2025 marks the 30th year of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which was adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 by 189 countries in Beijing, China. It is a key document that covers a wide range of areas critical to the rights of women and children across the globe.
The Declaration states that governments recognize that the status of women has advanced in some important respects over the past decade, but that progress has been uneven. Inequalities between women and men persist, and major obstacles remain, with serious consequences for the well-being of all people. The focus areas include poverty, education and training, health, prevention of violence, the impact of armed conflict on women, the economy, representation in power and decision-making, the need for institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women, the human rights of women, media, the environment, and the girl-child.
Women’s rights are not a special privilege; they are basic human rights.
In Arunachal, on the surface, it appears that women are equal partners, but in reality, it is not guaranteed that women are present everywhere or that they are the primary providers in most families. However, appearances can be deceptive. Women are absent from decision-making bodies and important institutions. Community and student-based organizations do not have space for women leaders. They have separate women’s sections, which keeps women from the main body. Even today, during important events, women are often seen only as presenters, dancers, or servers.
Women have excelled in several fields, including sports, government jobs, the local economy, and many other areas. Yet, even today, some departments do not hire women as drivers, despite the fact that more than half of the drivers on the roads are women.
Despite all the challenges, women are striving, shining, and seizing every opportunity that comes their way.