“The Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, was of great significance. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the conference injected strong momentum into achieving gender equality in China and globally and advancing women’s rights. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the 1995 World Conference on Women in 2025, looking back and looking forward is especially meaningful.”
Globally, approximately 736 million women—nearly one-third of all women—have experienced gender-based violence at least once in their lifetime. Violence against women and girls online is also on the rise, with incidents ranging from 16% to 58%, and young women are particularly affected, with Generation Z and Millennials being the most impacted.
Violence against women and girls has severe consequences for countries, victims, and communities. However, this is not inevitable. Establishing a multi-sectoral response system involving governments, social organizations, the private sector, and others is an effective way to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence.
On November 25, 2024, the UN Women China Office held a special commemoration event for the UN’s “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” at the UN building in Beijing. The event, titled “Towards Beijing+30: United to End Violence,” was attended by UN Resident Coordinator in China,
Siddharth Chatteriee, the UN Resident Coordinator in China and Smriti Aryal, the representative of the UN Women China Office, attended and delivered the opening speeches. Na Yan Fang, Secretary of the Secretariat of the All-China Women’s Federation, and her team also attended the event. They jointly lit the “Watch Tree” symbolizing unity, hope, and strength with partners from UN agencies.
Ms. Smriti Aryal stated, “Gender-based violence against women and girls remains a shocking reality… The good news is that, despite the alarming global situation, there is more evidence to show that preventing violence is possible, and that laws and policies aimed at ending violence against women and girls are increasing.”
November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. As the annual “16 Days of Activism” officially begins, UN Women calls on all duty-bearers, especially governments and the private sector, to take action on eliminating gender-based violence by reviewing the progress of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action’s 30-year implementation—uniting, reaffirming commitments, strengthening accountability, and providing resources to women’s organizations, social organizations, and related services.
Keynote Speech: Looking Back on 30 Years, Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
Xu Weihua, a lawyer from Qianqian Law Firm in Beijing, has worked on violence prevention and women’s rights protection for many years. As the Director of the Rights Protection Department at the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) in 1995, she participated in the Fourth World Conference on Women and organized the “Women’s Rights Protection” forum at the NGO Women’s Forum.
From the perspective of a frontline legal practitioner, Xu shared the significance of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law as a milestone in China’s women’s rights protection work, the challenges faced in its implementation, and ongoing issues. She concluded by saying, “I am 75 years old this year, and since joining the ACWF in 1984, I have been involved in women’s work for 40 years. I have witnessed the progress of women’s rights and anti-violence work in China, and I also deeply understand the challenges. Today, as I see young faces in the audience, I am happy. The cause of women’s rights protection and anti-violence needs the passion and strength of the younger generation, their understanding and participation.”
Cross-Sector Dialogue: Unity and Innovation for Positive Change
Women are not a monolithic group, and the impact and nature of gender violence on women vary. However, among women who have experienced violence, fewer than 40% seek help. Most women who reach out tend to ask family and friends for support, with few seeking formal help from organizations such as police or healthcare services.
The commemoration event featured a cross-sector dialogue with Director Yin Lichuan, Lawyer Wan Wei from the Changsha 12338 Women’s and Children’s “One-Stop” Rights Protection Center, social media influencer Alex Chang Mengran, and advocates Zhu Zhou and Mi Li’er Ma from Shenzhen Pengxing Domestic Violence Protection Center. These five guests shared their insights and observations on anti-violence and gender equality from their work and life experiences.
Unity, Lighting the Future: “Lighting the Watch Tree” Ceremony
Guests wrote messages of encouragement for survivors of gender-based violence and wishes for the elimination of violence against women and girls on leaf-shaped cards and collectively lit the “Watch Tree,” symbolizing unity, hope, and strength, carrying the vision to end violence against women and girls.
Unite and Take Action
The participants of the commemoration event included social organizations, youth, academia, private sector, and media representatives focused on gender issues. More than 40 participants listened to voices from anti-violence workers in various fields, reviewed the progress of gender equality in China since the 1995 World Conference on Women, and looked forward to the upcoming 30th anniversary of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
During the 2024 “16 Days of Activism,” UN Women China Office, together with the UN system in China, government departments, social organizations, the private sector, and survivors of gender-based violence, will jointly take action through a series of online and offline events. We welcome you to participate and interact with us using the hashtags #LightUpOrange #UniteToEndViolence!
