all women and girls remains a critical priority, requiring robust prevention strategies, survivor-centred support systems, and stronger legal protections, including against digital abuse.
To read Soroptimist International’s full analysis, including detailed reflections on the 12 Critical Areas of Concern, emerging challenges, and recommended actions for accelerating progress, you can read our Key Takeaways from CSW69.