Beijing+30 High-Level Meeting: Global Leaders Recommit to Women’s Rights

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia delivers her address at the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, 22 September 2025. Photo: UN Women / Ryan Brown

By Atinuke Adeosun 

On September 22, 2025, the halls of the United Nations Headquarters in New York carried the weight of history and the urgency of now. The world had gathered to mark thirty years since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, where global leaders first agreed to an ambitious blueprint for gender equality.

Kamala Harris: Institutionalizing Reproductive Justice

Kamala Harris, the United States Vice President
Image Credit: The White House

Reproductive health rights in America are deeply intertwined with issues of racial inequality, particularly affecting Black women. Nearly one in four women in the U.S. will experience a reproductive health need by age 45, underscoring the widespread need for comprehensive reproductive services. However, access to these services is not evenly distributed, and Black women face significant barriers. The Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, has led to a patchwork of state regulations that often disproportionately impact Black communities. In states with severe reproductive health restrictions, Black women are particularly affected, facing greater challenges in accessing necessary care.

Inspiring Inclusion

by Adetayo Adetokun

Let us clap for women, for their resilience, courage, and the indelible mark they have left on the pages of history. International Women's Day, celebrated every March 8, is a resounding applause for the achievements, struggles, and progress of women worldwide. 

The Snip

Photo by Anton Kudryashov on Pexels

By Ruth Ajawu

Today, I am finally going to become a woman!

Free… Yet Bound

Photo by Nick Owuor (astro.nic.visuals) on Unsplash

by Adetayo Adetokun

African feminists are individuals and organizations working towards the advancement of women's rights and equality in Africa. They work to challenge traditional gender roles and societal attitudes that perpetuate the notion of women's inferiority and promote laws and policies that protect and empower women. African feminists also advocate for access to education, healthcare, and other essential services for women, and women's participation in political and economic decision-making processes.

Women's Rights in Conferring Citizenship

Photo by Dayvison de Oliveira Silva from Pexels

by Emono Bwacha

A citizen of a country is basically someone who has legal ties to that country. One of the most common definitions of citizenship is that it is “the sum total of rights and duties ensuing for a given person by reason of his legal affiliation to a certain State”^[1] The concept of citizenship legally ties an individual to a particular region or country. As a direct result, the individual has obligations to said region or country and in return, the region or country grants the individual rights to enjoy as a citizen.

The Agony of Water Scarcity

Photo by Tucker Tangeman on Unsplash

THROUGH THE EYES OF OJONUGWA YAHAYA

INTRODUCTION

Located in an atmosphere of serenity and decorated with the rich savannah vegetation, the communal life and practice of trade by barter is still held with great prestige in the community of Ojokpachi-Odo. 

Policing Childbirth and Risking Women’s Lives

Woman breastfeeding her newborn
Image: Feature Shoot

By Ramatu Ada Ochekliye

My first experience with childbirth was when my youngest sister – Sadiya – was born. I was seven years old then. I remember my mum trying to put on a brave face as she was aided to the car. In all honesty, I didn't understand what was going on, but my aunts and uncles seemed to be in a panic. I can't remember what my father's demeanor was, but I know we didn't see our mother until the next day when we were introduced to our newborn sister. There was happiness, excitement and an air of love all around. If my mother was frazzled after the birth, she didn’t show it or…I didn't notice.

Why Do Men So Easily Harass Women?

Men in Yaba Market (Nigeria) harassing a woman for demanding an end to street harassment.
Credit: Market March

Most women have been sexually harassed in one way or the other. This could be in the market, at work, in schools, or just walking down the street. Some women have come to expect it as part of their lives. Before I go on my rant – and this is going to be a rant – defining what it means to be sexually harassed is the first call of duty.