The United Nations ‘Beijing platform for action’ (1995–2005): Local–global political spaces, NGO activism and governmental responses in the republic of Ireland

Introduction September 2005 marks the tenth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995) and the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) by 189 governments, including Ireland. From February 28th to March 11th, 2005, Irish governmental and non-governmental organisation (NGO) delegations attended a meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, which aimed to carry out a 'review and appraisal' of implementation of the BPFA. At this timely juncture, this report reviews the domestic impact in the Republic of Ireland -- with a focus on NGO activism and governmental responses -- of the Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW) and subsequent BPFA implementation monitoring processes. I start with a brief overview of the 'Beijing to Beijing-Plus-Ten' path in global perspective. I then highlight key developments in NGO and governmental engagement with the BPFA and its review processes in Ireland. In doing so, I consider the overall impact of the BPFA, the relative roles of the state and NGO actors around its implementation at the local/national level and some implications for the women¿s movements in Ireland. Finally, I note some specific concerns and challenges that arise in understanding the nature of emerging local/global political spaces.