Beijing +25

Abstract

The United Nations (UN) conferences have made a significant impact on the development agendas and related projects and programmes on gender equality designed to support women – including African women – starting with Mexico 1975, Copenhagen 1980, Nairobi 1985 and the fourth world conference in Beijing in 1995 with its Platform for Action (BPfA). The designation of the years 1975-1985 as the International Decade for Women was certainly a stimulus to this agenda; subsequent conferences successively mirror the growing activism and vitality of the international women’s movement, in particular the growth and impact of Southern feminisms (which includes Africa) and their concerns around substantive equality issues (in addition to formal equality matters). The BPfA is the main agenda for African national and regional women’s organisations to hold their governments accountable on the promises made towards women. An interview with the Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka in this special issue confirms this.