On February 6, 2025, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan collectively affirmed their commitment to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as outlined in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), during a high-level meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. The pledge was formalized through a joint statement.
The event, titled “Five Years to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Central Asia Perspectives on the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5,” was organized UN Women and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It brought together nearly 70 high-level officials from parliaments and ministries of foreign affairs, finance, and justice, along with representatives from civil society and women’s machineries, development partners, and the United Nations, to discuss Central Asia’s progress in promoting gender equality and to outline concrete actions in light of the 30th commemoration of the BPfA.
The meeting was held in the lead-up to the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) – scheduled from 10 to 21 March 2025 – which will focus on reviewing and appraising the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
“We are committed to the vision adopted in Beijing 30 years ago – a vision of a world where the freedoms, human rights, and opportunities for all women and girls everywhere can be fully realized. We are all here today because the world cannot wait another 30 years to fulfill the promise of gender equality. This is our common aspiration. For all Women and Girls. Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” said Belén Sanz Luque, UN Women Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia. She also emphasized that the meeting serves not only as a platform for dialogue but as a catalyst for tangible action.
Aida Balayeva, Chairperson of the National Commission on Women Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Minister of Culture and Information, highlighted that the BPfA has been a significant milestone towards achieving gender equality and empowering women worldwide.
“Kazakhstan, as an active participant in global processes, fully supports these initiatives and systematically implements them in practice. Over the past three decades, our country has achieved notable progress in ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men. Still, our mission is to continue this work, creating conditions where every woman can fulfill her potential and contribute to the development of society, country, and the world,” stated Balayeva.
The participants also acknowledged the progress made in legislative reforms and policy initiatives, along with the ongoing measures, aimed at promoting gender equality in Central Asia.
“For the Republic of Uzbekistan, ensuring the rights and freedoms of women, expanding their opportunities, and enhancing their role in society are key priorities of state policy. We are fully committed to implementing international obligations, including the provisions of the Beijing Declaration, and are actively pursuing mechanisms to ensure gender equality,” stated Orzigul Kozikhonova, Chairperson of the Committee on Youth, Women, Culture and Sports, Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Republic of Uzbekistan.
A key topic discussed at the event was the effective mechanisms for financing initiatives to achieve gender equality, including attracting investment and government support across Central Asia. In this regard, the meeting wrapped up with a powerful reminder that financing gender equality is key to implementing the Beijing Declaration and achieving real change.
“Why is it important to finance gender equality? Because it is crucial for implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and for achieving gender equality in the country,” stressed Aida Israilova, Head of Division of the Ministry of Finance, from Kyrgyz Republic.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants adopted a joint statement, affirming their collective commitment to advancing gender equality and empowerment of women and girls in the region. The document also outlines specific actions to incorporate gender-responsive planning and budgeting, prioritizing gender equality and cultural transformation, empowering women and marginalized groups, expanding social protection and care economies, strengthening data collection systems for gender equality, and fostering private sector and economic empowerment.
“If we all come together and work as one, making joint efforts, this will benefit the entire Central Asia region. We share similar challenges and goals, so it is crucial to collaborate, unite our efforts, and achieve the tasks set before us,” said Mahri Bashimova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, from Turkmenistan.
As the participants emphasized the importance of building alliances and collaborating with civil society and youth, Kamila Tuyakbayeva from the UN Youth Advisory Group in the Republic of Kazakhstan emphasized that the voices of new generations should be heard and included in decision-making processes.
“I call on everyone – take action and demand this from your people and decision-making powers. Include young people in the decision-making tables. Create safe digital and physical spaces for women and girls.Invest in women’s and girls’ education, safety, well-being, and health. And please, stop teaching young people what our mothers were taught. Instead, let young people teach us. Listen to them and stop talking about us, start talking with us, because the change starts today,” concluded Kamila Tuyakbayeva.
In 2025, the global community marks 30 years since the adoption of the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the 25th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325, and 15 years since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. These anniversaries provide a crucial moment to reflect on progress made and prioritize high-impact actions to ensure that commitments to gender equality and women’s rights are fulfilled.
Background information:
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is the most comprehensive agenda on gender equality and women’s empowerment. This document was adopted by UN member states in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. By joining the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, governments committed to improving the situation of women and girls and expanding their rights and opportunities. Realizing that thirty years later, not a single country in the world has fully implemented the commitments made, and that, moreover, progress towards gender equality has slowed down, the international community and UN Women declare the need to accelerate both national and international action to achieve results. ///UN Woman, 7 February 2025