As China prepares to host another significant women’s conference 30 years after the 1995 gathering, Hibaaq Osman recalls the essence of women’s rights as human rights. The influential conference highlighted global collaboration among women from various backgrounds while reflecting on the feminist movement’s strength in the United States. Osman emphasizes that the goals set at that time transcend national agendas, forming a united feminist movement.
The upcoming event in China marks 30 years since the significant women’s conference in Beijing, which aimed to address women’s rights globally. Hibaaq Osman, a notable advocate for women’s rights, recalls the importance of the 1995 conference, emphasizing the declaration that women’s rights are human rights. This mantra has resonated through the decades since its introduction at the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women.
Osman, who leads Cairo-based Karama—a coalition of women’s rights organizations in Africa and the Arab region—reflects on the diverse backgrounds of the 30,000 women who convened in Beijing to unite over shared challenges. The 1995 gathering highlighted discussions that encompassed both personal and political issues confronting women worldwide.
At that time, the feminist movement in the United States was particularly robust, with many American NGOs and feminists significantly influencing conference dynamics. Osman noted the impressive standing of former First Lady Hillary Clinton, who emerged as a prominent advocate for women’s rights, though she acknowledged the existence of differing opinions, particularly on issues like reproductive rights.
Osman views the conference’s efforts as part of a broader, progressive feminist movement rather than merely a U.S.-centric agenda. The collaborative spirit of the conference positioned women’s rights as an international concern, transcending individual national interests.
China’s upcoming women’s conference serves as a reminder of the long-standing global fight for women’s rights, initiated three decades ago in Beijing. Hibaaq Osman’s observations highlight the critical role of global collaboration among women from diverse cultures in addressing common challenges. As the landscape of women’s rights continues to evolve, it poses questions regarding nations’ moral standings, particularly between the United States and China. Ultimately, the deliberations at the 1995 conference established a vital perspective that continues to underpin women’s rights discourses today.
Original Source: www.scmp.com
