President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China has reaffirmed his nation’s commitment to promoting women’s empowerment and comprehensive development globally, with a particular emphasis on developing countries.
The latest commitment, according to Xi, is part of China’s efforts to build “a community with a shared future for humanity.”
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing, held to mark the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, President Xi highlighted the crucial role women play in advancing human civilization and stressed the importance of providing them with the necessary support.
“Women in every corner of the world are bound together by a shared future. At present, complex challenges still hamper their all-round development. Globally, over 600 million women and girls are still mired in war and conflict, and around 10 percent of women and girls are trapped in extreme poverty,” he stated.
Xi urged the international community to collaborate in eliminating poverty and discrimination against women, closing the gender digital divide, and fostering an environment conducive to peace, progress, and equality.
“We should rededicate ourselves to the purpose of the Beijing World Conference on Women, and build greater consensus, broaden the paths forward, and take more concrete actions to accelerate the new process of women’s all-round development,” he remarked.
In his address, the Chinese President proposed four key initiatives to enhance global women’s development. First, he stressed that women’s well-being depends on global peace and stability.
“We need to safeguard world peace so that all women can bask in the sunlight of happiness and stay away from the shadow of war and turmoil,” he said.
Secondly, he advocated for the inclusion of women in modernization and economic globalization, asserting that technological innovation and green development should empower women to “shine in life and achieve their dreams.”
Xi also called on nations to strengthen laws and institutions that uphold women’s rights, promote equality, and combat all forms of violence and discrimination.
“Gender equality should become a shared value and a standard of conduct embraced by everyone in society,” he said
To enhance global cooperation, Xi spoke of the necessity for a fairer global governance system that incorporates women’s voices and supports the United Nations in advancing women’s development, especially in the Global South.
“Women are crucial in reforming and improving the global governance system,” Xi noted. “We must enable them to play a substantive role and share in its benefits.”
Reaffirming China’s role as a partner in global women’s advancement, Xi announced a series of new commitments to support women and girls worldwide over the next five years.
They include, a US$10 million donation to UN Women, US$100 million from China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund for projects benefiting women and girls, the launch of 1,000 “small and beautiful” livelihood programs focused on women and girls, inviting 50,000 women from around the world to China for exchange and training programs, and establishing a Global Center for Women’s Capacity Building to enhance female talent development through international partnerships.
Xi also pointed out China’s progress in promoting gender equality and women’s participation in national development, noting that the country has lifted 690 million women out of poverty, reduced maternal mortality by nearly 80 percent since 1995, and seen women take on more prominent roles across all sectors.
“Today, women in China truly hold up half the sky,” Xi said, noting that women comprise over 40 percent of the workforce, more than half of internet start-up founders, and over 60 percent of medalists in recent Summer Olympic Games.
He commended Chinese women for their increasing involvement in scientific innovation, digital transformation, rural revitalization, and social governance, describing them as “more confident and vibrant than ever before.”
Amid commemorations to mark three decades since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Chinese leader urged nations to uphold its spirit and “jointly create a better future for humanity.”
“Steadfast dedication yields an enduring fragrance,” he quoted an ancient Chinese saying. “Standing at this new historic starting point, let us accelerate the new process of women’s all-round development and build a brighter shared future.”
