In September 1995 representatives of governments, non-governmental or organisations (NGOs) and women activists from all member states of the United Nations as well as leaders from various donor agencies converged in Beijing, China, for the Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW). Strategies to tackle the problems facing women all over the world were debated and formulated. The conference adopted the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action (PFA) which were derived from the regional platforms for action that were drawn up at five regional preparatory meetings for the FWCW. The Beijing meeting was held as part of a series of UN social development conferences to look at the issues of development, equality and peace.

Four years since that largest gathering of women in history, the flame that was lit at Beijing is still burning around the world. For southern Africa, that flame was activated with the signing of the Gender and Development Declaration at the Southern African Development Community Summit in Blantyre, Malawi, in September 1997.