Anya Victoria, the Senior Coordinator of Feminist Alliance for Rights at CWGL was one of the Speakers at the press launch of UN Womens "Women's rights in review 25 years after Beijing" Report in New York City. Speaking alongside UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and others, Anya highlighted her journey as a young activist.

"Young feminist activists have always played an important role in our movements by bringing up new issues, ideas and strategies. Today, they are pushing us to act with urgency and take bolder approaches. But young women activists face many barriers; they need greater access to funding and capacity-building opportunities. They also need to know that they are safe when they speak up for women’s rights," Anya said.

She further highlighted the work of CWGL : "We are working strategically to move forward against the odds. Cross regional networks like the Feminist Alliance for Rights play an important role here. Taking an intersectional approach, we are amplifying the voices of women from the Global South and those of marginalized communities from the Global North. These include young, differently-abled, indigenous, migrant, refugee, lesbian and transgender women."

She added: "We are strengthening their leadership to influence global norms and processes. And we work hard at the regional and national level to hold powerful actors accountable for women’s human rights. In relation to Beijing +25, we are working with thousands of activists around the world to advance a Feminist and Women’s Movement Action Plan that places women’s human rights and feminist values at the Center."

According to UN Women, marking the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, as well as the first time that progress on the implementation of the Platform is reviewed in light of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the report takes an integrated approach to reporting on progress, gaps, and challenges related to the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights.

The Report uses striking data to examine six themes that link the Platform’s critical areas of concern and the Sustainable Development Goals:

  • Inclusive development, shared prosperity, and decent work
  • Poverty eradication, social protection, and social services
  • Freedom from violence, stigma, and stereotypes
  • Participation, accountability, and gender-responsive institutions
  • Peaceful and inclusive societies
  • Environmental conservation, climate action, and resilience-building

To ensure that progress is accelerated and achieved across all these themes, the report calls for four catalysts for change:

  1. Support women’s movements and leadership,
  2. Harness technology for gender equality,
  3. Ensure no one is left behind, and
  4. Match commitments with resources.

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