Global Leaders Meeting on Women in Beijing on 13-14 October
Ambassador for Gender Equality remarks
by Michelle O’Byrne, Ambassador for Gender Equality, Australia
It is a privilege to join you today as we reflect on the legacy of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and recommit to its vision of equality, dignity, and rights for all women and girls.
We have witnessed substantial and sustained progress since 1995.
Globally, nearly 90 percent of girls now complete primary school (UNESCO 2023), and over 150 countries have enacted laws addressing domestic violence (World Bank, 2024).
In Australia, we are proud to have a Parliament that is more representative than ever before, including a gender-balanced Cabinet.
But there is still so much to be done. Today, 164 million women have an unmet need for modern contraception (WHO 2025).
Every two minutes, a woman dies from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth (WHO 2025).
And more than 640 million women have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime (UN Women Australia 2024).
In too many places, access to sexual and reproductive health services is being rolled back.
In others, women and girls face systemic violence, including in their own homes.
In conflict zones, women and girls are disproportionately affected by displacement, sexual violence, and the erosion of basic rights.
We must be clear: sexual and reproductive health and rights are human rights. And gender-based violence is not inevitable—it is preventable.
Australia is acting—at home and abroad.
Domestically, we’ve launched our second National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children, with a focus on prevention, early intervention, and survivor support. We are investing in trauma-informed services, safe housing, and justice reform, particularly for First Nations women.
We’ve expanded access to oral and long-acting contraception for low-income women and improved telehealth services to reach rural and remote communities.
Internationally, Australia’s development program is grounded in gender equality. All investments over $3 million must include gender equality outcomes.
We are scaling up support for SRHR services in humanitarian settings, and backing grassroots women’s organisations, because local leadership drives lasting change.
Last month at the UN General Assembly, Australia’s Foreign Minister announced new AUD1.5 million partnership with the Global Survivors Fund, for the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence.
When women and girls are safe, healthy, and empowered, communities thrive. Gender equality is not just a goal—it is a force multiplier for peace, prosperity, and resilience.
Let us honour the promise of Beijing—not with rhetoric, but with resolve.
Thank you.