During the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action reflected on the importance of the interface between gender equality and sustainable development. It recognized that “women remain largely absent at all levels of policy formulation and decision-making in natural resource and environmental management, conservation, protection and rehabilitation, and their experience and skills in advocacy for and monitoring of proper natural resources management too often remain marginalized in policy-making and decision-making bodies, as well as educational institutions and environment-related agencies at the managerial level” (UN 1995).

Three strategic objectives were identified to overcome these shortcomings: involving women actively in environmental decision-making at all levels; integrating gender concerns and perspectives into policies and programmes for sustainable development; and strengthening or establishing mechanisms at national, regional and international levels to assess the impact of development and environmental policies on women.