The Beijing India Report as milestone & oppurtunity

Context

It has been 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark international agenda outlining an action plan for gender equality across 12 dimensions such as education, health, economics and politics.

It has helped India focus attention on gender perspectives in policies, pass the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) or POSH Act, and push for the economic empowerment of women.

Gender inequality and the climate crisis are one of the greatest challenges of today, which the quote above highlights.

Beijing India Report 2024 (India’s Report on Beijing+30) is a significant opportunity — integrating gender and climate considerations is not just an imperative for achieving gender equality but is also essential for India’s sustainable and resilient future and human rights.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)

• It was adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women (United Nations) in 1995, to provide a comprehensive framework for gender equality.

• It emphasized women’s rights as human rights, advocating for reforms in education, political participation, economic empowerment, health, and protection from violence.

• Other International Treaties Where India is a Signatory:

1Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948);

2International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, 1966);

3Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979);

4United Nations Convention Against Corruption (2003);

5Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development;

India is a signatory to all above treaties, including the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.