Beijing +30 review concludes in Bangkok with draft decisions to accelerate efforts to achieving gender equality

By Fredrick Kusu in Bangkok, Thailand

The Ministerial Conference on the Beijing +30 Review has concluded in Bangkok with the adoption of draft decisions to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality.

The draft decisions seek actions from the Secretariat of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Draft decisions requests ESCAP and other United Nations entities to support the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the national and regional level and review key priorities for accelerated action.

In her closing remarks Regional Director for UN Women Christine Arab assured that the UN Women is committed to bringing the voice raised during the conference to the global process.

She said the UN Women has identified areas to focus on in the efforts to achieving gender equality.

The areas include accelerating equal decision making in government and state institutions, putting women in sustainable development approaches and investing in comprehensive and gender care system.

Other areas are implementing action plans to ending violence against women, bridging technological gender gap and increasing accountability to women and girls in matters of peace, security and humanitarian action.

Meanwhile Arab urges participants of the conference to support the policies adopted that will accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality.

“We need to give legs to the policies adopted, we have to give resources to the priorities stipulated and we have to focus on those areas that will accelerate.”

“The first thing of acceleration is that we must trust the voices of the youths that are going to accelerate this agenda for us.”

The Ministerial Conference on the Beijing +30 Review provides an opportunity for Civil Society Organizations, young people and government representatives to review and assess the progress of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action towards Gender Equality.

The review will assist in identifying gaps and develop the way forward to achieving gender equality under goal 5 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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This story was produced with support from the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office.