Beijing Conference

• The United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women

• NGO Forum

• September 1995, Beijing

• 189 countries

• 36,000 + 8,000 women

Beijing Conference: Objectives

• Review and appraise the advancement of women since Nairobi, 1985

• Mobilize women and men on both the policy-making and grass-root levels to achieve the Nairobi objectives

• Platform for Action

• Determine the priority actions 1996-2001

The Platform for Action

• Created at the Beijing Conference• Identifies 12 “critical areas of concern”

considered to represent the main obstacles to women’s advancement

• Defines strategic objectives and spells out actions to be taken over the next 5 years by governments, the international community, NGOs, and the private sector

Platform for ActionIssues Addressed

• Poverty• Education & Training• Health• Violence• Armed Conflict• Economy

• Decision-Making• Institutional

Mechanisms• Human Rights• Media• Environment• The Girl-Child