In honor of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, a number of organizations including the Ministry of Women & Child Development, the National Commission for Women (NCW), and UN Women have come together to organize a National Consultation. The aim of this consultation is to gather stakeholders from various sectors such as civil society, women, and youth, to implement actions that will effectively break down barriers to gender equality.
2020 marks a significant milestone as it also commemorates the 25th anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women (WCW) and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). This event has therefore come to be known as Beijing + 25.
The Objective of the Consultation:
The main objective of the review meeting is to evaluate the progress and identify any challenges that have arisen in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform over the preceding five years in India.
Additionally, the issue of gender equality in India was underscored by the Economic Survey 2019-20. The survey indicated that in striving towards sustainable development goals (SDGs), India falls short particularly in eradicating hunger (SDG 2) and achieving gender equality (SDG 5). These concerns were echoed in the SDG India Index compiled by NITI Aayog, which highlighted the nation’s struggles to establish gender equality.
In the Global Gender Gap Index for 2020, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), India ranked 112th out of 153 countries.
Government Initiatives to Promote Gender Equality:
Several government schemes have been launched with a view of achieving gender equality. These include Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, National Nutrition Mission (NNM), and Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra.
United Nations’ World Conferences on Women:
The United Nations has to date organized four world conferences on women. These were held in Mexico City in 1975, Copenhagen in 1980, Nairobi in 1985, and Beijing in 1995.
The 4th World Conference on Women (WCW), held in Beijing, was one of the largest gatherings of the United Nations and marked a critical turning point in the global focus towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. It was during this conference that the Beijing Declaration was unanimously adopted by the UN.
About the Beijing Declaration:
The Beijing Declaration is a comprehensive agenda for women’s empowerment and is considered the key global policy document on gender equality. It outlines strategic objectives and actions for the advancement of women and achieving gender equality in several critical areas of concern such as health, power and decision-making, the girl-child, and the environment