The United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, produced one of the boldest global declarations on women’s rights to date. Equality in decision-making and the economy, as well as violence against women, were some of the crucial issues that it addressed. But progress in turning those commitments into reality has been shamefully slow.
Now, 26 years later, the UN’s Generation Equality Forum (GEF) in Paris aims to build on the legacy of Beijing. Co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, the GEF aspires to catalyse political action and funding to make the rhetoric a reality. The opening day of the Forum saw the announcement of $40bn in new commitments to advance gender equality globally. Such financing is sorely needed.
But these commitments will be nothing more than hollow promises if they don’t prioritise direct funding for feminist movements. Such groups are key to both changing policies and shifting norms – but are chronically underfunded.
