Asia-Pacific Beijing+20 Review Pledges Strengthened Partnerships, Accountability, Funding
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 12:56PM 
Over 700 participants attended the Asia-Pacific Beijing+20 Review Conference, which took place in Bangkok, Thailand, 17-20 November 2014. At the close of the Conference, Governments adopted the Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. They pledged to strengthen institutions and partnerships, enhance accountability, support regional cooperation and increase resources to advance gender equality and women's empowerment across the Asia-Pacific region.
The Queen Mother of Bhutan, Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuk, in her keynote address, said that the “eradication of violence from the lives of women and girls, along with peace, democracy and sustainable development in the region, will become possible when women and girls are valued, when their ability to fully and freely exercise their human rights is wholly supported, when there is equality in the exercise of power and when decisions are made to fully resource comprehensive and evidenced-based interventions."
Several speakers, including the Regional Director of UN Women Asia and Pacific, Roberta Clarke, and UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, speaking via video message, recommended linking the Beijing review with discussions on the post-2015 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Noting that Member States are in the final stage of crafting the post-2015 development framework, Mlambo-Ngcuka said “it is vital that in your regional and global development cooperation you remain vigilant in this process to maintain a strong gender goal as well as the targets and indicators on gender equality across other goals.”
Discussions also included: advancing peace and security for women and girls; empowering women economically; increasing women's leadership and political participation; and eliminating violence against women and girls. Progress in women's and girl's education, employment, health and political rights and representation, was noted together with the challenges that remain.