Reflection on the Commission on the Status of Women: Our work is only just beginning

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action outlines 12 key action points which countries pledged to address back in 1995. These 12 action points cover issues of economic justice, education, healthcare, violence against women, conflict, leadership, human rights, technology, and sustainable development. We ALL haver a role in advocating for women and girls. I believe that each and every one of us have to commit to working to advance the rights of women and girls across the globe. 

I call on us to incorporate a gender perspective into all our work. At the end of the day, women make up half of the global population, which means that issues of climate change, peace and security, and sustainable development, are women’s issues. We know that women are disproportionately affected by poverty, climate change, violence, and access to health and education services, so it’s time to start doing. It is time to make women a core focus of our work, whatever context we are involved in. 

So how do we do this? This year, to mark 30 years since the creation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN member states engaged in a review of their progress to achieving the goals agreed in 1995. Each country has reported on their efforts made thus far, and outline what still needs to be done. This is an advocacy tool we can use to hold our governments accountable for their commitment to advancing women’s rights and gender equality. 

I encourage us also to continue our advocacy beyond the Commission on the Status of Women. We should be talking about this every day, not just for two weeks in March in New York, but every day, all across the world in every context where we work. Let’s not forget, lots of positive progress has been made in all sectors, but there is a lot more that needs to be done to achieve gender equity, and I cannot stress this enough, but we all need to play our part. 

As a young adult at the beginning of my career, I feel anxious about the current state of our world. The rising number of conflicts, the increasing impacts of climate change, and intensifying political situations across the world, are a huge source of anxiety for me. The lack of women in leadership and decision-making roles creates a daunting vision for me. I fear that as a young woman, I will never have access to senior leading roles. At the rate of current progress, it will be beyond my lifetime before there is equal participation of men and women in positions of leadership. That is terrifying. 

Advocating for the rights of women and girls is not and should not exclude the participation of non-female actors. So, I urge those who are not women to be champions of advocating for women. This could be empowering a female colleague with whom you work, or speaking to your government in a place of impact. No act is too small. 

Jesus calls us to love our neighbour as ourselves. I believe we have lot of work to do, but I also believe this can be done. My prayer every day is that we can unite together and fight for the rights of women and girls, because I believe that if Jesus was walking in the flesh on this earth today, he would be leading the movement towards an equitable world with peace and security for all, regardless of gender.