In a historic context, world leaders from around the world at the beginning of the?High-level United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting gathered for the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women to celebrate the Beijing Declaration as the most visionary and groundbreaking global agenda for gender equality, and to launch a call to affirm that women and girls’ rights must remain a unifying force. 

World leaders moved beyond words to commitments with 109 national governments mobilising 212 national actions in support of the Beijing+30 Action Agenda, the strongest multilateral stand for women and girls in the past 30 years.

UN Women Executive Director, Sima Sami Bahous, urged governments to stand their ground and to uplift gender equality as a unifying force for the world.

“Your words today must be matched by courage tomorrow: in the policies you pass, the budgets you allocate, and the change you drive together with and for women.

These actions form a map of the possible, and we know what that possibility can deliver when we come together.

Because gender equality remains a unifying force for the world,” said Ms Bahous.? 

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, at the event said, “Equal rights and opportunities for women and girls are not partisan issues.

They are global imperatives – and the foundation of peace, prosperity and progress.

The United Nations stands with them, and all leaders should do the same, by speaking out and doing everything possible to realise the vision of the Beijing Declaration.”

The event marked the first major initiative of the new President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, the fifth woman President of the General Assembly out of 80.

“We stand on the shoulders of giants, of women who paved the way forward for us.

Today, we celebrate the courageous women who fought for every single phrase in the Beijing Declaration. The fight paid off, but 30 years later the revolution remains unfinished,” she said. ?