19-21  November 2024, Ms. Dwarika Thebe, Executive Director of the National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF), participated in the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review, held in Bangkok, Thailand. This significant event was organized in collaboration with the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and served as a vital platform to assess regional progress on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) over the last three decades, with a particular focus on achievements and challenges of the past five years.

The conference brought together a diverse and influential group of participants, including Ministers, senior officials, and representatives from key government ministries. Additionally, it featured a broad array of stakeholders such as civil society organizations, youth groups, academics, private sector leaders, United Nations entities, independent experts, and other prominent actors in the field of gender equality. This multi-stakeholder engagement underscored the interconnected efforts required to address persistent inequalities and emerging challenges in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women across Asia and the Pacific. The discussions provided an opportunity to share good practices and lessons learned while highlighting current and emerging challenges faced by women and girls. Ms. Thebe’s participation ensured that the perspectives and voices of Indigenous women were represented in this critical dialogue.

The outcomes of the conference will serve as a roadmap for future actions, reinforcing commitments to advancing gender equality and empowering women in all their diversity, with a focus on ensuring no one is left behind. For NIWF, this engagement aligns with its ongoing advocacy efforts to elevate the voices of Indigenous women and girls within national and international policymaking forums.