Beijing+25: How Libraries Help Deliver on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women

Abstract

2020 is a landmark year for global efforts towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. It marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – an ambitious roadmap for the empowerment of girls and women to which state governments and the international society have committed. In the years following the introduction of the Beijing Declaration and Platform, there has been a concerted effort to monitor progress in its implementation, to support and steer further action. As part of the review process, each participating country has submitted a national report, detailing its implementation progress, achievements, challenges and actions. These reports offer a unique opportunity to see how each country works to achieve gender equality, what actors are involved and how each of them contributes. To see how libraries around the world take on such tasks in practice, we have prepared a short study comparing the national reports submitted for the Beijing+25 review. We are delighted to share a draft version of this study to encourage a conversation around the roles libraries play in delivering on gender equality. The draft study discusses: How different national reports on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action account for libraries and library services; What the key areas of library involvement and interventions to support gender equality are; What roles different libraries choose to take on in women empowerment projects. The study also includes a draft version of a Library Engagement in Women’s Empowerment checklist – a tool to help libraries make an initial assessment of how their country’s approach to implementing the Platform engages libraries. We would naturally welcome any inputs or views on this draft based on the experiences of libraries in your country.