By SHOBHA SHUKLA
The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic commitment made by governments worldwide in 1995 to advance the rights and dignity of women and girls. As we stand at this critical milestone, the world is grappling with a sharp rise in anti-gender rhetoric, deepening inequalities, and declining political will. Yet, amidst these challenges, signs of progress and resilience offer hope and strength to recommit ourselves to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5) — gender equality — by 2030 or sooner.
“The Beijing Declaration was a bold promise to the world’s women and girls that their rights, dignity and health would be non-negotiable. That promise remains unfulfilled,” said Nazneen Damji, Chief (ad interim), Governance and Participation Section, and Senior Policy Advisor at UN Women, during a special side event at the 78th World Health Assembly.
Damji was speaking at a gathering organised by the Global Centre for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Fòs Feminista, CNS, and other partners — an urgent reminder that universal health coverage (UHC) cannot succeed unless it embeds gender equality and human rights at its core.
The Crisis of Political Will
According to UN Women, a rising wave of organised resistance is targeting women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) — including severe funding cuts that are affecting civil society, governments, and even UN agencies that provide abortion services and HIV care.
“This is not just a budget issue — it is a crisis of political will. SRHR are not optional; they are fundamental human rights. And yet, only 56% of married women aged 15 to 49 can make their own decisions about reproductive health. This isn’t just a statistic. It reflects deeply rooted inequalities and harmful social norms,” Damji emphasised.
The consequences are deadly:
- Every two minutes, a woman dies from preventable, pregnancy-related causes.
- In 2023, over 700 women died each day due to avoidable complications.
- In at least 22 sub-Saharan African countries, adolescent girls and young women were over three times more likely to acquire HIV than boys and young men.
Gender Discrimination Inside Health Systems
Fadekemi Akinfaderin, Chief Global Advocacy Officer at Fòs Feminista, highlighted how racism, gender-based discrimination, and stigma within healthcare settings continue to block access to essential services. Survivors of gender-based violence often face additional hurdles due to financial constraints, inadequate systems, and social stigma.
Sharing a personal experience, she said, “Despite being an educated, middle-class woman, I was denied epidural pain relief during childbirth because the healthcare worker said I should give birth like a ‘Hebrew woman’. This wasn’t just unprofessional — it was dehumanising.”
These incidents are not anomalies. As Damji pointed out, the World Report on the Social Determinants of Health Equity confirms that gender discrimination can persist even when user fees are removed. Young, poor, migrant, or minority women continue to avoid healthcare because of fear of abuse and mistreatment.
UHC as a Human Right
Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, also addressed the event, emphasising that Universal Health Coverage is key to building just, inclusive, and peaceful societies.
“The world today is marked by war, humanitarian and economic crises, genocide, and climate disasters. All of these impact the right to health. Inequality, violence, and discrimination are incompatible with UHC,” she said.
She added, “Delivering UHC in the face of pushback against gender equality must be grounded in the understanding that every human being is entitled — without discrimination — to the highest attainable standard of health and a life of dignity.”
The Unsung Heroes: Women’s Rights Groups
Women’s rights organisations often act as first responders, providing life-saving health services and psychosocial support. Yet their reach is shrinking due to declining funds and intensifying political backlash.
“Without supporting these organisations and movements, especially those placing women at the centre as decision-makers — not just recipients — we risk undoing years of progress,” Damji warned.
Glimmers of Hope
Despite mounting challenges, there are success stories to celebrate. At the recently concluded 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), governments reaffirmed their commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action through a strong political declaration.
Over the last two decades:
- The number of women using modern contraception has doubled.
- The rate of unintended pregnancies has dropped by 19%.
“These are not small victories. They’re the result of sustained, evidence-based investments and advocacy. But to continue on this path, we must protect and scale up the approaches that work,” said Damji. That includes ensuring UHC encompasses comprehensive SRHR services, such as contraception, safe abortion, maternal care, and HIV prevention.
Investing in the Future
How can this progress be sustained? Experts unanimously stress the need for increased domestic financing of health systems. Women’s health services must be integral to national health benefit packages — not sidelined as optional or secondary.
As we approach the 30-year mark of the Beijing Declaration, the global community must transition from promises to delivery. Gender justice and health equity are not just development goals; they are non-negotiable imperatives for a just and inclusive world.
“The Beijing Platform for Action gave us a roadmap. Now, 30 years later, it’s time to deliver — because health for all must mean rights for all,” Damji concluded.