The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the fifth of which is “gender equity”, namely: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.  (Click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are nine targets, the first of which is “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere”.

● Current Situation

About the World

Gender Equality is Fundamental Human Right

Despite the adoption of the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) by the UN General Assembly in 1979, violence against women and girls remains a pervasive problem worldwide. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. 

The past few decades have seen fruitful progress: the number of girls going to school has increased, the number of girls forced to marry early has decreased, more women are in Parliament and leadership, and laws are being reformed in the direction of promoting gender equality. Nevertheless, there are still many challenges ahead. 

Text and phot source: UN official website

About China

Promoting Gender Equality

Promoting women's all-round development and gender equality is an important part of socialism with Chinese characteristics. 

Photo source: hinews.cn

China has always attached great importance to the promotion of gender equality and the development of women's cause, strengthened and improved the party's leadership over women's work, established and improved the working mechanism of the National People's Congress to protect women's rights and interests through legislation and the CPPCC to promote the development of women's cause through consultation, established and improved the working mechanism of the government to implement the basic national policy of gender equality, and strengthened the role of women's federations as a bridge between the party and the government and the masses of women. The working mechanism of the system provides a strong political and institutional guarantee for the development of women's cause. 

Text source: xinhuanet.com

●  Cases

About the World

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

The Convention is an important international human rights instrument formulated by the United Nations to eliminate discrimination against women and strive for gender equality. The United Nations passed the relevant bill at the General Assembly on December 18, 1979, and it came into force in September 1981. The Convention establishes rules to protect women's rights in politics, law, work, education, medical services, business activities and family relations. 

Text and photo source: UN official website

Spotlight Initiative

The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) are embarking on a new, global, multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) – the Spotlight Initiative.

The Initiative is so named as it brings focused attention to this issue, moving it into the spotlight and placing it at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

An initial investment in the order of EUR 500 million will be made, with the EU as the main contributor. Other donors and partners will be invited to join the Initiative to broaden its reach and scope. The modality for the delivery will be a UN multi- stakeholder trust fund, administered by the Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, with the support of core agencies UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women, and overseen by the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General.

Text and photo source: UN official website 

About China

World Women Conference

China has always been actively advocating and promoting global women's cause. From 4-15 September 1995, the fourth World Women Conference was held in Beijing. The two programmatic documents for promoting gender equality, the Beijing Declaration and Program of Action were adopted by the conference. The two documents are regarded as an important milestone in the cause of women's development.

Text and photo source: chinatoday.com

Build Harmonious and Inclusive Culture

China strives to build a harmonious and inclusive social culture, eliminate discrimination and prejudice against women, and innovate and develop advanced gender culture publicity and education. We have compiled and published the readings and selected cases of the implementation of the basic national policy of gender equality. Party schools and administrative colleges at and above the county level generally offer courses on the basic national policy of gender equality. Relevant research and projects will be added to the National Social Science Fund and other scientific research funds to encourage the discipline construction of women's studies in colleges and universities, and more than 100 colleges and universities will offer women's studies courses.

Photo source: 163.com

At the same time, China integrated the concept of gender equality into primary and secondary education, and has traditional media and new media to promote the publicity of gender equality. China's published gender equality on the mainstream WeChat such as the People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency. The official account of the Women's Voice, the China Women's Federation News and the Gender Research Horizon actively guide public opinion, voice the discrimination against women and the allegations of insulting women, and make a clear stand on gender and the concept of equality.

Text source: chinatoday.com

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.