30th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: A New Chapter in Women’s Development in Hong Kong

In 1995, the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women was convened in Beijing, where representatives from 189 countries and regions jointly adopted the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The documents identified 12 key areas for actions ranging from education, economy, power to decision-making, and set the shared goal of “Action for Equality, Development and Peace”, driving the global advancement of gender equality into a new phase and charting the direction for women’s development worldwide.

Over the past three decades, Hong Kong has remained steadfast in implementing the spirit of the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, with remarkable progress in women’s development duly achieved. Women in Hong Kong nowadays play key roles in numerous fields, be they educational, professional or public governance, and women’s contributions keep shaping the prosperous future of Hong Kong in a concrete manner.

Notable Achievements: Promising Indicators of Women’s Development in Hong Kong

Women constitute over half of Hong Kong’s total population. On the education front, in 2023/24 academic year female students accounted for more than half of the students enrolled in publicly-funded programmes of local universities, where some 55.5% students studying in the business and management fields were female. Besides, women’s enrolment in disciplines traditionally dominated by men has risen significantly as well. For instance, the proportion of women studying medicine and dentistry increased from 37.5% in 1996/97 academic year to 52.6% in 2023/24 academic year, exemplifying how women in Hong Kong are indeed “holding up half the sky”.

Meanwhile, more and more women are taking up leading roles in the professional sectors. In 2024, over half of all the practising solicitors and certified public accountants were women, and close to 40% of managerial positions were held by women. As for the capital market, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited amended its Corporate Governance Code and Listing Rules in 2022, requiring new applicants to avoid setting up single-gender boards of directors. As at September 2025, the vast majority (>99%) of listed companies in Hong Kong had at least one female director. These figures are strong evidence of the robust women’s development in Hong Kong.

Solid Foundation for Advancing Women’s Development in Hong Kong

In 1996, the United Nations’ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was extended to Hong Kong to not only safeguard women against discrimination, injustice and violence, but also ensure the well-rounded development of women. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region adheres to and upholds the principles and obligations of the CEDAW through the implementation of the Basic Law, local legislation and necessary administrative measures, thereby promoting the well-being and development of women in Hong Kong on all fronts.

Kick-off Ceremony of the first “She Inspires” Mentorship Programme on 19 July 2025

Empowering Women and Advancing Women’s Development

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) is committed to advancing gender equality through women empowerment. Over the years, the HYAB has rolled out an array of initiatives to support women’s development. As steered by the Chief Executive, the Women Empowerment Fund (WEF) was established in June 2023 and has, within just two and a half years, supported and approved nearly 380 projects, allocating over $56 million for women’s groups and non-governmental organisations to implement suitable programmes that help women unleash potential and achieve self-enhancement. To step up such efforts, the Chief Executive has announced in his 2025 Policy Address that the annual funding of the WEF will be increased from $20 million to $30 million to further support its work.

In addition, the HYAB organised on 9 October 2024 the first Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit, creating a new platform where people from all walks of life that cared about Hong Kong family and women’s development could exchange insights and experiences. The inaugural Summit attracted over 900 participants, including representatives of women’s groups in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, the business sector and relevant service organisations, pooling the strengths of the Government, the business sector and the community to enhance public awareness of healthy family and women’s development.

The HYAB also launched the “She Inspires” Mentorship Programme earlier this year, matching local female university students with women leader mentors and offering training and activities to nurture the future strength that will “hold up half the sky”. The first cohort recruited more than 50 mentors and some 80 mentees, demonstrating both the commitment of women leaders to give back to society and the enthusiasm of young women to learn and grow. Recognising the Programme’s efficacy in broadening the horizons of female university students, the Chief Executive has announced in his 2025 Policy Address that the number of mentee places for the second cohort will be increased by 50% to 120 with a view to benefitting more students.

Beijing+30: The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women – New and Accelerated Process for Women’s All-round Development

From 13 to 14 October 2025, China hosted The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing under the theme “One Shared Future: New and Accelerated Process for Women’s All-round Development”, engaging the international community in discussions on how to advance women’s development at a global level. In his keynote address at the opening ceremony, President Xi Jinping put forth four proposals:

On 19 September 2025, China also released a white paper titled “China’s Achievements in Women’s Well-Rounded Development in the New Era”, systematically setting out our country’s successful practices in advancing women’s development, and vividly sharing stories and achievements of Chinese women’s development. The white paper provides vital guidance for the future advancement of women’s development in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will persistently uphold the spirit of the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, and gather the strength of our society to strive for women’s well-rounded development.

Building on the success of the inaugural Summit and to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action at the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women, the HYAB will organise the second Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit, bringing together stakeholders from all sectors to devise initiatives for continuous promotion of family and women development, thereby contributing to the advancement and harmony of our society.

Epilogue

The Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action are not merely historical milestones; they are the core values that continuously guide Hong Kong’s efforts in promoting women’s development. As President Xi emphasised in his keynote address at The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, “Steadfast dedication yields an enduring fragrance.” The advancement of women’s development is an ongoing journey that requires persistent dedication from the Government, the business sector and every citizen to contribute our time and efforts. We trust that the strength and wisdom of women in Hong Kong will continue to flourish across industries and generations, radiating vitality and excellence. Thirty years on, we look back on our progress while standing ready at the starting point of a new journey, striding into the next chapter with purpose, grace and confidence.