Bellagio Compact
Global Women Leaders’ Call to Action for the Revival of Democracy and Delivering on the Promise of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
The status of women is the status of democracy. Democracy, peace, and economic stability cannot exist without women’s rights and leadership, and attacks on those rights are often the first warning sign of democratic decline, escalating violence, and economic instability. As authoritarian threats grow, many women are not only resisting—they are leading the fight against them. From the frontlines of conflict zones to the halls of parliaments, women and girls are mobilizing, organizing, and building resilient communities rooted in equality and justice.
As we mark thirty years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, it is time to reclaim democratic power, fulfill the promise of Beijing, and rebuild an international order based on international law and anchored in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We can no longer simply react to backlash and attacks. Across all our differences, we must unite to shape a bold vision for communities where democracy drives economic growth, strengthens civic participation and social cohesion, and delivers human rights and genuine equality for all.
The Bellagio Compact—developed and signed by a group of prominent global women leaders—calls on governments, civil society, academic institutions, women’s organizations, and all allies to unite against authoritarianism, which has been fueling fear and division through racism, sexism, and deepening social class inequalities. Through this Compact, we commit to advancing women’s leadership as a central pillar to the renewal of democracy, because when women thrive, democracy thrives—and so do communities, nations, and the world.
Sign On to the Bellagio Compact
Explore More
