Statement by the Director-General, Ms. Jan Beagle
Recommitting to, Resourcing and Accelerating the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to Achieve Gender Equality and the Empowerment of all Women and Girls
New York, 22 September 2025
Madam President,
Excellencies,
This anniversary is very personal for me. As the focal point for the Beijing Conference in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, I was deeply involved in the preparatory work and
participated in the Conference and the NGO Forum in Huairou.
I remember those days vividly. Although they were rainy, there was a feeling of sunshine. We were seeing the world through women’s eyes.
The international community reaffirmed that women’s rights are human rights and was able to reach consensus around the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women in advancing sustainable peace and development.
Since then, there have been many examples of progress but progress is uncertain, and slowing and, in some cases, reversing. We must use this anniversary to push back against the pushback.
IDLO’s experience in some 100 countries over the past four decades shows that closing the justice gap for women and girls can drastically accelerate progress on implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Security Council resolution 1325, and SDG5.
Critical actions include:
- Eliminating discriminatory laws and strengthening fair legal frameworks,
- Ensuring that justice systems and institutions are accessible and respond to the needs of women and girls,
- Ending gender-based violence and protecting women and girls in digital environments,
- Championing women’s equal participation and leadership in the justice sector, and
- Sustaining adequate financing.
As an International Gender Champion, I am proud of IDLO’s role in helping to close the gender justice gap.
We remain committed to working with governments, international partners, civil society and the private sector to deliver rule of law solutions that advance gender equality. It is the best
investment that we can make in our collective future.
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