2025 is the 30th year of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), a transformative global agreement enshrining women’s human rights, including sexual and reproductive heatlh and rigths (SRHR); laying the foundation for achieving gender equality and recognition of bodily autonomy and the right to express sexuality. A regional level review process for the 30 year review began in 2024 in Asia and the Pacific.
For the first time, APA was selected to join the Asia Pacific Civil Society Organization (CSO) Steering Committee (SC) for the Beijing +30 review, in June 2024. The 13 Member SC was tasked with facilitating substantive civil society input and participation into the regional level review of the Beijing Platform for Action in Asia and the Pacific, through thematic consultations and the organization of an inclusive Civil Society Forum in advance of the Ministerial Conference.
In lead up the Asia Pacific review, the SC facilitated a series of four virtual thematic consultations engaging 503 participants across 32 countries in the region, feeding into an Asia Pacific CSO Report focusing on:
- Advancing Women’s Economic Justice, Rights, and Social Protection.
- Boosting Women’s Leadership and Political Participation.
- Strategies to End Discrimination and Gender-Based Violence.
- Future-Forward Approaches for Gender Equality and Equity
The SC convened an Asia-Pacific Beijing +30 CSO Forum on 17 -18 November, supoprted by UN Women Asia and the Pacific, where over 350 civil society members, activists, and human rights defenders convened. The forum served as a critical space to assess the implementation of the BPfA, consolidate shared analyses, and develop a unified advocacy agenda. These discussions culminated in the delivery of joint consolidated CSO statements at the Ministerial Conference, amplifying civil society’s key demands
The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing +30 Review took place from 19 - 21 November 2024, to evaluate the progress, challenges and ways forward to realize the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA).
Asia Pacific CSOs jointly delivered 13 statements during the Ministerial Conference. APA Members Forum Dignity Initiative (FDI) and Japan Organization for International Cooperation on Family Planning (JOICFP) were selected to deliver the joint statements on behalf of regional civil society.
Hiromi Kusano, JOICFP Senior Advocacy Officer, delivered a joint civil society statement for East Asia urging for timely access to a comprehensive range of quality SRHR information, products and services. It was delivered under Agenda Item 2: Review of the progress made towards the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and priorities for accelerated action in Asia and the Pacific.
Hiromi Kusano from JOICFP delivering a joint CSO Statement on 19 November 2024.
Uzma Yaqoob, FDI Executive Director, delivered a joint civil society statement calling for greater political leadership of women and gender-diverse people. IT was delivered under Agenda Item 3: Thematic discussion on the achievements, challenges, gaps and emerging issues in the implementation of the BPfA and key actions for their further implementation in Asia and the Pacific, Round Table (b): Strengthening women's participation and leadership in Asia and the Pacific.
Uzma Yaqoob from FDI delivering a joint CSO Statement on 20 November 2024.
The outcomes of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing +30 Review was a report and a Chair’s Summary that summarized the discussions held during the Conference. These regional outcomes of the conference will feed into the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in 2025.
