Desk Report: Women’s rights are facing unprecedented threats worldwide, with growing levels of discrimination, weaker legal protections, and less funding for initiatives supporting women’s safety and empowerment, according to a new report by UN Women. The “Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing” report, published ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025, reveals that nearly a quarter of governments globally reported a backlash against women’s rights in 2024.
Despite important progress, challenges persist. Since 1995, only 87 countries have ever been led by a woman, and a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by a partner or family member. The rise of digital technology and artificial intelligence has perpetuated harmful stereotypes, while the digital gender gap continues to limit women’s opportunities in technology and innovation.
The report also highlights alarming trends, including a 50% increase in the number of women and girls living in conflict over the past decade. Women’s rights defenders face daily harassment, personal attacks, and even death. The urgency for change is compounded by global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate emergency, and rising food and fuel prices.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed, “When women and girls can rise, we all thrive. Yet, globally, women’s human rights are under attack. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we’re seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny. Together, we must stand firm in making human rights, equality, and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere.”
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous reaffirmed the commitment to ensuring that all women and girls can fully enjoy their rights. She said, “Complex challenges stand in the way of gender equality and women’s empowerment, but we remain steadfast, pushing forward with ambition and resolve. Women and girls are demanding change—and they deserve nothing less.”
As 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action—one of the most visionary roadmaps for women’s rights—the report also recognizes significant progress. Since 1995, girls’ education has achieved parity, maternal mortality has dropped by a third, and women’s representation in parliaments has more than doubled. Between 1995 and 2024, 1,531 legal reforms were made in 189 countries and territories, and discriminatory laws are being removed globally.
However, despite these advances, much remains to be done to achieve gender equality and meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report introduces the Beijing+30 Action Agenda, which focuses on six key areas to complete the unfinished work of gender equality:
- Digital Revolution for All Women and Girls: Ensuring equal access to technology and equipping women and girls to lead in AI and digital innovation, while guaranteeing their online safety and privacy.
- Freedom from Poverty: Investments in social protection, health coverage, education, and care services to support women’s growth, while creating green and decent jobs.
- Zero Violence: Countries must adopt and implement comprehensive legislation to end all forms of violence against women and girls, backed by well-resourced community-based support plans.
- Full and Equal Decision-Making Power: Temporary measures like gender quotas have proven effective in increasing women’s participation in decision-making.
- Peace and Security: Financing national plans for women, peace, and security, and ensuring gender-responsive humanitarian aid is available, particularly for women’s organizations on the frontlines.
- Climate Justice: Prioritizing women’s and girls’ rights in climate adaptation, ensuring their leadership in climate action, and guaranteeing they benefit from new green jobs.
The report emphasizes the importance of placing young women and girls at the center of these efforts to ensure lasting success.
The Beijing+30 Action Agenda represents a roadmap for unleashing progress on women’s rights, helping to put global efforts back on track for the 2030 Agenda. The upcoming Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) will be a critical opportunity to integrate these actions into national and global policies.
“Let us push women’s rights forward in this pivotal year, despite the crises we face. We can be the first generation to live in a truly equal world,” said UN Women, calling for worldwide action to advance gender equality and ensure equal opportunities for all women and girls.