Young feminist leadership at CSW69: Mobilizing a generation for gender equality, 30 years after the Beijing Platform for Action

More than 180 young activists convened to strategize on influencing the implementation of the Beijing+30 Action Agenda. Through regional roundtables, intergenerational dialogues, and targeted strategy sessions, young feminists articulated the urgent need for redistributing power, increasing accountability, strategic institutional reforms, and the recognition of young feminists as equal partners, rather than mere stakeholders.

During discussions with UN Women representatives, including Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Maitree Muzumdar emphasized: “Our call to action is to decenter some of the power that is here and shift it back to the local, national, and regional, to center accountability and to institutionalize young feminists' leadership where we are leading processes, so that we are not just consulted but equal drivers and equal co-leaders.”

Read more about their reflections in “Gen Z-ero tolerance>

During a solutions-focused dialogue, youth representatives advocated for transparent, actionable strategies to implement the Pact for the Future in alignment with the Beijing Platform for Action. Emphasizing accountability, speakers highlighted the need for clearly defined pathways for young feminist participation in decision-making processes and for data that reflect intersectional realities, including those of young women and girls with disabilities. Young panellists underscored actionable steps, such as securing meaningful participation for young women at negotiation tables and embedding inclusive accessibility into critical services, from education to health care.

At the “Rights, Equality and Empowerment for All Girls” conversation circle, young leaders presented clear, direct calls to action. These included prioritizing comprehensive sexuality education as a means of preventing sexual violence, proactive measures against technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and structured investments in digital literacy and economic empowerment. Participants stressed the importance of overcoming tokenistic inclusion and asserted that their presence in decision-making spaces should reflect the recognition of their capacities. Comfort Lamptey, UN Women’s Country Representative to Liberia, Lauren Rumble, representative of UNICEF, and Leyla Sharafi, representative of UNFPA, committed to meaningful participation and direct investment in adolescent girls, acknowledging the transformative power of early leadership development.

The third high-level interactive dialogue with youth representatives reinforced young people’s role in bridging generational gaps and driving systemic change. Youth representatives, including Eva Chukwunelo and Sanjana Chhantyal, articulated critical demands for reforms that centre the realities of marginalized groups, especially women with disabilities and Indigenous women. Chhantyal specifically addressed how current financial structures reinforce gender inequalities, calling for substantial reforms in economic systems to ensure equitable access and value recognition. Participants called for concrete institutional reforms at every governance level—local, national, and international—including the UN Security Council—to ensure that gender equality is foundational for peace and inclusive societies.

“We must reform institutions at all levels, from local and national governments to international forums including the Security Council,” said Austrian Youth Delegate Jana Berchtold, “and ensure that women’s participation in policy and decision-making continues to be the bedrock for peaceful and inclusive societies.”

As CSW69 continues into its second week, sustained mobilization remains essential. Young feminist and adolescent leaders continue to advocate for structural reforms, inclusivity, and accountability in multilateral spaces such as the ECOSOC Youth Forum, the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), and the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80). Their goal is clear: convert promises into action, ensuring the next generation inherits a world where gender equality is not aspirational, but a lived reality for all.