More than 150 civil society groups in the region have voiced disappointment at the outcome of last week's Asia Pacific Ministerial Meeting on the review of women's rights.
Human rights defenders at the #Beijing25 CSO Forum. Photo: Supplied
The groups say the 'Beijing+25' document fails to reflect the lack of development of women and gender human rights in the region.
It will be 25 years next year since the 'Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action' was signed.
The document has been described as the "most ambitious road map for the empowerment of women and girls everywhere" by the United Nations.
After 3 days of intense deliberations at the #Beijing25 Ministerial Conference, Member States from #AsiaPacific adopt a forward-looking declaration to advancing gender equality & women's empowerment in the region.
— UN Women AsiaPacific (@unwomenasia) November 29, 2019
: https://t.co/b985qPBn8I@UNESCAP#GenerationEquality pic.twitter.com/hpe2b1EOch
However, the head of the Fiji Women's Rights Movement, Nalini Singh, said Pacific Islanders were becoming climate refugees and women were facing the brunt of the crisis.
She said governments were refusing to acknowledge the critical situation.
"We are in the midst of a climate crisis. As women, sexual minorities, disabilities and other marginalised identities, we cannot for another five years not have the commitment from the governments."
Meanwhile, representatives from the meeting's Society Steering Committee said while some governments had fought hard to support the advancement of women's rights, others were undermining the principles of the Beijing Declaration and their own countries' commitments to the document.
"They are not meeting their obligations to uphold our rights and safeguard the well-being of future generations," the committee said in a statement.
Lilly Be'Soer, from Voice For Change in Papua New Guinea, said it was time to show the governments that when women stop, the world stopped.
"We are angry that this space does not recognise us as equal partners in the process of development, change and contribution to the outcome discussion," she said.
