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“I am generation equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”

 

On International Women’s Day 2020, we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, the most visionary Agenda for Women’s Rights.

 

Let us highlight the extraordinary DNA of our organisation, with the capacity, focus, accountability and role models constantly performed by our members’ global network.

 

Soroptimists have always believed in the knowledge-based approach, reporting, sharing ideas, planning, executing activities and projects.

 

Our goal is increasing the visibility of women and girls’ human rights and impacting on their lives. We Stand Up for Women!

 

Today, 25 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action:

 

  • Women and girls are more educated than ever before;
  • Efforts have been made to end practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation;
  • Two-thirds of countries have enacted laws to stop domestic violence.

 

However, there has been uneven progress on the 12 Critical Areas of concern.

 

Gaps still exist in national legislation and ineffective legal protection which undermine the rights of girls and women.

 

Equality between women and men and the elimination of all forms of gender discrimination is not a myth, it is exhaustively set among the most fundamental human rights and United Nations values as a priority issue.

 

Our call today is for governments, civil societies, to act NOW, to further the advancement of women’s human rights to achieve fully sustainable development and progress.

 

Let us not wait another 25 years for gender equality.

Author

Rita Nogueira Ramos, SIE 1st Vice President