n the lead up to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+25), the most visionary agenda for gender equality and women’s rights, more than 850 participants, including high-level government officials, and representatives of the civil society and international organisations from North America, Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, gathered in Geneva on 29-30 October to take stock of progress on Beijing commitments.
Despite progress, many of the challenges addressed in Beijing remain a reality in the 56 countries members of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). “2020 is an important year in terms of gender equality and women's rights. It's not enough to have hope, we need decisive actions. We need to change mindsets and backward traditions,” stressed Altynai Omurbekova, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, co-chair of the meeting.
The Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting, jointly hosted by UNECE and UN Women, reviewed progress and persisting challenges, showcasing practical policy approaches that can help remove the structural barriers that hold women back from equal participation in all areas of life.