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Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

29 - 30 October 2019

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995 is the most ambitious road map for the empowerment of women and girls everywhere. In 2020, it will be 25 years since the Beijing Platform for Action set strategic objectives and actions for the achievement of gender equality in 12 critical areas of concern.

The Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting provided a forum for UNECE member States to review progress and identify challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. The meeting was held on 29-30 October 2019 in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, and was jointly organized by UNECE and the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.

The regional review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly is happening in the context of preparations for the global Beijing+25 review in 2020. The review also included an assessment of current challenges that affect the implementation of the Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and its contribution towards the full realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UNECE and UN Women prepared a regional review report on the basis of the national reports, which was discussed at the Beijing+25 Regional Review Meeting .

Programme

Please find the full programme here.

Sessions

Sessions  
Item 4: Key trends on gender equality in the UNECE region Concept note
Item 5: Closing the gender gaps: Effective economic and social policies in the ECE region Concept note
Item 6: Ending violence against women and girls: Lessons from the region Concept note

Item 7: Education for Gender Equality: a powerful tool for transformation

Concept note
Item 8: Smart investments: Financing for Gender Equality  Concept note

Item 9: Women in Leadership: women’s representation in policy- and decision-making

Concept note

Item 10: Acting for climate: Empowering women to build climate resilience

Concept note

Item 11: Global goals and the Beijing commitments

Concept note

Concept notes provide information on the objectives and thematic focus of the various sessions. A set of initial guiding questions is proposed to orient the discussions. For each session, panels, with a diverse and balanced composition, provided an opportunity to hear different perspectives and experiences.

Documents

  EN FR RU
Annotated provisional agenda PDF PDF PDF
Information note on practical arrangements PDF    
ECE/AC.28/2019/2 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/3 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/4 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/5 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/6 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/7 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/8 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/9 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/10 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/11 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/AC.28/2019/12 PDF PDF PDF

National Reviews

Please find below the 51 national reports submitted by UNECE member States, which have been prepared following the guidance note (available in EnglishFrench and Russian).

Albania National Report
Andorra

National Report (Spanish)

Armenia National Report
Austria National Report
Azerbaijan National Report
Belarus

National Report (Russian)
National Report (English)

Belgium

National Report (French)

Bosnia and Herzegovina National Report
Bulgaria National Report
Canada

National Report (English)
National Report (French)

Croatia National Report
Cyprus National Report
Czech Republic National Report
Denmark National Report
Estonia National Report
Finland National Report
France National Report
Georgia

National Report

Germany National Report
Greece National Report
Hungary National Report
Iceland National Report
Ireland

National Report
Annex

Israel National Report
Italy National Report
Kazakhstan

National Report (English)
National Report (Russian)

Kyrgyzstan

National Report (English)
National Report (Russian)

Latvia National Report
Liechtenstein

National Report
CEDAW Report
UNSG report inputs

Lithuania National Report
Luxembourg National Report (French)
Malta National Report
Monaco National Report
Montenegro National Report
Netherlands National Report
North Macedonia National Report
Norway National Report
Portugal National Report
Republic of Moldova National Report
Romania National Report
Russian Federation

National Report (English)
National Report (Russian)

Serbia

National Report
Statistical Annex

Slovakia National Report
Slovenia National Report
Spain

National Report
Annex (Spanish)

Sweden National Report
Switzerland National Report
Tajikistan

National Report (English)
National Report (Russian)

Turkey

National Report
Annex 1 / Annex 2

Turkmenistan

National Report  (Russian)

Ukraine National Report
United Kingdom National Report
Uzbekistan

National Report (English)
National Report (Russian)

Side events

Politics, parity, power: towards a #NextGen gender equality in the Balkans and Eastern Europe

29 October, 9:00-9:50, room XXII, Palais des Nations

Women are slowly gaining ground in electoral politics in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, although their presence in parliament is still below 25 percent. The event featured women political leaders, officials and activists in a strategic dialogue with EU counterparts on countering gender backlash trends and accelerating gender equality in decision-making.

(Organizers: Women’s Political Network, Montenegro; Swedish Gender Equality Agency; Administration of the Government of Georgia; Gender Caucus of the Parliament of Ukraine; Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Armenia; UNDP. Co-organizer: Gender Centre NGO, Moldova)

Effective gender mainstreaming methods and tools: the way to speed up the pace towards gender equality

29 October, 9:00-9:50, room XXVII, Palais des Nations

This side event explored what has been learned about gender mainstreaming in the European context: country practices and availability of tools developed for its application in specific contexts. There was a specific focus on gender budgeting given its potential to accelerate gender transformation and gender mainstreaming in practice.

(Organizers: European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE); Ministry of Employment, Sweden; Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, Belgium; Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality, Portugal) 

The Istanbul Convention in practice: holistic care for victims of sexual violence

29 October, 13:30-14:45, room XXIV, Palais des Nations

This side event aimed to share lessons learned and identify good practices in the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, with a specific focus on integrated support services for victims, such as the Belgian Sexual Assault Care Centre Model.

(Organizers: Council of Europe and the International Council of Women; Co-sponsors:  Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN in Geneva, French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and NGO/CSW Geneva)

 

29 October, 13:30-14:45, room XXIII, Palais des Nations

This side event aimed to trigger an insightful discussion among UNECE member States on good practices to promote gender equality in old age. The side event initiated a collective thinking process on how to mainstream gender equality in our social systems which need to adapt to rapidly ageing societies.

(Organizers: France, Germany, Italy, UNECE Working Group on Ageing, European Commission)

Beyond Beijing+25 in the EU: Sustainable and inclusive growth through the lens of women’s empowerment

29 October, 13:30-14:45, room XXV, Palais des Nations

The objective of this event was to present and discuss findings from the EU Beijing+25 review, focusing on key gender equality challenges facing the EU and its Member States and the ways to address these through policy action.

(Organizers: European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE); Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, and High Council for Gender Equality, France)

 

Rural women entrepreneurs as agents of change

30 October, 9:00-9:50, room XXVII, Palais des Nations

Rural women in Eastern Europe and Central Asia contribute greatly to the economy through paid and unpaid work, but benefit the least. The Women Resource Centres of Azerbaijan have had transformative impacts on women’s lives by developing women’s skills and giving them market access. The event featured women entrepreneurs from Azerbaijan, Central Asia and Turkey in a conversation on what has worked and what more can be done to promote rural women’s economic independence.

(Organizers: State Committee for Women, Children and Family, Azerbaijan; FAO; UNDP and UN Women, Partners: NGO ‘Support to Sabirabad Women’s Social Development’, Azerbaijan; Central Asian Association to Support Artisans)

30 October, 9:00-9:50, room XXII, Palais des Nations

This discussion focused on women’s social and cultural roles as creators and objects of art, and the change in perception of women’s contribution to and participation in arts. Concrete examples from the Ukrainian context illustrated the discussion.

(Organizers: Ukrainian Institute and UN Women Ukraine)

Generation Equality Forum - Towards a Global Compact for Equality (Flyer in French)

30 October, 13:30-14:45, room XXII, Palais des Nations

This side event aimed to prepare for the Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality with the leadership and partnership of civil society. Building on the Beijing+25 national and regional reviews and CSW64, the Forum (convened by UN Women and co-chaired by France and Mexico) will kick-off in Mexico-City on 7-8 May 2020 and culminate in Paris on 7-10 July 2020.

(Organizers: France and UN Women)

Defend Women Human Rights Defenders – cooperation for strengthening national Beijing+25 commitments

30 October, 13:30-14:45, room XXVII, Palais des Nations

The side event shed light on the latest research and evidence on increasing shrinking space, pushing-back in society against women’s human rights and growing violence against women human rights defenders in the UNECE region. Testimonies from women’s rights defenders were heard and UNECE member States were invited to discuss actions to address risks of women rights violations and violence against Women Human Rights Defenders. 

(Organizers: Netherlands, Women’s Major Group, WECF International, Wo=Men, WIDE+, UN Women)

 

Ending Violence against Women and Girls: Prevalence, Proposals and Partnerships

30 October, 13:30-14:45, room XXV, Palais des Nations

Freedom from violence is a basic human right, yet millions of women suffer from domestic and sexual violence, forced marriage, honour crimes, trafficking and, increasingly, violence facilitated by technology. Panelists discussed the prevalence of VAWG and solutions to prevent and eliminate the practice, including the central role of the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention and progress and challenges in its implementation.

(Organizers: France, Council of Europe and the International Council of Women; Co-sponsors:  Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN in Geneva, UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, and NGO/CSW Geneva)

Kindly note that all morning side events will only start at 9:00am due to the UN's liquidity crisis.

 

Statements

Agenda item 1: Opening of the meeting  
Olga Algayerova, Under-Secretary-General and UNECE Executive Secretary pdf
İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu, presentation of key messages from the Civil Society Forum pdf
Agenda item 3: Election of chairpersons  
Pascale Baeriswyl State Secretary, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland pdf
Agenda item 4: Key trends on gender equality

Monika Linn, Director Sustainable Development and Gender Unit, UNECE

pdf
Virginija Langbakk, Director, European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)  pdf
Austria pdf
European Union (EU) pdf
Nordic Countries (delivered by Iceland)  pdf
Agenda item 5: Closing the gender gaps                                                       
Hijran Huseynova, Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, Azerbaijan pdf
Sonja Lokar, Civil Society Representative (Women's Lobby, Slovenia) pdf
Asel Kubanychbekova, Civil Society Representative (Women Deliver Young Leader, Kyrgyz Republic) pdf
European Union (EU) pdf
Civil Society: Workers and Trade Unions                                                                  pdf
Agenda item 6: Ending violence against women and girls  
Dubravka Šimonovic, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, United Nations pdf
European Union (EU) pdf
UNAIDS                                                                                                 pdf
Agenda item 7: Education for Gender Equality  
Elina Kalkku, Under-Secretary of State for Development Policy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland pdf
Krista Pikkat, Director, Almaty Office for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, UNESCO pdf
Damel Mektepbayeva, Civil Society (Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan)  pdf / pdf
European Union (EU) pdf
Agenda item 8: Financing for Gender Equality  
European Union (EU)                                                                                                                                              pdf
Agenda item 9: Women in Leadership  
Gulnara Ishankhanova, Head of Legal Department, Research Center "Oila", Cabinet of Ministers, Uzbekistan pdf
Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, Ukraine pdf
Ana Sofia Fernandes, Civil Society (Vice President, European Women’s Lobby, Portugal)  pdf
European Union (EU)     pdf
Agenda item 10: Acting for climate                                                                
European Union (EU)     pdf
International Organization for Migration (IOM)                                                          pdf
Agenda item 11: Global Goals and the Beijing Committments  
Charles Ramsden, Chair of the Gender Equality Commission, Council of Europe pdf
Ms. Astrid Krumwiede, Senior Expert, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany pdf
European Union (EU) pdf
Agenda item 12: Co-chair's summary and closure of the meeting  
Pascale Baeriswyl, State Secretary, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland pdf

Civil Society Forum

The Regional Civil Society Forum took place on 28 October 2019 at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG). A broad alliance of feminists and women’s rights organisations organized this forum.

More information? Find further, including the agenda, here. For questions, kindly contact [email protected].