The Beijing Declaration (or “platform”) is a key outcome document developed and adopted by the IV World Conference on Women in Beijing from September 4-15, 1995, in which official delegations from 189 countries participated.

The Beijing Declaration (or “platform”) is a key outcome document developed and adopted by the IV World Conference on Women in Beijing from September 4-15, 1995, in which official delegations from 189 countries participated.

The declaration outlines problems and measures to improve the status of women and remove all obstacles to their active involvement in all spheres of public and private life by ensuring full and equal participation in decision-making on economic, social, cultural and political issues.Last week in Geneva, at the UN headquarters, they talked about the results of the Declaration and about future prospects.

SWAN representatives spoke at a preliminary meeting of women’s organisations and at the main event, at a session where difficulties were discussed the work of human rights defenders of sex workers.

The main topics of discussion were the difference between voluntary sex work and human trafficking, and sexual exploitation as well as the problems that exist in Russia and in the CEECA region with the protection of the rights of sex workers. For example, the impossibility of officially registering a sex worker organisation and threats and harassment by the authorities.

“There were opposition from abolitionists (radical feminists), who literally tried to scream and stop us from speaking, because in their opinion, there is no sex work, but only male violence against women. But we also had many supporters.” reported back the SWAN representatives.