Chinese President Xi Jinping, speaking via video at a high-level meeting on the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women on Thursday, called on the international community to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on women, strive for genuine gender equality and enhance global cooperation to advance women's development.
In a year marking the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on "Women, Peace and Security," and the 20th birthday of UN Women, there are growing calls for more attention to be paid to the causes of women so as to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals.
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Women in the fight against COVID-19
"Women truly deserve our admiration," Xi said as he praised the contribution of women to the ongoing fight against COVID-19.
Speaking of China's war against the virus, the president recalled the story of Liu Jiayi, a nurse from southern China's Guangdong Province.
As the youngest member of a team caring for patients with COVID-19, Liu used to be treated as a child by her colleagues. But as she fought COVID-19, she saw herself as more. "When I wear the protective gear, I'm no longer a child," she said in an April interview.
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"In China, at the height of the battle against COVID-19, more than 40,000 health workers from across the country rushed to Hubei Province, which was the hardest hit by the virus, and two-thirds of them were women," Xi said.
As the pandemic is ravaging the world in many areas, the Chinese president pointed out that the spread of the virus has taken a heavy toll on economies, employment and people's lives, and has brought greater challenges to women.
Experts told CGTN that COVID-19 has slowed progress toward gender equality and women empowerment.
World efforts needed to promote women's causes
Xi raised several proposals to advance women's rights and interests.
He said that women's needs should be attended to in the course of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Protection of women's rights and interests must become the commitment at the national level," he stressed.
China has always attached great importance to promoting gender equality and the overall development of women, and China's practices and measures in this regard have not only promoted the development of the causes of women around the world, but also set an example for other countries.
Xi also called for women to be supported and helped to live their lives to the full, and said the world should strive for genuine gender equality
He stressed the importance of enhancing global cooperation in advancing women's development and announced that China will donate another $10 million to UN Women in the coming five years.
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"China will continue to fund the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education to support this global effort," he added.
The Chinese president also proposed the convening of another Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in 2025.