Beijing at 10

In response to the watershed UN conference on women held in Beijing in 1995, southern African governments and gender activists shaped an agenda for the advancement of women’s rights in the region. Ten years on, this booklet reviews progress since the Beijing declaration, bringing to the fore the voices of perspectives of southern African women on the achievements, setbacks and challenges for the future. The focus is on the areas of concern identified in southern Africa in response to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: women’s participation in the economy; strengthening institutional mechanisms for women’s advancement; women in politics and decision-making; protecting the rights of women and girls; and capacity building and networking. The booklet further considers the gender dimension of HIV/AIDS which has become a top priority for the region in the last decade.