Pan-African Parliament Amplifies African Women’s Voice at UN’s 30th Anniversary of Beijing Conference

As the world marked the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) took centre stage in reaffirming Africa’s commitment to gender equality. Hon. Dr. Fatimatou Habib, 1st Vice President of PAP, represented the institution at a high-level United Nations General Assembly meeting held during UNGA80 High-Level Week, commemorating the Beijing Declaration and its global platform for women’s rights.

Reaffirming the Beijing Agenda: A Global Moment, an African Response

The 1995 Beijing Conference remains a watershed moment in the global women’s rights movement, producing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action - a blueprint spanning 12 critical areas of concern. In 2025, the international community is engaging in what has become known as Beijing+30: a review and re-commitment to the progress made and the challenges that persist.

At this year’s UN gathering, governments and civil society organizations spotlighted both gains and setbacks, with the overarching message that “the rights of women and girls must remain a unifying force.” The meeting also followed a momentous development: a consensus resolution to revitalize the Commission on the Status of Women, intended as a legacy vehicle for Beijing+30.

In her remarks, Dr. Habib signalled PAP’s determination to translate global pledges into African realities. She lauded the progress made in several African states such as increased women’s representation in parliaments, legal reforms, and social protections while stressing that much work remains to sustain momentum and close persistent gaps.

The Model Law: Africa’s Continental Instrument for Gender Justice

A cornerstone of PAP’s commitment is the ongoing development of the Pan-African Parliament Model Law on Gender Equality and Equity ,  a “soft-law” instrument that AU Member States can adopt or adapt to strengthen their domestic legal, institutional, and regulatory regimes on gender equality.

Dr. Habib updated the UN audience on this initiative, noting that PAP is intensifying efforts to finalize and circulate the draft for broader continental engagement.

Details on the Model Law have been evolving through a consultative, multi-stage process:

• In November 2022, PAP plenary adopted a resolution (PAP.6/PLN/RES/14/NOV.22) mandating the creation of a harmonizing gender equality law across Member States.
• The draft underwent a technical review in Yaoundé (8–12 May 2025), aligning it with key normative instruments such as the Maputo Protocol, CEDAW, and the AU Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (2025).
• In July 2025, a workshop in Pretoria convened legislators, legal experts, AU organs, civil society, and development partners for clause-by-clause review and validation.
• Regional consultations are ongoing for example, a West Africa consultation was held in Accra in September 2025.
• The final adoption is scheduled during the PAP November 2025 plenary session, pending integration of stakeholder feedback.

The draft Model Law spans a broad set of measures, from promoting women’s political participation to enhancing protection against gender-based violence and reducing structural inequities in economic, social, and cultural spheres. As Hon. Mariam Dao Gabala, Chair of PAP’s Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, stated: “This Model Law belongs to Africa … with it, we declare that the era of gender injustice must come to an end.”

Moreover, the Model Law is positioned as a flexible framework rather than a rigid template. It is meant to respect the sovereignty of Member States while providing a common benchmark for harmonizing best practices across Africa.

Achievements, Gaps, and the Path Forward

The commemoration of Beijing+30 has stirred renewed reflection on what has been achieved and where the world still falls short. Global leaders have flagged a backlash: reversals in reproductive rights, erosion of policy mechanisms, and the distortion of gender equality by new technologies and discriminatory algorithms. A recent Reuters report highlighted that, globally, progress on women’s rights has been uneven and under threat.

On the African continent, positive trends abound as more countries have adopted gender quotas, expanded social protection for women, and ratified regional treaties such as the Maputo Protocol, which provides a rights-based underpinning for women’s political, social, and reproductive health rights. Yet the challenges remain steep: entrenched patriarchal norms; lack of financing for women’s rights work; weak enforcement of laws; gaps in data (especially gender-disaggregated and intersectional data); conflict-driven violence; and the digital divide.

In this context, PAP’s Model Law can be a catalytic instrument. If widely adopted and well-resourced, it could help:

1. Bridge legal gaps by offering a harmonized reference point to update outdated or discriminatory national laws.
2. Strengthen enforcement mechanisms by embedding accountability, monitoring, and sanctions in domestic frameworks.
3. Promote cross-national coherence and learning, allowing countries to learn from each other’s legislative innovations and pitfalls.
4. Mobilize continental and international resources, leveraging the legitimacy of a PAP-backed instrument to attract investment and donor support.
5. Sustain momentum by reinforcing the principle that gender equality is not peripheral but integral to Africa’s Agenda 2063, SDGs, and development trajectory.

PAP’s Role: From Policy to Action

PAP’s engagement at UNGA80 and the Beijing+30 commemoration is more than symbolic. It underscores the Parliament’s evolving role as an advocate, normative driver, and convening space for gender justice in Africa. As the legislative organ of the AU, PAP is uniquely positioned to elevate African perspectives in global forums, while simultaneously anchoring continental priorities in domestic reforms.

The committee tasked with the Model Law: the Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, is one of PAP’s eleven permanent committees, mandated to “consider issues relating to the promotion of gender equality.” That said, PAP’s success will depend on several critical factors:

• Political will and buy-in from national parliaments, feminists, civil society, and citizens across Africa.
• Adequate resourcing, both for drafting, dissemination, advocacy, and enforcement of the Model Law.
• Rigorous monitoring and data systems, to track progress and hold governments accountable.
• Contextual adaptation, ensuring the Model Law doesn’t become a “one-size-fits-all” imposition but a responsive tool that resonates with diverse African legal systems, cultures, and political realities.

Conclusion

The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Conference has reignited global determination to close the gender equality gaps that persist. For Africa, the Pan-African Parliament’s participation in the commemoration and its commitment to developing a Model Law on Gender Equality and Equity signals an ambition to convert rhetoric into durable institutions and laws.

Dr. Habib’s presence at UNGA80 not only uplifts African women’s voices on the world stage, but also underscores PAP’s resolve to be not just a witness of history, but an architect of Africa’s gender-just future. The success of this endeavor will hinge on collaborative effort, political courage, and consistent momentum across Africa’s legislature, executive, and grassroots spheres.