The United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, marked a turning point for women's empowerment with the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and paved the way for gender equality.
This first global action platform was signed by 189 states. Since 1995, the fight for gender equality has continued to evolve with significant progress, particularly regarding education, health, and protection against violence. More recently, other issues, such as women's economic independence and political representation, have become a part of the struggle for gender equality.
Despite the progress, many challenges remain, and the COVID-19 crisis reinforced existing disparities. Gender issues are among the top concerns of the private and public organizations that BearingPoint supports. Goal 5 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is dedicated to empowering women and gender equality. The ambition to reach gender equality can be found in public policies and the private sector, where gender issues are intertwined with performance and talent acquisition.
BearingPoint's Africa & International Development team looked at practices on the continent and globally, and then the team conducted a study together with a panel of organizations operating in Africa. A white paper will be published annually to measure the progress made on the continent, particularly by the private sector.