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Santiago, Chile – April 1, 2025 – The Secretary-General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), H.E. Noemí Espinoza Madrid, participated in the commemorative session marking the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, during the Eighth Forum of Latin American and Caribbean Countries on Sustainable Development, where she reiterated the ACS’s commitment to gender equality and sustainable development in the Greater Caribbean region.

In her speech, the Secretary-General highlighted the relevance of the Forum as a key space to analyze the progress and challenges in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 30 years after its adoption. Citing the current global context, she emphasized that geopolitical changes, environmental crises, threats to peace, and economic and social inequalities continue to disproportionately affect women in the region.

"The Greater Caribbean is a magnificent region with structural barriers exacerbated by high levels of debt, which restricts the ability of states to invest in equality policies and programs that promote women's economic autonomy," stated the Secretary-General.

During her address, she highlighted three challenges that pose significant obstacles to advancing women's rights and hinder the development of communities: the impact of the climate crisis on women, economic inequalities, and the urgent need to eradicate gender-based violence. The Secretary-General expressed that it is not enough to recognize these problems; the response must be structural, immediate, and sustainable.

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she proposed concrete measures to strengthen health systems, promote gender equality, ensure decent jobs, reduce wage gaps, protect marine ecosystems by promoting women's participation in environmental governance, and foster regional cooperation.

"Thirty years after Beijing, we cannot afford to step back or advance with timid steps. Substantive equality is an essential condition for the sustainable development of our region. Latin America and the Caribbean must arrive at the High-Level Political Forum with one voice: the voice of those who believe in transformation and work every day for a fairer world," emphasized Secretary-General Espinoza Madrid.

The ACS reaffirms its commitment to work alongside its member states, multilateral organizations, and strategic allies to ensure that women in the Greater Caribbean region live in conditions of equality and not in resilience, promoting sustainable and inclusive development.