Beijing+30: Women’s Rights in a Changing World

We had the honour to host the Former President of Finland and the Head of Delegation to the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 as the Key Speaker to the Panel Beijing+30: Women’s Rights in a Changing World in cooperation with TED University.

On March 11, 2025, the Embassy of Finland in Ankara organized a panel in cooperation with by TED University’s Center for Gender Studies addressing the progress and challenges in achieving gender equality within the framework of Beijing+30. The event provided a significant opportunity to discuss the evolving role of women’s rights in a changing world and to strengthen solidarity.

The opening speech was delivered by Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland and the Head of the Finnish Delegation at the 1995 Beijing Women’s Conference. Halonen emphasized the importance of international cooperation, solidarity, and determination in the struggle for gender equality. She highlighted the necessity of maintaining hope and passing it on to future generations. The Embassy of Finland in Ankara reaffirmed its commitment to women’s rights through Ambassador Pirkko Hämäläinen’s welcome words.

Key Messages from the Panel

During the panel discussion, experts shared diverse perspectives on gender equality:

• Mariam Khan, UNFPA Türkiye Representative, stressed the significance of individual efforts in the fight for gender equality:
  “There is always a full and an empty side of the glass. However, it is up to us to fill it with the resources we have. Granting more rights to women
  does not take away men’s rights. Rights are not like pizza; they do not diminish when shared; rather, they strengthen when used equally.”
• Zeliha Ünaldı, Acting Country Director of UN Women Türkiye, shared her experience of participating in the 1995 Beijing Declaration and used the metaphor of the “Beijing Express”:
  “I boarded a train, and my life changed. But I am still on this journey with many sisters who share the dream of equality. We are progressing in different carriages, with different struggles, because our goal is to become the generation of equality and to push this agenda forward.”
• Corneliu Eftodi, Regional Gender Equality Advisor at UNDP’s Istanbul Regional Hub for Europe and Central Asia, highlighted the economic contribution of women’s unpaid labor:
  “Women generate public value within households, yet gender-blind economic systems fail to recognize this contribution. Biases shape our perceptions, and when left unchallenged, they perpetuate inequalities. To build a fairer world, we must reassess our biases.”
• Hilal Döner, Human Rights Education Program Manager at Amnesty International, emphasized the importance of international conventions and activism in safeguarding women’s rights:
  “The Istanbul Convention, Beijing+30, CEDAW, and the culture of consent in combating gender-based violence are of vital importance. We must continue our solidarity with young people in the fight for women’s rights and persist in our individual efforts for equality.”

The Journey towards Equality Continues

Throughout the event, hope and intergenerational solidarity emerged as key themes. Speakers underscored the importance of passing the struggle for gender equality on to future generations. Participants strongly reiterated that the Beijing Platform for Action remains relevant today and that the journey toward gender equality continues. The event concluded with a reaffirmation of the commitment to progress in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Attendees repeated their determination to sustain and advance the fight for equality.