Growing calls to accelerate gender equality, women’s empowerment

Adopted at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action remains a landmark global agreement, outlining 12 critical areas to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls worldwide.

As 2025 marks its 30th anniversary, the call to accelerate efforts toward dismantling legal, social, and economic barriers to women’s empowerment grows louder.

Speaking at a Thabo Mbeki Foundation event in Santon, South Africa’s Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke emphasised the need for renewed commitment to realizing full gender equality.

The event coincided with International Women’s Day, a global observance that highlights progress in women’s rights, addresses ongoing challenges like reproductive rights and gender-based violence, and celebrates women’s achievements in male-dominated fields.

Beijing Conference I Taking stock of women’s gains, 30 years on

Three decades on, the Beijing Declaration continues to inspire action, urging all stakeholders to ensure a more equitable future for women and girls everywhere.

‘Push back against sidelining’

Former South African Deputy President Dr Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka has called on women to push back against any attempts to sideline women.

International Women’s Day | Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka urges global unity