“Reflection Is Not Enough”: Nadia Calls for Action at UNGA
At the opening of the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, world leaders gathered to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most ambitious global commitment on women’s rights and gender equality.
On this historic occasion, Nadia Murad issued a powerful reminder: reflection is not enough.
While progress since Beijing is undeniable – more girls in school, more women in positions of power, discriminatory laws being overturned – women and girls are still too often silenced by violence, denied justice, and shut out of decisions that shape peace and security.
As Nadia highlighted during her speech, “Sustainable peace is impossible while half of humanity’s population is silenced or targeted with violence.”
Nadia called on the international community to move from promises to action, outlining three urgent and interconnected priorities:
Fund the women’s organizations on the front lines.
Guarantee women’s participation in peace and security.
Hold perpetrators – and the oppressive systems that protect them – accountable.
She emphasized, “The next generation of women and girls deserve to inherit no more promises, but the reality of equality, justice, and dignity.”
At the high-level meeting, Nadia spoke alongside women leaders from around the world and General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, underscoring the urgency of renewed political will and concrete action.
She also joined the 2025 Annual Meeting of the UNGA Platform of Women Leaders, where participants highlighted how women and girls can be empowered as agents of change.
This year’s gathering carried added significance, as the world marks 80 years of the United Nations, 30 years since the Beijing Declaration, and 15 years of UN Women. Together, these milestones remind us that a collective commitment to act on gender equality and women’s rights is central to building a more just world.
Nadia’s full remarks at UNGA can be found here.
