30 Years After Beijing: Moni Pizani Orsini shares reflections from the 1995 World Conference on Women

"Beijing changed our lives!” claims Moni Pizani Orsini. Her voice reflects conviction. She is referring to the Fourth World Conference on Women that took place in Beijing, China, in 1995. It was a milestone for women’s rights then, and fulfilling the commitments made by governments 30 years ago could usher in many more milestones today.

"We travelled across the country, encouraging people to participate," she recalls. Long before she worked with UN Women, Pizani Orsini, a native of Venezuela, together with many others, prepared for months leading up to the conference, strategizing and organizing other women. As a result, 35 women from civil society groups, including her, and 12 Venezuelan government representatives attended the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

More than 17,000 participants were at the 1995 conference, including government delegates from 189 countries and civil society. In a parallel NGO Forum in Huairou, 73 kilometers from the main venue in Beijing, some 30,000 participants gathered to discuss and influence the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Many women’s rights activists went back and forth between the two spaces, and it wasn’t an easy journey.  

"There were torrential rains; we walked long distances and struggled for space," shares Pizani Orsini. But they were determined, and unified in their hope and activism. 

One of the most memorable moments for Pizani Orsini was a protest led by women’s rights activists. "We occupied the stairs of the conference venue," she reminisces. The debates were intense and passionate, women’s rights activists aspired for progress and wouldn’t take no for an answer, she added.

They demanded at least 30 percent female participation in elected positions, which became a rallying call for action to establish gender quotas for parity in politics and decision-making.