As part of the 25th anniversary year of the BPfA, and as a concrete move towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the Generation Equality Campaign is being added onto the Beijing + 25 review process and will develop a new forward looking 10 year plan to target key areas of work to carry forward. It is hoped this work will align with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG’s) Agenda 2030, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) and will serve as a celebration of the 10 years since the establishment of UN Women.
The Generation Equality Forum, is being promoted as a civil society-led global gathering convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the Governments of Mexico and France, taking place in Mexico City from 7 to 8 May, 2020 and in Paris from 7 to 10 July 2020.
Information on the Generation Equality Forums, how to apply to attend, who can attend, what they will look like – is all a mystery as of February 2020, More may come from the meetings at CSW 64th Session – so keep checking this page and the UN Women pages for information as it is revealed.
The agenda setting and decision making on this new 10 year forward looking plan is informed through the State and Civil Society reports on Beijing +25, and through NGO CSW NY led action coalitions and on line forums. In January 2020 it was announced that the the following six catalytic Action Coalitions will be announced at the Mexico and France meetings as the framework for the new agenda.
- Gender Based Violence
- Economic Justice and Rights
- Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
- Feminist Action for Climate Justice
- Technology and innovation for Gender Equality
- Feminist Movements and Leadership
For more information on this click here
What are the links to BPFA / Beijing + 25 process?
The national and regional reporting processes follow the usual Beijing review pattern, into the Commission on the Status of Women 64th Session. For the 25th Anniversary year , States and CSO’s organising the national NGO reviews were provided guidance for what is called ‘National Parallel Reports’.
National Parallel Reports provide not only a critique of the government reports, but also allow for key issues and good CSO practices as it relates to the BPfA to be reported on. The proposed structure of this 25 year review reporting was shifted from reporting on each of the 12 Critical Areas of the BPfA to a format more commonly used to report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thus serving to align and build synergies with work on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Parallel Reports asked for information on :
- Inclusive development, shared prosperity and decent work (combining BPfA Critical Areas A – Poverty, F – Economy, I – Human Rights and L L Girl Child)
- Poverty eradication, social protection and social services ( combining BPfA Critical Areas A – Poverty, B – Education & Training, F – Economy, I – Human Rights and L – Girl Child)
- Freedom from violence, stigma and stereotypes (combining BPfA Critical Areas D-Violence, I Human Rights, J – Media, L-Girl Child)
- Participation, accountability and gender-responsive institutions (combining BPfA Critical Areas G-Power and Decision Making, H-Institutional Mechanisms, I- Human Rights, J Media, and L – Girl Child)
- Peaceful and inclusive societies (combining BPfA Critical Areas E- Armed Conflict, I – Human Rights and L-Girl Child)
- Environmental conservation, protection and rehabilitation (combining BPfA Critical Areas I-Human Rights, K – Environment and L- Girl Child)
- National Institutions and Processes
- Priorities Achievements, Challenges and Setbacks
- Data
By presenting the reports in this way, Critical Area C – Women and Health is not covered by reporting and other critical areas, are given a narrower focus.
For the Australian NGO B+25 Caucus who worked on the Australian review, the decision was made not to present the parallel report in this format, rather to cover in depth the complexities and cross cutting issues from the 12 Critical Areas – thus allowing an ind-depth review of each critical area.
The BPfA process combines with the SDG process after CSW 64th Session where the Generation Equality (SDG) processes appear to kick in.
How are Civil Society Involved and who makes the decisions?
The governance structures of the Forum include the Core Group, a Civil Society Advisory Group, and a Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee. These governance structures are supported by a Secretariat at UN Women.
The Core Group is the ultimate decision-making body for the Generation Equality Forum. It is co-chaired by UN Women, France, Mexico and two (rotating) civil society representatives, from Global North and Global South, who have both been nominated by civil society.
A Civil Society Advisory Group has been established following a civil society–led selection process. (Information about the selection process can be found here.) The Group includes 21 members that represent broad and diverse constituencies. The Civil Society Advisory Group is supporting the decision-making of the Core Group, ensuring that civil society’s priorities are reflected in the Forum’s outcomes.
A Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee is being established by the Core Group. The Committee includes 25 members comprising civil society, Member States, the private sector, and other stakeholders who are contributing to the Forum’s design, planning, and implementation.
UN Women has set up a Civil Society Strategic Planning and Leadership Group (see the list of members) to provide advice to UN Women on issues related to the conceptualisation and operationalisation of the Forum and, in particular, in relation to the mainstreaming of an intersectional and intergenerational focus. Also, a youth-led Beijing+25 Task Force ensures that young people are at the centre of the Beijing+25 process.
[Source : UN Women and NGO CSW NY]