The National Consultation on Beijing +30: Revisiting and Re-Envisioning Beijing was a two-day conference organised by the National Alliance of Women (NAWO) on October 22–23, 2024. The consultation marked a significant milestone in advancing gender equity and reflecting on the progress made since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The event brought together prominent feminists, activists, academics, and policy professionals to foster dialogue on pressing issues surrounding gender equality and social justice.
The primary objective of the consultation was to evaluate the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action over the past three decades. It aimed to re-envision strategies for a more inclusive and equitable future, addressing contemporary challenges through a collaborative and intersectional approach, with inputs from feminist organisations spanning the country.
The consultation featured five thematic sessions in seminar format, each delving into critical aspects of gender equity, including Women and Leadership, Inclusion and Equity, and Climate Justice.
Each session consisted of brief talks by distinguished speakers, followed by moderated discussions that encouraged active participation from the audience. These sessions provided a platform for sharing insights, personal experiences, and actionable recommendations.
One of the most compelling sessions focused on Inclusion and Equity, moderated by Prabhleen Tuteja, Executive Director of The YP Foundation. This session highlighted the importance of embracing diversity and recognising intersectionality to dismantle systemic barriers of caste, gender, and class.
Speakers included Nidhi Goyal, Founder and Executive Director of Rising Flame. Nidhi’s address centered on intersectional feminism, emphasizing her unique experiences as a disabled woman navigating overlapping structures of marginalization. In sharing her experience in the advocacy sphere, Nidhi emphasised the need to move beyond ‘tokenism’ as a form of inclusion, sharing that as a blind woman, her contributions to public policy are often narrowly confined to disability-related issues, overshadowing her expertise in broader domains of public policy.
Similarly, Don Hasar, the co-founder of the Himachal Queer Foundation and founder of BOUNDLESS, spoke about the challenges of existing as a trans person in India, experiencing multiple overlapping forms of marginality as a transperson and a member and advocate of the LGBTQIA+ community. The necessity of accommodating and empowering gender-marginalized individuals to take up space in all sectors of society was emphasised.
The theme of intersectionality was extended in Rinku Kumari’s address on caste-based discrimination and caste consciousness. A program coordinator at The YP Foundation, Rinku underscored the importance of caste representation in advocacy spaces. She shared insights on the role of Dalit voices in advancing caste justice and provided guidance on being effective allies in the fight against caste-based discrimination.
Panellist Japleen Pasricha, founder-CEO and editor-in-chief of Feminism in India (FII), rounded out the discussion by highlighting the role of digital platforms in amplifying marginalized voices. She highlighted the work of FII in creating inclusive spaces for women and gender-marginalized people, particularly from underrepresented communities.
The consultation ended with Dr. Pam Rajput, NAWO president and a lifelong advocate for gender equality, reflecting on the progress achieved since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), and the road ahead, reaffirming the importance of intersectionality, inclusivity, and collective action in the pursuit of gender equity. The insights and strategies shared during the consultation will serve as a valuable resource in shaping future policies and practices to uphold the vision of the Beijing Platform for Action.