The Beijing+30 (B+30) Review marks a pivotal moment in the global effort to advance gender equality, 30 years after the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This review process provides an opportunity to assess progress, confront emerging challenges, and shape the next phase of global commitments to gender equality. In the lead-up to the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review, One Future Collective engaged in a series of impactful events, sessions, and dialogues across the region, amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, advocating for systemic change, and pushing for transformative action. From co-creating demands with young feminists in India to hosting critical conversations at the CSO Forum, we have been involved in shaping the discourse around gender justice in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Bridging the Regional and the Local through India-Level B+30 Feminist Dialogues
“Nothing about us, without us.”
We had the privilege of co-hosting our first engagement ahead of the Beijing+30 Regional Review. We organized two dynamic virtual dialogues that brought together young feminists from across India. These sessions were designed not just as discussions but as spaces for connection, learning, and collective strategizing. We organised these spaces with The YP Foundation, Feminist Manch, UN Women, Generation Equality Forum, National Federation of Dalit Women, Gender at Work India, and Point of View.
“As the review is happening, when we are collectivizing in different ways, we want to take our global issues to the local and regional, so our issues are getting strategized. In times like this, solidarity happens –to build connection, solidity and, build it stronger–with and from each other. The table is yours, the room is yours – hexagons, triangles–this movement is ours too.” – Prableen Tuleja, The YP Foundation
On November 8th, the first session, titled The National, Regional, and Global, set the stage for a deep dive into emerging priorities for young feminists in India and the Asia-Pacific. Our panelists shared powerful insights into the challenges and opportunities within national contexts. Panellist Priyanka Samy emphasized the ongoing dominance of privileged voices, calling for a dismantling of structural inequalities and a focus on land rights, caste, and the inclusion of Dalit, Adivasi, Muslim, and gender-diverse communities. Moreover, panellist Don Hasar stressed the need for grassroots empowerment, flexible mechanisms to ensure the implementation of welfare schemes, and collaborative spaces for marginalized voices and government bodies. Finally, panellist and steering committee member Sanya Seth underscored the importance of women’s leadership at local and national levels, linking it to climate justice and natural resource management, while also addressing the global challenges of equity, resources, and governance. Together, the discussions underscored the need for context-sensitive, intersectional strategies to strengthen feminist advocacy at all levels.
In the second half of this session, our founder Vandita Morarka moderated another panel discussion, during which panellist Aarushi Khanna broadened the conversation to regional and global perspectives, highlighting the collaborative efforts of a diverse steering committee guiding the Beijing+30 Regional Review process with consultations with over 500 organizations and 32 constituencies. During the session, we also created room for participants to share their experiences and unique feminist issues relevant to their areas of work and geographical locations. The discussions were candid and energizing, sparking a shared determination to push for transformative change.
The second session, held on November 9th, shifted gears to focus on Feminist Knowledge in Practice. This capacity-building segment and interactive dialogue, facilitated by Anvita Walia, explored the tangible tools and strategies young feminists need to engage effectively with global advocacy processes. From capacity-building frameworks to actionable approaches to the application of this knowledge and skill through activities, the conversation was rich with ideas and strategies. Recognizing that not all participants may be familiar with the Beijing+30 process, we concluded the session with a dedicated 30-minute Q&A segment with Aarushi Khanna and Sanya Seth, moderated by Kuhoo Tiwari. This allowed attendees to engage directly with steering committee members, ask their questions, and explore opportunities for further participation in the Beijing+30 review.
“There is no ‘a’ particular feminist, especially when it comes to India. Just like this panel is diverse, the movement has been diverse, the issues have been diverse. […] That intergenerational, intersectional movement will decide how future development goals could look.” – Sanya Seth, UN Women
Across the two days, 80 participants across various states joined us, bringing their passion, curiosity, and commitment to change. With English, Hindi and Indian Sign Language interpretation, we worked to ensure these dialogues were accessible and inclusive, reflecting the very principles we aim to uphold.
Bringing a Queer Lens to the Beijing+30 Review Process
As part of the Beijing+30 Generation Equality Project, Nazariya QFRG and One Future Collective hosted a day-long event on November 15, 2024, focused on exploring expertise and lived experiences in queer rights advocacy in Maharashtra. The event convened 16 participants representing diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions (SOGIESC), as well as a range of professions, including lawyers, campaigners, and mental health professionals. Some participants joined independently, while others represented organizations such as The Humsafar Trust, Oxfam International, Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents, Mist, Urja Trust, and Local Threads. The event was facilitated by Gitanjali, Kuhoo Tiwari, and Anvita Walia, and supported by Varsha Verma and Titash.
We began with a focus group discussion that delved into participants’ experiences with advocacy as well as lived realities, uncovering key challenges and insights across core areas.
- Economic Opportunities and Workspaces
Participants highlighted systemic barriers to economic opportunities for queer individuals, including discriminatory hiring practices, documentation hurdles for those who have transitioned, and workplace environments that are unsafe for disclosing queer identities. They emphasized the compounded impact of intersecting identities, such as caste and gender. Recommendations included intersectional awareness programs for employers, gender-affirming policies, and addressing the absence of gender-neutral infrastructure, particularly in informal sectors.
- Inclusion in Education and Health Systems
Participants reflected on the urgent need for advocacy at the school level to foster mass awareness about queer rights. Barriers such as gendered dress codes, conversion practices in faith-based schools, and lack of inclusive sex education were identified. In health systems, queer individuals faced stigma, lack of access to affirmative healthcare providers, and financial challenges in accessing necessary treatments. Participants called for sensitization of health and mental health service providers, addressing systemic gaps in sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), and expanding accessible healthcare information.
- Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Justice Systems
Discussions underscored the prevalence of structural and interpersonal violence against queer individuals, including the inadequacy of government-supported shelters and the justice system’s gaps in addressing violence at its roots. Participants advocated for trauma-informed justice mechanisms, active citizenry, and holistic reforms within feminist and queer movements.
- Queer Feminist Leadership and Movement Building
Participants critiqued exclusivity within feminist spaces and the challenges of tokenism or invisibilization of queer identities in leadership. They emphasized the need for depoliticized movement-building spaces to evolve into safe, community-oriented structures that foster care and inclusivity. The discussions highlighted the importance of intersectionality and the evolving nature of feminism and queer advocacy.
After the focus group discussion, we facilitated a capacity-building segment to strengthen queer rights advocacy in India and internationally. We learned about the advocacy cycle, followed by group activities designed to generate actionable recommendations aligned with Beijing+30 Review priorities, including gender-based violence, economic justice, SRHR, and feminist movements. These sessions emphasized intersectional and queer-affirmative approaches to advancing advocacy efforts.Facilitated in Hindi and English, the event was a vibrant space for dialogue, learning, and strategizing.
Strengthening Regional Commitments through the Asia-Pacific Beijing+30 Ministerial Conference
The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review, held in collaboration with the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, in Bangkok from November 19 to 21, 2024, was an incredible convergence of passion and purpose. Bringing together ministers, senior officials, civil society organizations, youth leaders, academics, private sector representatives, and UN entities, the conference set the stage for a pivotal assessment of progress made in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It also addressed emerging challenges, shared best practices, and built consensus on regional priorities for accelerating gender equality and justice.
For us at One Future Collective, it was an honor to see our Founder and CEO Vandita Morarka represent both our organization and Feminist Manch in this transformative space. The journey began on November 16 at the Feminist Youth Forum, where we joined more than 135 young feminists from across Asia-Pacific to co-create demands that truly reflected our collective vision. The energy in the room was palpable, filled with feminist warmth, love, and care. We had the privilege of presenting these demands to United Nations representatives and participating in a powerful panel discussion linking CEDAW and Beijing+30. This forum was a testament to the power of community—seeing our peers from Feminist Manch, The YP Foundation, and Rising Flame showing up as their authentic, impactful selves was moving..
The momentum carried forward to the CSO Forum, where more than 300 civil society delegates came together in a gathering rich with intergenerational learning, experience sharing, and a unified call for accountability from member states. Our session with International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF ESEAOR) on Reframing Narratives explored the intersections of anti-gender movements and democratic backsliding, creating a space for over 100 attendees to engage in dialogue.
We need to find pathways to critically address fragmentation within feminist movements while holding each other to account to prevent co-option and discourse capture of feminist narratives by far right groups. We need to stop merely asking what does intersectionality mean to the question of what does intersectionality do? We need to move beyond using the word intersectionality and learn to bravely name and specifically address issues of and beyond gender, especially those of caste affected and indigenous communities to be able to protect and defend those fighting at the forefront for our democratic freedoms. We need to prevent the control of what is our digital commons by billionaires. Apart from stricter anti-trust legislation, we require to future proof ourselves through investment that develops our technical knowledge capacities and forays into newer areas of building locally led, owned and governed technical infrastructure to fight algorithms that not only silence us but spread fake news and dis and mis information that enable hatred and fissures in our societies. – Vandita Morarka
As the Inter-Ministerial Conference commenced, these collective demands were brought to the table, seeking to transform aspirations into actionable commitments by member states. The three days that followed were filled with meaningful discussions, vibrant side events, and a shared hope that the voices of feminists would shape a more equitable future. Through it all, we celebrated the resilience and power of feminists who show up, time and again, against all odds. It was a moment of reflection, a reminder that change is possible when we demand, believe, and act together.
As we reflect on our engagements across the various processes surrounding the Beijing+30 Review, One Future Collective is proud to have contributed to advancing gender justice and advocacy for marginalized communities. These events have not only deepened our commitment to feminist solidarity but also expanded our understanding of the ongoing work needed to achieve meaningful progress in gender equality. Looking ahead to the 2025 review, we remain steadfast in our dedication to advocating for inclusive, intersectional policies that address the lived realities faced by women, queer, and gender-diverse individuals.