Rollback on Gender Equality and Women and Girls’ Rights in International Fora Since 2016

Several studies document an increased backlash around women’s rights and feminism in international fora, particularly in UN spaces

Abstract

Several studies document an increased backlash around women’s rights and feminism in international fora – particularly in United Nations (UN) spaces – since 2016. A growing number of studies highlight that not only has progress in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action stalled, but that women’s rights advocates in international fora are now fighting against regression of the rights of women and girls, due to the illiberal and conservative agendas of some particularly influential countries. This report focuses on evidence of backlash in international fora such as UN committees, councils and other spaces, and regional fora such as the European Parliament. It is accompanied by another helpdesk report on data and evidence of global rollback in women and girls’ rights since 2016 (Birchall, 2020).

This report was prepared for the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and its partners in support of pro-poor programmes

Citation

Birchall, J. (2020). Rollback on gender equality and women and girls’ rights in international fora since 2016. K4D Helpdesk Report 933. Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies

Rollback on Gender Equality and Women and Girls’ Rights in International Fora Since 2016

Published 7 December 2020