By Morenike Taire, Funmi Ajumobi & Ebunoluwa Sessou

Between the 4th and 15th September, 1995, women from all over the world converged on the now historic city of Beijing, China for what has become the Beijing Conference. The Beijing conference built on political agreements reached at the three previous global conferences on women, and consolidated five decades of legal advances aimed at securing the equality of women with men in law as well as in practice.

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The declaration
The convention released a 38- point declaration bordering on a Platform for Action, calling for commitment on the part of governments, international organisations and institutions at all levels; economic development, social development and environmental protection as mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development, higher quality of life, equitable social development particularly for women living in poverty, as well as environmental sustainability.

It was a precursor to the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs as well as the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

Nigeria and Beijing
In the year leading to the conference proper, the excitement in Nigeria and much of West Africa was palpable. Nigerian women participated fully and came back with a bang to change Nigerian gender relations forever, in favour of women. Similarly, another generation of Nigerian women are currently storming the United Nations Headquarters in New York, for the Commission for the Status of Women, 2025.

2025
Another generation of the world’s women, 30 years down the line, are gathering in different parts of the world to celebrate the generations before them who taught them how to force the world to pay attention to gender equality and women empowerment.

Wife of former Nigerian head of state, the late General Sani Abacha led Nigerian women to Beijing in 1995 and was appointed as one of the conference Vice- Presidents by the UN.

Vanguard caught up with other participants, now septugenerians, as well as others who participated from the sidelines.

Beijing has not worked for us — Beatrice Obiageli Ubeku, MFR., Chairperson, West African Women Association
Memories of the trip

My artwork, designed by me was a historical success for the country and attracted CNN, BBC and so forth. I courageously represented our very esteemed 1st Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria team on behalf of the delegates of the Nigerian Government/National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, Nigerian NGOS and CBOS.




https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/30-years-after-beijing-conference-attendees-count-costs-gains/