High-level week opens with a spotlight on women’s empowerment and unfinished business

The high-level week of the UN General Assembly opened with a celebration of women’s empowerment, marking 30 years since the landmark 1995 Beijing Conference and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration, described by Secretary-General António Guterres as the most ambitious global commitment on women’s rights. The event brought together governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector to discuss how to accelerate its implementation.

Speakers highlighted major gains since 1995. UN Women’s Executive Director Sima Bahous noted that girls are now more likely than ever to complete school, the share of women in parliaments worldwide has nearly doubled, and close to 100 discriminatory laws have been repealed in just the past five years. These milestones underscore a simple truth: gender equality works.

Yet progress remains uneven and far too slow. A new UN Women report warned that none of the gender equality Sustainable Development Goals are currently on track. It also found that 676 million women and girls now live in conflict zones—the highest number since the 1990s—exposing them to heightened risks of violence, displacement, and loss of rights.

Speakers called for urgent action to match ambition with results. Cecilia Suárez, UN Global Advocate for the Spotlight Initiative, stressed that it is possible to end violence against women and girls when leadership and resources align. Human rights activist and Nobel laureate Nadia Murad urged the international community to provide sustained funding to women’s organizations on the frontlines, guarantee women’s participation in peace and security processes, and ensure accountability for perpetrators of abuse.

The overall message was clear: while the Beijing Declaration has driven progress, the next generation of women and girls must inherit not just promises, but a lived reality of justice, equality, and dignity.

To learn more about the General Assembly High-level Week 2025, please click here.