Women’s economic and social rights in the spotlight as OSCE marks 20 years of the Beijing Conference

VIENNA, 24 November 2015 - On the occasion of the 20^th Anniversary of the Beijing Conference on Women, the OSCE Gender Section organized a workshop today on economic and social rights, bringing together some 50 participants representing governmental institutions, international organizations and civil society from across the OSCE region.  

They discussed the implementation by the OSCE of two of the main strategic objectives on gender equality and economic and social rights set out in the Beijing Declaration.

The OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues Miroslava Beham highlighted the OSCE 2004 Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality, which calls on OSCE structures and participating States to provide adequate resources for the goals of gender equality to be achieved.  “Despite progress made globally in addressing barriers to economic opportunities, women still face countless obstacles that restrict their economic advancement,” Beham said.

She highlighted the commitments of OSCE participating States to empower women in the economic and social sphere as an essential component for achieving comprehensive security.

One of the keynote speakers, Diane Perrons, Professor of Economic Geography and Gender Studies at London School of Economics, said that “we should recognize that social norms are highly engendered and that is reflected in how we set our social and economic policies. As a result, care work and the care sector are undervalued compared to work with money or machinery. Consequently gender inequalities are maintained in societies.”