‘Furious kickback against equality’ must end, UN chief tells women activists, as conference adopts landmark declaration

At a time of growing backlash against women’s rights, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark call to action on Tuesday to civil society representatives gathered for a town hall meeting – part of the ongoing Commission on the Status of Women.

“A surge in misogyny, and a furious kickback against equality threaten to slam on the brakes, and push progress into reverse,” he said.

“Let me be clear: This is unacceptable, immoral, and self-defeating. We must stop it – and we must stop it together.”

The event, marking 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and 25 years since the landmark Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, saw civil society leaders raise concerns about shrinking civic space, underfunding of feminist movements and rising gender-based violence.

Backsliding on rights

While acknowledging progress in maternal health and education, the Secretary-General warned that hard-won gains are at risk.

“Women’s organizations and civil society played a major role in securing those gains. I applaud your efforts. Yet, women and girls still face an appalling array of wrongs,” he said.

The threats facing women’s rights defenders were a major concern. “Around the world, women’s rights defenders face harassment, threats and violence – even murder.”

“They face shrinking civil space and shrinking funds. The result: the erosion of rights and a deficit of accountability,” he warned.

Linda Sestock of the Canadian Federation of University Women asked the UN chief how civil society could be better integrated into CSW negotiations.

Mr. Guterres acknowledged the challenge, noting that “power is never given, it must be taken” and urged feminist movements to mobilise.

Power and parity

The Secretary-General emphasised the structural inequalities that persist. “We still live in a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture,” he said.

Highlighting progress within the UN system, he stated that “the UN system has reached, and sustained, gender parity at leadership level.”

Women now hold 53 per cent of senior management positions, though he admitted challenges remain in field offices in conflict zones, where representation is lower.

Speakers also highlighted male dominance in technology and engineering.

“Clear male predominance in areas like technologies, engineering and mathematics (...) can be seen in many of the algorithms produced by the tech industry being biased against women,” he noted.

Funding gaps

A representative from the youth movement Restless Development called for dedicated funding for young feminists, particularly those living in conflict zones.

“True inclusion requires co-creation, dedicated funding and decision-making power for young people at every level,” she said.

The Secretary-General agreed, pointing to the limited resources available. “Let’s be clear, the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund has raised $100 million since 2023 for this purpose, which is completely insufficient to support adequately the civil society.”

Civil society leaders pressed for concrete commitments, urging the UN and Member States to revitalise CSW by decentralising consultations and improving accessibility, and guarantee sustainable funding for feminist organizations.

A woman Secretary-General?

As the event concluded, a representative from the Sociologists for Women in Society asked the question many have long posed:

“When are we finally going to have the first woman, female UN Secretary-General?”

Mr. Guterres responded candidly. “Now, I’m not going to apologise for the fact that I’m not a woman,” he said as the Assembly responded with laughter, but he suggested he had been determined to “act decisively against the routine and to promote an effective mechanism of gender parity for the UN.”

He reaffirmed the UN’s goal of full gender parity by 2028, with steady progress already made, and expressed “hope” that those who will choose the next Secretary General “will be wise.”

“We share a common vision: a world of equality, where the human rights of women and girls are realised in full. Let’s keep working together to make that vision a reality,” he concluded.  

Political Declaration adopted

Later in the day, Member States adopted by consensus a powerful Political Declaration reaffirming their commitment to advancing the rights, equality and empowerment for all women and girls.

Recognizing that 2025 presents a significant opportunity to intensify efforts toward the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, originally adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women, Member States reaffirmed that gender equality is essential for sustainable development and for fulfilling the pledge to leave no one behind.

Welcoming its adoption, Sima Bahous, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women said that “at a time when hard-fought gains for gender equality are under attack the global community has come together in a show of unity for all women and girls, everywhere”.

2025, ‘a pivotal moment’

The Declaration reinforces commitments to women, peace, and security, emphasising the need to integrate women’s voices and leadership into all stages of conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution.

It recommits Member States to eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, including emerging forms such as digital violence, online harassment, and cyberbullying.

“No nation has yet fully achieved gender equality”, Ms. Bahous added, stating that the Declaration “makes clear that the world’s governments recognize 2025 as a pivotal moment, where promises made 30 years ago can no longer be deferred”.