Women’s rights under threat 

September 24, 2025

At a high-level meeting at the United Nations in New York, senior leaders marked the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration on women’s rights, highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed delegates on September 22, 2023, noting that the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action had been the most ambitious global commitment on women’s rights at the time. However, he said progress has been “slow and uneven,” and no country has yet achieved full gender equality.

Guterres warned that gains in women’s rights were increasingly under threat. Conflicts, climate disasters, and an online surge in misogyny, he said, were undermining hard-won achievements. He called for universal ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and for active efforts to include women in decision-making roles at all levels of governance and society.

He also highlighted the role of technology in shaping equality, cautioning against the risks posed by artificial intelligence. “The tech industry is dominated by men, shaped by biased data, and driven by algorithms that frequently reinforce discrimination,” he said. Guterres urged investments in girls’ education in science and technology and stressed that innovation must serve inclusion rather than exclusion.

Emphasising women’s participation in decision-making, he stated that it is “not a gift, it is a right,” and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to gender parity within the organisation.

Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, echoed these concerns, calling women’s rights “unfinished business.” She referenced Hillary Clinton’s 1995 statement in Beijing that “women’s rights are human rights,” noting that while this should be self-evident for young women today, barriers persist worldwide.

Baerbock highlighted ongoing gender-based violence, citing reports from Afghanistan and Sudan, and noted that one in three women globally will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. She also drew attention to inequalities in healthcare and family planning and warned against political and religious restrictions on women’s bodily autonomy.

Despite these setbacks, Baerbock recognised the resilience and achievements of women’s movements over the past decades. She noted that women’s presence at decision-making tables improves corporate performance, strengthens peace processes, and enhances government effectiveness. She called on world leaders to match rhetoric with tangible resources and representation.

“Women’s rights are always human rights,” Baerbock concluded. “They are our rights, our future.” The statements at the UN underscored that while the 30-year milestone reflects progress, the path to equality remains unfinished and requires sustained commitment across political, social, and technological spheres.