Ateneo hosts launch of the Philippine NGO SO Beijing +30 Report

Ateneo de Manila University, through the University Gender and Development Office (UGDO) and the Dr Rosita G Leong School of Social Sciences (RGLSOSS), hosted the national launch of the Philippine NGO Beijing +30 Report, an assessment of the country’s progress toward gender equality thirty years after the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA). 

The launch was organised in partnership with the report’s main organizers: the Women’s and Gender Studies Association of the Philippines (WSAP) and the Women and Gender Institute (WAGI) of Miriam College. It was supported by UN Women Philippines and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), with contributions from a wide network of CSOs nationwide.

The report presents a comprehensive analysis of the identified 12 critical areas of concern, encompassing Women and Poverty (Lead Author: Mae Buenaventura), Education and Training of Women (Lead Author: Ma. Elissa J Lao), Women and Health (Lead Author: Luz Francess Chua), Violence Against Women (Jean Enriquez, et al), Women and Armed Conflict (Karen Z Tanada, et al), Women and the Economy (Tea Tirol Abastillas, et al), Women in Power and Decision-Making (Melanie Reyes), Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women (Lead Author: Melanie Reyes), Human Rights of Women (Jelen Paclarin), Women and the Media (Maria Olivia H Tripon, et al), Women and the Environment (Maria Aubrey Villaceran, et al), and The Girl Child (Excelsa C Tongson, et al). This report also brought to the forefront urgent and often overlooked issues faced by Women with diverse SOGIE (Donna Ruz Q Nuñez, et al), Muslim women (Yasmin Busran-Lao, et al), indigenous women (Lead Author: Judy A Pasimio), and elderly women (Socorro L Reyes). 

2025 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the BPfA, a pivotal moment for feminist movements worldwide. It is a year that calls for renewed commitment to gender equality and to ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey towards equality, development, and peace for all women and girls. Aside from the successes we have achieved for the past 30 years, we must keep in mind that women and girls still face far greater risks from gender discrimination when they are also confronted with other forms of social exclusion, such as those based on disability, race and ethnicity, age, income or sexual orientation.

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Held at the Leong Hall Auditorium, the event brought together scholars, NGOs, civil society organisations (CSOs), advocates, and development partners working to advance women’s rights in the Philippines. Unveiling the Philippine NGO Beijing +30 Report

The program opened with Welcome Remarks from Dr Czarina Saloma Akpedonu, Dean of the Dr Rosita G Leong School of Social Sciences. She emphasized Ateneo’s commitment to gender-responsive research, teaching, and community engagement, as well as the importance of sustained collaboration across sectors. She also highlighted the transdisciplinarity of the Beijing+30 report, which brought together women from different expertise and disciplines. 

Keynote Speaker, Dr. Patricia Licuanan, former Chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (1994–95), provided historical context on the Philippines’ leadership role in advancing principles that would guide future actions and strategies, and firmly establishing an agenda for empowering women by integrating their concerns into national plans and policies.

Jeanne Frances Illo, editor of the Beijing +30 Report, outlined the report’s content, sharing the gains achieved during the assessment period in terms of access to certain services, participation of women in leadership and decision-making, engagement of women and women’s rights organizations in the peace process and various advocacies, gender mainstreaming in government, and the flurry of legislation that have been signed into law after tireless efforts of WROs and their allies in Congress. She also highlighted the roles of CSOs in offering the government opportunities for collaborations for addressing some of the persistent problems underlying the slow implementation of the BPfA.

A video presentation followed, featuring messages from authors who discussed the key message or takeaway they would like to impart from their written chapter and their aspirations for the next 5 years towards the fulfillment of the BPFA goals.

The launching event also offered a tribute to Elizabeth “ Beth” Angsioco, a respected women’s rights activist and one of the co-authors of the Beijing +30 Report, who passed away during the writing process. Colleagues remembered Beth for her decades of leadership in advancing reproductive health, gender equality, and social justice. Her family was present on her behalf, honoring her legacy and lifelong commitment to defending women’s rights in the Philippines.

Ms Jean Enriquez delivered the Closing Remarks on behalf of Ma. Rosalyn Mesina, Country Programme Coordinator of UN Women Philippines. The closing message reiterated the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and reaffirmed UN Women’s support for gender equality efforts in the country.

The launch recognized the contributions of more than twenty organizations spanning women’s rights, migrant advocacy, community development, media freedom, peacebuilding, and legal empowerment. Their collective participation ensures that the CSO Beijing +30 Report accurately reflects the lived experiences across the Philippines.