Women’s rights in review 30 years after Beijing

In 2025, the world celebrates 30 years of achievement on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a visionary 1995 plan agreed by 189 governments to achieve the equal rights of all women and girls.

The UN Secretary-General’s report on the 30-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action reflects global, regional, and national reviews of 159 countries, summarising progress and priorities for further action. It finds that many countries have made strides on gender equality and women’s empowerment, from banning discrimination in employment to adopting gender-responsive climate action plans. Innovation is accelerating progress, and opportunities are opening to scale up proven strategies. Yet gender discrimination remains deeply embedded in all economies and societies, imposing chronic constraints on the rights and hopes of women and girls.

Extensive participation in the review reflects the continued relevance and critical importance of the Beijing Platform for Action, including in reaching the global Sustainable Development Goals. Based on the findings, UN Women has collaborated with partners to design the “Beijing+30 action agenda”, which brings people together to realize the promises of the platform and the global goals, reinforcing how everyone has a role to play.

This summary report highlights findings from the UN Secretary-General’s report.