In May 2024, we were selected alongside 12 other organisations to the Beijing+30 Civil Society Steering Committee for Asia and the Pacific to lead and facilitate input and participation of civil society organisations (both regional and national) in the Beijing +30 regional review process.
Beijing +30 Asia Pacific Civil Society Steering Committee is: Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA), Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD), Asia Pacific Women’s Watch, Asia-Pacific Mission for Migrants, China Women's Research Society, Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Digital Rights Foundation, Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM), Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, MONFEMNET, Rising Flame, The YP Foundation<>Feminist Manch
What is Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action?
In 1995 Member States, Governments, civil society, media, and activists convened at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China to adopt a plan to address discrimination against women and advance gender equality. This plan is called the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The document was a blueprint to advance women’s human rights, to implement the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and acts as a key global policy document for gender equity. It aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls in all their diversities and promote equality, equity and justice across 12 areas of critical concern, including poverty, education, health, gender based violence, armed conflict, media, environment, human rights, strengthening institutional mechanisms, and economic and political empowerment and leadership.
3 decades of Beijing:
As we approach the significant milestone of three decades, it is more than crucial now for our voices, experiences and agendas to hold accountability and shape action towards gender equity in our region. As a steering committee member, we were committed to include and hear voices from the margins, particularly women and gender marginalised persons with disabilities.
Asia-Pacific Virtual Consultations
In August and September 2024, we organised 4 virtual consultations dedicated towards addressing and advancing critical issues related to gender equality and human rights in our Asia-Pacific region.
These virtual consultations were designed to serve as a regional platform for national and regional civil society organisations, networks, coalitions, movements and independent activists to engage in meaningful dialogue, reflect on past achievements, identify current and emerging challenges, and collectively chart a path forward for gender equality and human rights in our region. It will also serve as a roadmap towards advocating for our demands with Member States, UN Institutions, corporations and all other stakeholders.
Consultation 1: Advancing Women’s Economic Justice and Rights, Social Protection, and Decent Work
15 August 2024 | 11:00am-1:00pm ICT
This consultation session delved into the challenges women face in achieving economic justice and equitable rights. Participants discussed strategies and recommendations to address gender pay gaps, unpaid care work, improve access to financial resources, and enhance economic opportunities for women across the Asia Pacific region.
Consultation 2: Boosting Women’s Leadership, Representation, and Political Participation
22 August 2024 | 11:00am-1:00pm ICT
This consultation session tackled systemic barriers and concrete recommendations in addressing issues that hinder women’s meaningful participation in political, leadership and decision making roles in Asia and the Pacific region, explore impacts of regional challenges such as militarisation, and emerging issues to promote inclusive governance and sustainable peace.
Consultation 3: Strategies to End Discrimination and Violence Against Women
29 August 2024 | 11:00am-1:00pm ICT
This consultation session addressed the pervasive discrimination and violence against women, the new and emerging forms of sexual and gender-based violence across caste, class, age, disability, race, sexual orientation religion and other marginalisations in the Asia-Pacific region and discussed effective measures, legal frameworks, and grassroots initiatives that can protect women's human rights and ensure their safety and dignity.
Consultation 4: Future Forward Strategies for Gender Equality and Equity
3 September 2024 | 11:00am-1:00pm ICT
This consultation examined the current socio-economic and political context of the Asia Pacific region and the impact of challenges like climate change, care burdens, digitalisation, and shrinking civic spaces. It focused on human rights protections and strategies to mitigate the climate crisis’s impact on women, reimagine feminist economies, leverage digitalisation for equality, and enhance accountability in participatory institutions.
A total of 503 participants representing 13 constituencies and 32 countries participated in the consultations, and the report of the Asia Pacific CSO consultations for Beijing+30 can be downloaded here.
Knowledge Session prior to the Beijing +30 Conference
Date: 28 October 2024 | Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ICT
Rising Flame in collaboration with UN Women HQ organised a virtual knowledge session on Zoom, which brought together key experts and advocates to explore the intersection of gender and disability within the context of the Beijing Declaration and its ongoing impact. Over 100 participants from various disability and gender-rights organisations attended the session.
The session was led by Nidhi Ashok Goyal, Founder and Executive Director of Rising Flame, who delivered the welcome address and asserted the enduring importance of disability and gender rights activism, followed by an accessibility note from Srinidhi Raghavan, Co-Lead Programmes at Rising Flame.
Dr. A.H. Monjurul Kabir from UN Women discussed global efforts in disability inclusion since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995, while Kumudini Samuel, Steering Committee member of Beijing +30 Asia Pacific, highlighted the significance of the Beijing Declaration in advancing feminist agendas. Miyeon Kim, member of the Committee of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), focused on the engagement of women with disabilities in the Beijing process, and Amba Salelkar of the International Disability Alliance discussed the rights of women at the intersection of gender and disability through frameworks like the CRPD.
Other speakers included were Denise Lääveri, UN Women Asia and the Pacific, and Alexandra Johns, Steering Committee member of Beijing +30 Asia Pacific, who shed light on the inter-governmental processes of the conferences.
Asia-Pacific Declaration for Women and Girls with Disabilities for Beijing +30
Collaboration, consultation, and drafting for this declaration was facilitated by Rising Flame, India where an open call for inputs was released and circulated through multiple media across Asia and the Pacific and globally. The inputs received were duly integrated into the declaration along with recent consultative reports from the region. After the declaration was circulated, Rising Flame incorporated a second round of feedback and inputs into the declaration, and facilitated a mass outreach for endorsements through multiple channels – emails, listserves, WhatsApp and WhatsApp groups, social media.
Rising Flame recognises and reiterates the value of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in catalysing inclusive organising and action among women from diverse social contexts and across generations and abilities to advance the position of all women and girls.
With 35 contributors and 240+ endorsements the declaration can be downloaded here Doc | Pdf
Please click here for a full list of organisation, collective, network and individual Endorsements.
Beijing +30 Asia-Pacific Review Processes in Bangkok (November 16-21, 2024)
As a steering committee member, we were dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and gender-marginalised persons with disabilities at the review in Bangkok.
Young Feminist Forum in Bangkok
The Young Feminist Forum, held in Bangkok on November 16, 2024, convened over 150 young feminists from across Asia and the Pacific, both in-person and online. This forum centred the experiences and challenges of young people from diverse contexts. Organised by the Civil Society Steering Committee of the Asia and the Pacific region and young feminists from the region with support of UN Women, this dynamic forum amplified youth voices and set priorities to advance gender equality and human rights in the spirit of the Beijing Platform for Action. Rising Flame was an integral part of the working group which helped shape the agenda for the day.
Participants delved into pressing issues of economic justice and climate justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender-based violence (GBV), political participation of girls and young women, and digital rights.
These conversations shaped priorities, demands, and recommendations for political commitments ahead of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review. A youth statement was made whose demands emerged from this forum. Listen to it here.
Civil Society Forum, Bangkok
The CSO Forum embodied it's call to action to Resist, Reclaim, Transform! It saw wide and deep engagment from women and gender diverse folks from across the Asia and the Pacific region with sharp inputs on a range of issues. Rising Flame was part of the organising committee.
We learned from the intergenerational wisdom of feminists who had been at the forefront of mobilising for the BPfA in 1995 - back when there were no phones and no internet - with limited resources but ferocious spirit to collectivise and build consensus at a global level. We walked through the 30 years since and deconstructed the ways in which feminist organising has changed through rapid shifts in socio-economic and political contexts nationally, regionally and globally. We reflected on what the vision should be for the region now and asserted that in 2024, the sense of urgency for making transformative change and intersectional gender justice a reality cannot be stressed enough!
We held sub-regional caucuses and zoomed into the specific and local issues, challenges and demands from the Pacific, South Asian, South-east Asian, East Asian, Central Asian and West Asian regions. We had participatory workshops to facilitate exchange of knowledge on Care Economy, women and health, women, peace and security in authoritarian contexts, women's role in eradicating militarisation in Burma, statelessness of women, women farmers and climate change, indigenous women's economic rights, feminist narrative building, art-advocacy and storytelling, and what revitalising the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) should look like in our current contexts.
The CSO forum was followed by the 3-day intergovernmental meetings or Ministerial Conference in Bangkok where Rising Flame organised and participated in side events.
Side Event: Voices to Action - Launch of Asia-Pacific Beijing+30 Civil Society Report
Date: 19 November 2024 | Time: 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM BKK
The side event ‘Voices to Action: Launch of Asia-Pacific Beijing+30 Civil Society Report’ commemorated the launch of the Asia-Pacific Beijing+30 Civil Society Report. The event was hosted by the Beijing +30 Steering Committee, with Steering Committee Members, including Srinidhi Raghavan, Co-Lead Programmes at Rising Flame, leading the occasion.
The report, which draws insights from consultations with 503 organisations, sheds light on the diverse perspectives and urgent issues faced by women and marginalised communities in Asia-Pacific. Srinidhi Raghavan highlighted the heightened vulnerability of marginalised women to Sex and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), particularly in conflict zones. In her address, she pointed out that marginalised women who are most at risk of SGBV also face significant barriers to accessing justice, and sexual and reproductive health services. The event covered both the current circumstances of women in all their diversities in the region, as well as the report’s policy recommendations and actionable calls to address these conditions.
A highlight of the launch was the speech by Mr. Srinivas Tata, Director of the Social Development Division at UNESCAP, in which he commended the exceptional work of civil society organisations in the region, emphasising their ability to weave together these diverse voices with an intersectional approach, while also underlining the importance of bridging generational gaps for greater solidarity and impact.
Side Event: Shifting Power - Making Rights Real for Women at the Margins
Date: 20 November 2024 | Time: 5:15 PM – 6:30 PM BKK
Rising Flame, in collaboration with CREA, Women’s Fund Asia, Point of View, and Mariwala Health Initiative, organised the side event 'Shifting Power: Making Rights Real for Women at the Margins'. The event, attended by 50 in-person and 40 virtual participants, centered on amplifying the voices of marginalised women and advocating for their leadership. Moderated by Niluka Gunawardena, the panel featured speakers from feminist organisations, including Nidhi Goyal, Executive Director of Rising Flame.
Key topics included legal reforms to protect sex workers, addressing accessibility barriers for women with disabilities, enhancing platform accountability for technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), and recognising the leadership potential of marginalised groups in climate action. Panellists emphasised intersectional approaches, equitable resource allocation, grassroots participation in decision-making, and sustainable funding for feminist movements as actionable recommendations. Accessibility measures, including sign language interpretation and captioning, ensured inclusion of participants with diverse needs during the event.
Ms. Lopa Banerjee from UN Women concluded the panel discussion with a resounding call to recognise marginalised women as leaders and ensure their inclusion in shaping policies for a more equitable Asia-Pacific region.
Daring to Dream on Gender Equality, B+30, the 2030 Agenda, & Beyond
On 21 November 2024, the side event “Daring to Dream on Gender Equality, B+30, the 2030 Agenda, & Beyond” was held at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference for the Beijing+30 Review. Organized by Women Deliver, IWRAW-AP, and Women’s Fund Asia, this workshop sought to reimagine bold, transformative narratives for a post-2030 gender equality agenda.
The event featured prominent speakers, including J. Uduch Sengebau Senior (Vice President & Minister of Justice, Palau), Mereseini Rakuita Vuniwaqa (Principal Strategic Lead, The Pacific Community), Dr. Maliha Khan (CEO & President, Women Deliver), and Srinidhi Raghavan (Co-Lead, Programmes, Rising Flame).
Srinidhi Raghavan emphasised the critical intersection of disability and gender equality, noting that 1.3 billion people globally live with disabilities. She highlighted the necessity of meaningful participation for persons with disabilities in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), urging for spaces that are inclusive, accessible, and genuinely participatory.
Srinidhi called for the inclusion of women and girls with disabilities in decision-making, across intersections of race, age, and other marginalizations. She pointed out the stark underrepresentation of women with disabilities in politics, with 14 out of 18 Asia-Pacific countries lacking such parliamentarians. By urging investment in leadership programmes, accessible elections, and safe voting processes to foster representation and visibility, Srinidhi expressed Rising Flame’s aspiration for an inclusive, equitable future beyond 2030.
Civil Society Press Briefing for the Beijing+30 Asia Pacific Review
The Civil Society Press Briefing for the Beijing+30 Asia Pacific Review, held in Bangkok, featured an engaging discussion on the ongoing challenges and achievements in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action. The panel included Srinidhi Raghavan, Co-Lead of Programmes at Rising Flame, alongside Nalini Singh, Director of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, and Misun Woo from the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD).
The speakers emphasised the urgency of advancing gender equality and highlighted the enduring relevance of feminist issues raised three decades ago. Representing the Young Feminist Forum, Srinidhi Raghavan brought a critical perspective as a young disabled feminist. She advocated for inclusive language that extends beyond cisgender women and girls to encompass trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse individuals, asserting that the voices of gender-marginalised people provide essential insights often overlooked in policymaking.
Srinidhi also addressed the marginalisation of young people in decision-making spaces, noting that their nuanced insights are often overlooked to simplify implementation. She called on regional leaders to recognize the diverse and intersectional demands of young feminists, ensuring their active participation and leadership in shaping policies across all sectors.
This briefing underscored the need for renewed commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action, with a focus on inclusivity, intergenerational dialogue, and genuine empowerment for marginalised communities.