Background
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most comprehensive global policy framework to achieve the goals of gender equality, development and peace – called for action on 12 key issues:
- Poverty
- Education and training
- Health
- Violence against women
- Armed conflict
- Economy
- Power and decision-making
- Institutional mechanisms
- Human rights
- Media
- Environment
- Girls
Since the Beijing Conference, progress has been made in a number of areas, most significantly in education. However, while gender-sensitive legislation and policies have addressed inequalities and discrimination against women, overall progress remains uneven. Disparities exist between regions and within countries. Global averages also hide differences among women based on location, economic status, ethnicity, age, disability and other factors.
Many challenges to gender equality and women's empowerment require urgent attention.
