Beijing+30 and SDG 5: Target 5.5 @ 5 years to 2030 in International IDEA Member States and Partner Countries Reflections/Status

International IDEA’s commitment to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality is at the core of the Institute’s mandate to advance, promote and protect sustainable democracy worldwide by responding to the key challenges and opportunities for strengthening democracy in the current and emerging democracy landscape. Such challenges include that women and men are still treated differently and given different tasks, responsibilities, opportunities, and privileges in most societies. Furthermore, it is evident that there is increasing resistance and backlash towards women’s participation and representation in politics, leadership and decision making.

International IDEA recognises that across the world, men more often dominate in decision making and leadership processes and positions at all levels in comparison to women.  Consequently, it is reported that it will take about 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and at least 40 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments[1].

The 69th UN CSW is a momentous session as it coincides with thirty years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action was adopted. The main focus of the 69th session will be on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The review will include an assessment of current challenges that affect the implementation of the Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and its contribution towards the full realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Beijing Platform of Action identified women in power and decision making as one of the twelve strategic objectives and actions for countries to prioritise. This strategic objective is reinforced by the SDG 5 “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” and the related target 5.5 “Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life”.

Purpose

The side event will feature some of International IDEA Member States and Partner countries efforts on achieving the BPA strategic objective on women in power and decision making and the SDG 5 target 5.5 which is five years away in 2030. The side event will highlight the situational experiences in terms of milestones/good practices,  challenges and sustainability of efforts. The side event will focus on the following key questions:

- What are the evident good practices/milestones towards achieving the BPA strategic objective “women in power and decision making” and SDG 5-target 5.5 “Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political and public life”.

- What are the main challenges/gaps and the measures/mechanisms to effectively address these challenges/gaps?

Agenda

>> Welcome and Introductory Remarks by Moderator Rumbidzai Kandawasvika-Nhundu, Principal Adviser, Democracy and Inclusion, International IDEA

Featured Panelists

>> Hon. Jean Mounawauza Sendeza, Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Malawi

>> Ministry of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa (TBC)

>> OlaOluwa Olawumi Programme Manager, Democracy, Rule of Law and Gender Democratic Governance, Delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS
 

[1] Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: the gender snapshot 2022, UN Women and UN Statistics Division.