The world has changed significantly for women’s rights and gender equality since the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. The conference was an epic global process that delivered an agreed ‘roadmap’ to gender equality. The Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) was adopted by government delegates from 189 states, and remains a reference point for governments and for women’s movements alike today. The gathering was a kaleidoscope of magical visions and the single galvanizing force of its time. It was a watershed moment that brought together the concerns, sufferings, hopes, aspirations, and demands of women from different divides in such a comprehensive manner. It was unforgettable to the extent that today, after 20 years, if you randomly pick a person on the street, in a remote part of any African country and ask them what they know about women’s rights, whatever the tone of voice; angry or excited, they are likely to mention “Beijing”. They might not even know where Beijing is, whether it’s an obedient or rebellious woman, an ideology or dream, but they have heard about it, it represents either women’s liberation or transgression.
Dare I say that since the conference, the world has changed in important ways for women’s rights. The BPfA has been instrumental in initiating many key activities related to women and decision-making. Changes have been uneven at best, mirroring the complex path that social transformation requires and the call to action for a more holistic approach. Taking an opportunity to quickly steep us into the operating environment today, we are all agreed that the world is struggling with various manifestations of fundamentalisms that have a direct impact on women’s rights and autonomy. Ebola continues its path in West Africa and has killed over 9000 people to date, many of whom were women. Climate change is threatening livelihoods, including in the African region where many women still earn a living and feed their families through subsistence farming. So how do we ensure that the gains of Beijing are sustained as we confront these new and persistent challenges for African women?
Women’s leadership makes the difference
