Synthesis statement: civil society reflections on Beijing+25 in the UNECE Region

More than 410 civil society members from 282 organisations and 45 countries of the UNECE region met on the 28th of October 2019 in Geneva. The young feminists presented a synthesis report of the 6 regional statements and 22 thematic priorities which were discussed at the CSO Forum during the opening plenary at the United Nations.

Opening session: intervention

Beijing+25 – UNECE Regional Review Meeting
29 October 2019

“My name is İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu and I am a 26 year old lawyer and a PhD student at Koç University in İstanbul researching International Human Rights Law. I am also a member of the Beijing+25 Global Youth Task Force, and today I am speaking on behalf of the Women’s Major Group.

This opening speech has been prepared collectively with other young feminists like myself, and informed by more than 410 civil society members from 45 countries in the region. 

I am grateful that they have given me, a young feminist, the floor to deliver this message. I was a 2 year-old baby when the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted, yet it continues to be the most progressive blueprint for achieving gender equality and advancing the rights of all women to date. However, almost 25 years have passed and we are still miles away from fully realizing the commitments made in 1995.  

In fact, we face critical challenges today that threaten to roll-back the many achievements we have gained and continue to live in a world in which patriarchy, sexism, capitalism, ageism, racism, heteronormativity, and xenophobia drive women’s oppression and inequality. We face a climate crisis that, if not dealt with right now, will leave us all with no future to speak of.

Having said this I would like to share with you some of the key messages that we retained from the Civil Society Forum that took place yesterday. (28 October 2019)”

Sign on

You can support the statement up until 29 November 2019. We will publish all the supporting organisations below on 30 November 2019. Support the statement here.

Contributors 

İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu (Beijing +25 Global Youth Task Force), Emma Rainey (Young Feminist Europe), Xenia Kellner (Young Feminist Europe), Luíza Drummond Veado (OutRight Action International), Rashima Kwatra (RFSL – The Swedish Federation for LGBTIQ Rights), Pip Gardner (Beijing +25 Global Youth Task Force), Elisabeth Keuten (Beijing +25 Global Youth Task Force), Sophie Beria (YouAct), Hanna Gunnarsson (Women Engage for a Common Future), Sanne Van de Voort (Women Engage for a Common Future)

Photo credit

UN Women / Antoine Tardy

Signatures

The following organisations have already signed on to support the young feminists’ synthesis report on the UNECE regional civil society forum on Beijing+25. In total, organisations and individuals from these 43 countries have signed: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, unkown (44 signatures).

28 Too Many
Act Church of Sweden
Adhesió individual. Barcelona en Comú. Gràcia
AFCIDR-EUROPE
Agenda 2030 Feminista
Aidos – Italian Association for Women in Development
Alvanian Siciety for All Ages (ASAG)
Aroa Foundation
Asociación Mujeres con Voz
Assexora’tgn
Associación Helia
Associated Country Women of the World
Association d’aide à l’éducation de l’enfant handicapé (AAEEH)
Association for Women’s Career Development in Hungary
ASTRA Network
Atria – Institute for Gender Equality and Women’s History
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, Toronto
Belarusian Organization of Working Women
BPW International
Business and Professional Women
Ca la Dona
Calala Women’s Fund
Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action
CARE France
Center for Legal Civic Initiatives
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Support of Women, Vojvodina SOS Network
Center Women and Modern World
Child Rights Centre Albania
CHOICE For Youth & Sexuality
CISC
Coalition of NGOs “From the Equality de-Juro- to the Equality de-Facto”, Tajikistan
COC Nederland
Committee on Ageing
Conseil des femmes francophones de Belgique
CREA
Creación Positiva
CSO “La Strada-Ukraine”
Cultural-Humanitarian Fund ” Sukhumi”
D.i.Re Donne in rete contro la violenza – Italy
Ddipas
DNJ Rogaland
Dolo Pulido
DUKINGIRE ISI YACU -BURUNDI FOR RESILIENCE
Dutch association of Wonen’s Interest, Women’s Work and Equal Citizenship
e Planning Familial MFPF
EDF Youth Committee
Elcin Cavlan
Equality Now
Equipop
FAWCO
FEDERACIÓN PLANIFICACIÓN FAMILIAR ESTATAL
Federation for Women and Family Planning, Poland
Feminist League
Feminist League, Kazakhstan
Femmes d’Actions
Fokus
Fondazione Giorgio Brunelli
Forum of women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan
Free Press Unlimited
Fundació Àmbit Prevenció
Fundació Surt – Surt Foundation
Gender Equality Platform
Gender-Centru Moldova
GENERA – Asociación en defensa de los derechos de las mujeres
Global Fund for Widows (GFW)
Global Network of Sex Work Projects
Graduate Women International
Gray Panthers
HERA – Health Education and Research Association
Humanity Diaspo
IDP Women NGO – Cultural-Humanitarian Fund “Sukhumi”
IFBPW
ILGA World
Institutum Virtutes Civilis Association
International Alliance of Women
International Council of Women (ICW-CIF)
International Falcon Movement – Socialist Education International
International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations
International Federation on Ageing
International Network of Prevention of Elder Abuse – INPEA
International Public Association “Gender Perspectives”
IPPF EN
Journalists for HUMAN Rights
KA.DER
Karat Coalition – Poland
Kirmizi Biber Dernegi – Red Pepper Association
L’Associació de Drets Sexuals i Reproductius
LesBiCat (Grup de dones lesbianes i bisexuals de Catalunya)
Mama Cash
MeNengage
Mercy Corps Europe
Millennial Womxn in Policy
Mor Çatı Kadın Sığınağı Vakuı (PPurple Roof Women’s Shelter Foundation
MOSGB
Mouvement Français pour le Planning Familial
National Council of Women of Ukraine
Netherlands Council of Women
NGO Atina
NGO Black Sea Women’s Club
NGO Young Feminists
NGO-Coordination post Bejing Switzerland
NIHOL Center
NSWP
Older Women’s Network EUROPE – OWN
Ontario Native Women’s Association
OutRight Action International
Oxfam Intermon
PaRiter (Croatia)
Persons Against Non-State Torture
Plan International Germany
PO “CEC Tomiris”
PO “Madina”
PO “Tajikistan network of women living with HIV”
Public Foundation “Your Choice”
Public foundation DIA
Public fund Epkin
Purple Roof Women’s Shelter Foundation
Regional Women’s Lobby in South East Europe (RWLSEE)
RESURJ
RFSL – the Swedish Federation for LGBTIQ Rights
Rural women’s association Alga
Rutgers
Sarajevo Open Centre
Secció dones, gènere i diversitats COPC
SeConS – Development Initiative Group
Sex Workers’ Forum, Russia
Shirley Ann Sullivan Educational Foundation
SI
SIDA STUDI
Soroptimist International
Soroptimist International Belgium
Soroptimist International Club Zwolle
Soroptimist International GBI
Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland
Soroptimist International of Europe
SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence
SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence Niksic, Montenegro
Stakeholder Group on Ageing (SGA)
Tamaia viure sense violencia
Taso Foundation
Terra-1530
The Beam Magazine
The hidden hero in each kid
The MiRA Resource Center for Black Immigrant and Refugee Women, Norway
The national council of women of finland
The Work Health and Survival Project
Theatre for Dialogue
Toxisphera Environmental Health Organization
Turkish Women’s Union and Baskent Women’s Platform
Uçan Süpürge Vakfı
Udruzenje Centar zenskih prava (Center of Women’s Rights)
UND Women Germany
Water Justice and Gender
WAVE European Network
WECF – Women Engage for a Common Future
WECF e.v. (Germany)
WECF Netherlands
WIDE+ (Women’s Rights and Feminist Perspectives in Development)
Widows for Peace through Democracy
WILPF
Women Against Nuclear Power – Finland
Women Enabled International
Women for Women’s Human Rights – New Ways
Women in Development Shkoder
Women’s association Alga
Women’s Coalition Turkey
Women’s Consortium of Ukraine
Women’s International Zionist Organization
Women’s Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Women’s Platform for the Development of Serbia
Women’s UN Report Network (WUNRN)
WOMEN’S WORLD SUMMIT FOUNDATION
Women’s Party – Kadin Partisi
Women@theTable
Womenćs Platform for tthe Development of Serbia
Xarxa de dones per la salut
Xarxa Feminista
YouAct – European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights
Young Feminist Europe
YWCA Canada