Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) constitutes a visionary plan for the empowerment of women, and is a benchmark for analysing the status of women around the world and assessing States' efforts in support of women’s empowerment. 

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action supports women and girls around the world in their pursuit of gender equality and women's rights and ensures the continuity of the international community's commitment to address civil, political, social, economic and cultural inequalities. It remains relevant to the status of women today, emphasizing that women's rights are human rights and that equality between women and men is beneficial to all. The Platform also sets out a plan for Governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector to protect women's human rights and ensure that gender equality issues are mainstreamed into all national, regional and international policies and programmes. The Platform for Action covers 12 areas of concern.

Every five years, the Commission on the Status of Women reviews progress in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. In this regard, since the first review in 2000, ESCWA and the United Nations regional commissions have been mandated to prepare regional reports, in cooperation with regional organizations, on progress in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. These reports are based on national reviews conducted by member countries and are part of a global report prepared by the Commission on the Status of Women secretariat at UN-Women and submitted to the General Assembly by the Secretary-General.

To date, five reviews have been conducted, each resulting in an outcome document in which countries pledge to continue their efforts to fulfil global commitments on women's and girls' rights. The outcome document also outlines priority actions for the next five years.

Our approach

ESCWA takes the lead in supporting Arab countries and in collaborating with partners to conduct regional reviews. It provides technical support to States during the national audit process, as part of the specialized training for representatives of national women's machineries for the preparation of national reports. It also facilitates national partners' workshops, upon request, in preparation of national audits. 

Our partners

The regional review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is implemented in partnership with the League of Arab States and the Regional Office for Arab States of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women).

ESCWA is also collaborating with the following regional organizations in the implementation of activities: Regional Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Save the Children Society, the Danish Institute for Knowledge and Development on Gender, Equality and Diversity (KVINFO) and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

Our activities

ESCWA, in partnership with the Regional Office for Arab States/UN-Women and the League of Arab States, is leading the regional review process, which includes:

(a) Holding extensive consultations with stakeholders such as parliamentarians and representatives of civil society organizations in Arab States, national human rights institutions, organizations for older persons and persons with disabilities, and young persons; 

(b) Preparing a regional report based on national audits and feeding into the 2025 review to be conducted by the Commission on the Status of Women at its sixty-ninth session; 

(c) Convening a high-level conference to discuss the outcome of the consolidated regional report on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action after 30 years in the Arab region and facilitate the adoption of the outcome document and the Arab Declaration on progress in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Five reviews have been conducted so far, and one review is set to be held in 2025:

Periodic review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action + 5 (2000)

Periodic review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action + 10 (2005)

Periodic review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action + 15 (2010)

Periodic review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action + 20 (2015)

Periodic review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action + 25 (2020)

Periodic review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action + 30 (2025)