A UB faculty member and a PhD candidate led a panel discussion last month as part of the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69).

The panel, titled “Uniting Research, Policy, and Practice: Advancing Equality, Peace, and Sustainability for Women and Girls,” brought together global leaders, activists and scholars to tackle critical issues related to gender equality.

Barbara Wejnert, professor in the Department of Environment and Sustainability, and Senay Imre, a PhD candidate in the Department of Global Gender & Sexuality Studies, led the panel, which was attended by more than 100 participants.

The conference, held at the United Nations in New York, aimed to contribute to the international dialogue on empowering women and girls worldwide, showcasing the global commitment to advancing gender equality.

It also commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a groundbreaking framework adopted in 1995 that set forth a comprehensive agenda for advancing women’s rights and gender equality worldwide.

The gathering and conference were “a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight for gender equality,” says Imre.

“As members of the UB academic community, in a time when women’s rights are facing pushback, it is more important than ever to offer our perspectives and be part of this critical gathering with the world,” Imre says. “This is a space where conversations around policy-making and collective action unfold — where research is shared and where we can directly lobby global policymakers to drive meaningful change.

“This anniversary serves as a reminder that while progress has been made, our work is far from over — and it is more difficult than ever.”

The conference’s central theme, "Push Back: How to Push Back the Push Back," highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by women and girls worldwide and emphasized the collective action required to protect and advance their hard-won rights. The sessions at the UN not only reflected on the setbacks but also celebrated the progress made since the adoption of the Beijing Platform, underscoring the continued fight for gender equality, organizers say.