Subregional Dialogue on Advancing Gender Equality: A Review of the Beijing +30 in the Caribbean Virtual meeting- Wednesday 19th February 2025

The purpose of this meeting to share information to support the participation of Caribbean governments in the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025, and which will focus on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. 

This meeting is organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in coordination with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women). 

Background 

Thirty years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action continues to be a fundamental milestone and a reference in the international and regional human rights agenda, guiding regulatory frameworks and public policies that seek to advance gender equality. 

At the Sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), to be held from 10 to 21 March 2025, governments, United Nations entities and non-governmental organizations from all regions of the world will discuss the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. The review will include an assessment of the current challenges affecting the implementation of the Declaration and Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and women's empowerment, as well as its contribution to the full realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Latin America and the Caribbean has an ambitious, in-depth and comprehensive Regional Gender Agenda, the outcome of more than 48 years in which ECLAC member States have met at the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean to guide the countries' public policies for achieving gender equality, guaranteeing the rights of women, adolescents and girls in all their diversity, the exercise of their autonomy and the sustainable development of the region.

At the Sixty-sixth Meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women a special regional consultation session was held prior to the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which will address the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). On this occasion, the countries adopted the Declaration by the Ministers and High-Level Authorities of the National Machineries for the Advancement of Women in Latin America and the Caribbean for the Sixty-Ninth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. 

In addition, at the Meeting, the countries welcomed the working document Action for equality, development and peace in Latin America and the Caribbean: draft regional report on the review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 30 years on, in synergy with the implementation of the Regional Gender Agenda, and the key developments and challenges in the region identified therein, in the following six thematic areas: (i) inclusive development, shared prosperity and decent work, (ii) poverty eradication, social protection and social services, (iii) eradication of violence, stigma and stereotypes, (iv) participation, accountability and gender-responsive institutions, (v) peaceful and inclusive societies, and (vi) environmental conservation, protection and restoration; (paragraph 7). This working document prepared by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), is based on reports prepared by countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, which in turn are based on comprehensive national reviews for the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action (Beijing+30).

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME

(GMT-4, Trinidad and Tobago Time)

10.00 a.m.– 10.15 a.m. Opening of the meeting

Moderator of the session: Nicole Bidegain, Social Affairs Officer, Division for Gender Affairs, ECLAC

Welcome remarks

• Diane Quarless, Director ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, Port of Spain
• Isiuwa Iyahen, OIC, UN Women Multi-Country Office, Caribbean

10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Presentation: Brief presentation on the main findings of the UN Secretary-General's Report, highlighting global trends                                      

• Maria-Noel Vaeza, Regional Director, UN Women Americas and the Caribbean Regional Office

 10:30 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. Presentation: Action for equality, development and peace in Latin America and the Caribbean. Regional report on the review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 30 years after its adoption in synergy with the implementation of the Regional Gender Agenda

• Ana Güezmes García, Director, Division for Gender Affairs of ECLAC

11:00 a.m. – 11.40 a.m. The Caribbean at Beijing +30: trends, emerging issues and new approaches to accelerate progress 

• Interventions by Caribbean countries 

Comments by:

• L. Nana Oye Hesse-Bayne, Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWIL)
• Terry Ince, CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (CCoTT)

11:40 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. Discussion and Q&A

12:00 p.m. – 12.15 p.m. Closing remarks

• Maria-Noel Vaeza, Regional Director, UN Women Americas and the Caribbean Regional Office
• Ana Güezmes García, Director, Division for Gender Affairs of ECLAC