30 years after Beijing: High-Level Dialogue calls for urgent action on gender equality

The regional commissions of the United Nations convened a high-level interactive dialogue at the United Nations Headquarters to present the outcomes of the regional Beijing 30 reviews and outline next steps to accelerate gender equality.

Held during the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the dialogue underscored both progress and persistent challenges in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action.

In his address, Mr. Claver Gatete, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), reaffirmed Africa’s commitment to gender equality, stressing the urgency of removing structural barriers to women’s empowerment.

“While Africa has made significant strides in education, political representation, and women’s involvement in peace and security, deep-rooted inequalities persist. Women’s economic exclusion, the gender digital divide, and the impact of debt burdens on gender-responsive investments must be addressed with urgency,” he stated.

He also highlighted ECA’s four strategic priorities to accelerate progress:

1. Legal and policy reforms – Strengthening enforcement of gender laws, aligning national frameworks with the Maputo Protocol, CEDAW, and ILO conventions.
2. Gender data and accountability – Expanding initiatives like the Africa Programme on Gender Statistics to enhance data-driven policymaking.
3. Debt relief and financing for gender equality – Advocating for reduced debt servicing to free resources for gender-responsive investments.
4. Women’s economic resilience and climate justice – Advancing financial inclusion, gender-responsive budgeting, and equitable access to capital, land, and markets while strengthening women’s leadership in climate action and sustainable development.

The dialogue reinforced the need for multi-stakeholder partnerships involving governments, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to drive gender equality efforts. The Chair’s summary will contribute to the 2025 global review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, guiding future policy action.

Source: ECA

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