Mabel Miao: 30 Years of global progress and challenges in gender equality
October 08 , 2025By Mabel Miao, co-founder and secretary-general of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) .
Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is not only one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda but also a crucial benchmark for measuring the progress of human civilization. In 1995, China hosted the Fourth World Conference on Women, where the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) was signed by 189 governments, marking a milestone in the global pursuit of gender equality. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Conference, China will once again host the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, bringing stakeholders together to discuss strategies for advancing women’s causes worldwide and jointly compose a new chapter in the development of global women’s initiatives.
Looking back over the past three decades, the world has made remarkable progress towards gender equality. This progress is evident in several key areas: Closing gaps in gender parity in primary education, maternal mortality declining by more than a third from 2000 to 2017, more than doubling the proportion of women in national parliaments, and the continued repeal of discriminatory laws across nations. Statistics illustrate a significant breakthrough in gender equality legislation: In 1995, only 12 countries had a total of 354 provisions addressing domestic violence, whereas today, 193 countries have enacted 1,583 laws against gender-based violence. Over the years, women’s voices have grown steadily stronger in economic, social, and political decision-making. Their influence over state and societal affairs has continuously expanded, and their presence on the international stage has become increasingly visible, diverse, and impactful.
However, with only five years remaining until the 2030 deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, progress on all gender-related targets is off track, and the global advancement of gender equality is backsliding. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025, at the current pace of progress, it will take 123 years to close the global gender gap, a significant increase from the 99 years estimated in 2019. UN Women data reveals that over 600 million women and girls currently live under the threat of lethal conflict, nearly 2 billion women and girls lack access to any form of social protection, and close to one in ten women globally lives in extreme poverty. The report further indicates that women’s and girls’ rights are under unprecedented threat worldwide, manifested in rising discrimination, weakening legal protections, and decreased funding for programs and institutions that support and protect them. Moreover, the digital gender gap is profoundly impacting women’s health, education, and economic well-being.
Therefore, the convening of the 2025 Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women presents not only an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of outstanding women across various fields worldwide, but also a new starting point in this new era. It is a platform for nations to build consensus for action, address development challenges, and jointly forge a new future for the advancement of women globally. In this context, the recently released white paper, “China’s Achievements in Women’s Well-Rounded Development in the New Era,” showcases the historic accomplishments and institutional breakthroughs in China’s women’s affairs since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). As the host of the World Conference on Women, China’s initiatives, proposals, and experiences will continue to provide sustained impetus to the global cause of women’s development.
Simultaneously, as an institution-builder in the social think tank sector, a delegate to the 13th National Women’s Congress of China, and a member of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the author has long focused on women’s issues. I have consistently organized and participated in international exchange forums on these topics, actively amplifying Chinese women’s voices on the global stage. My aim is to leverage the resources of think tanks and a multilateral approach to empower women’s development. In recent years, the contributions of Chinese women in global governance have been evolving from passive participation to active leadership. In my view, women can play a pivotal role in global governance, a perspective that aligns with China’s advocacy for more inclusive, equitable, and resilient global development. It is imperative that women foster greater unity and collaboration and assume a more significant role in the global advancement of women’s causes. The upcoming Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women presents a vital opportunity and platform for women worldwide to engage in in-depth dialogue and enhance their participation in global governance.
First, women’s leadership is pivotal to achieving lasting peace, and this consensus must be further consolidated and translated into concrete actions. Against the backdrop of escalating global geopolitical conflicts, centering on the core agenda of “Women, Peace and Security,” all stakeholders should deepen their engagement with the plight of women in conflict situations. It is crucial to recognize and enhance the value of women in peace processes, empower them, and strengthen their capacity to respond to conflicts and contribute to reconstruction. This requires transforming consensus into systematic, concrete actions with the participation of diverse stakeholders.
Second, it is essential to empower women’s development comprehensively and activate their potential through diverse measures to achieve more substantive cooperation and concrete actions. From laying the foundation through education to fostering economic empowerment, from safeguarding health to ensuring participatory inclusion, the implementation of each measure represents both a fulfillment of the principle of gender equality and an unlocking of society’s potential. The experience of China’s 690 million women advancing into moderate prosperity in tandem with the nation demonstrates that when women’s potential is fully activated, enabling their transition from dependence to independence, it not only transforms the destinies of individuals and families but also injects “she-power” into economic growth.
Third, it is crucial to enhance exchanges and cooperation between the Global South and Global North, integrating women’s development issues into regional cooperation and global development agendas. Within the landscape of international cooperation for global women’s development, frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the BRICS cooperation mechanism have not only yielded numerous successful cases of advancing women’s causes but also possess significant potential for further expanding international collaborative efforts.
In conclusion, 30 years ago, China’s commitments, initiatives, and contributions injected powerful momentum into the advancement of the global women’s cause. Today, three decades later, China is once again at the center of the world’s attention. We anticipate that this World Conference on Women will become a new milestone in the history of global gender equality and women’s development, infusing a fresh and robust drive into this endeavor for the new era.
From CGTN， 2025-10-8
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