World leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing gender equality during commemorations of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women, a pivotal 1995 UN event that reshaped global dialogues on women's empowerment. UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the original conference as "the most ambitious blueprint ever forged for women's rights," while acknowledging persistent gaps in education, economic participation, and political representation.
Delegates from over 50 countries highlighted Asia's mixed progress, with notable advancements in girls' education access and maternal healthcare offset by ongoing challenges in workplace equality and leadership parity. South Korea's gender wage gap reduction initiatives and India's panchayat-level political quotas were cited as regional success models.
Chinese officials emphasized the conference's enduring legacy, noting that 86% of the Chinese mainland's workforce now participates in social security systems supporting maternal health. However, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous cautioned that "no country is on track to achieve full gender equality by 2030" under current trajectories.
