Source: United Nations (video statements)
Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women.
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At the United Nations General Assembly, world leaders marked the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. The high-level meeting focused on recommitting to, resourcing and accelerating the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, considered the most progressive blueprint ever adopted for advancing women’s rights.
Secretary-General António Guterres described the Beijing Declaration as “the most ambitious global political commitment on women’s rights ever achieved.” He said it helped power advances in education, maternal health, and legal protection, but warned that “progress has been slow and uneven. And no nation has achieved full equality for women and girls. Sustainable Development Goal Five – gender equality – is lagging far behind.”
“Let us be clear: equal rights and opportunities are not partisan issues,” Guterres said. “They are global imperatives – and the foundation of peace, prosperity and progress.”
He noted that earlier this year, governments recommitted to the Beijing platform. “The Commission on the Status of Women adopted a new Political Declaration, committing to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – fast and in full,” Guterres said. “So now, all countries must live up to that responsibility. We need strong, visible support at the highest levels – and concrete plans, backed by real investment.”
He added: “Eighty years ago, the United Nations Charter affirmed the equal rights of men and women. Thirty years ago, the Beijing Declaration enshrined women’s rights as human rights. Today, in this chamber, we must hear how you intend to turn these ambitions into reality: Make your commitments heard. Present your plans. Together, let us achieve equality for women and girls – an equality our world so urgently needs.”