►►The upcoming Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing is « not only a commemoration of the past, but also a strategic opportunity to shape the future, » said Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank (NDB), during an interview with Xinhua.
SHANGHAI-« Thirty years after the historic Fourth World Conference on Women, we return to Beijing with a renewed sense of purpose, » Rousseff said. « My expectation is that this summit will not be a ceremonial event, but a catalytic moment — one that reaffirms past commitments and sets new, concrete priorities for the next generation, » she added.
Rousseff called for moving « from principles to power — from promises to policies. »
« It is time to address the barriers that still limit women’s lives and to create systems that recognize women not as beneficiaries, but as agents of transformation, » she noted.
« In a world facing multiple crises, women are not a problem to solve — they are a solution to embrace, » Rousseff stressed. « The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women must reflect that truth — not only in its declarations, but in the actions it inspires. History is calling once again, and we must answer with courage, clarity and collective will. »
Rousseff described the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995 as « a landmark moment in our collective fight for gender equality, » which resulted in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action — « an unprecedented global commitment to women’s rights. »
« It shifted the global debate and provided a comprehensive framework for action across 12 critical areas — including poverty, education, health, violence, political participation and the environment. Thirty years later, its legacy remains not only relevant but essential. The platform is not only a historical document — it is a living roadmap, » said Rousseff.
Despite persistent challenges, Rousseff said women are not waiting for change but are leading it. « Empowering women is fundamental to building a just, sustainable and peaceful future. The spirit of Beijing calls us not to commemorate, but to act with the urgency that gender equality demands, » she added.
By Xinhua
