Beijing Declaration on Women’s Rights: Thirty Years On

On the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, widely regarded by the United Nations as the most comprehensive global program of action for gender equality, the international community takes stock of progress and identifies the gaps that still require attention. The platform's twelve critical areas of concern – spanning education, health, violence prevention, economic participation, and women's participation in power and decision-making –  continue to shape international policy and national reforms.

UPF recognizes the continuing significance of this framework and highlights the vision and leadership of our co-founders, Dr. Hak Ja Han and Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who for decades have emphasized women's capacity to strengthen families, communities, and institutions. Dr. Hak Ja Han shared this vision internationally, addressing major global gatherings of Women’s Federation for World Peace and International Association of First Ladies for Peace and engaging leaders, academics, and civil society in discussions on the role of women in building ethical and stable societies. UPF founders called for at least one third, if not half, of elected parliamentarians to be women.

As preparations continue for the Beijing+30 review, UPF calls for sustained commitment in the core areas of the Platform for Action, including ending gender-based violence, ensuring equal access to education and economic opportunity, expanding women’s participation in leadership, and strengthening legal protections. 

UPF chapters will continue to convene women leaders, experts, and youth to address these issues and to promote initiatives that reduce discrimination, support women entrepreneurs, and cultivate mutual respect among young people. In line with the founders’ view of the family as a school of character formation, we support programs that help communities develop the habits of cooperation, responsibility, and ethical partnership.

This anniversary also aligns with global discussions on the future of governance and peacebuilding, where member states underscore that societies achieve lasting stability when women participate fully in shaping policy, resolving conflict, and contributing to community development. UPF remains committed to contributing to these international efforts and to advancing the principle of One Family under God.

Dr. Tageldin I. Hamad, President, UPF-International December 1, 2025