China pledges greater support for women

The Consul General of China in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, says her country will strengthen global women’s empowerment through new initiatives and enhanced international cooperation.

Yuqing made this known at the “Lagos Forum: Women’s Empowerment Dialogue” organised by the Chinese Consulate on Sunday night in Lagos.

The forum celebrated the conclusion of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, jointly hosted by China and UN Women in Beijing.

According to Yan, gender equality is a core national policy embedded in the Chinese Communist Party’s governance agenda.

She said President Xi Jinping had provided strong political backing for women’s advancement through new initiatives announced for the next five years.

These include an additional 10 million dollar donation to UN Women and 100 million dollars from China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund.

“China will also launch 1,000 small and beautiful livelihood projects focusing on women and girls,” Yan said.

She added that 50,000 women would be invited to China for exchange and training programmes.

According to her, a Global Centre for Women’s Capacity Building will be established to train more female talents through development cooperation.

Yan, the first female Consul General of China in Lagos, said she was proud to witness progress in women’s causes in Nigeria.

She noted that China had lifted 690 million women out of poverty, achieving the UN 2030 poverty reduction goal ahead of time.

“Women now make up over 40 per cent of China’s workforce, half of all internet start-up founders, and more than 60 per cent of recent Olympic medallists,” she said.

Yan stressed that achieving gender equality requires joint action and practical steps by all nations.

She said President Xi had proposed four key measures to advance global women’s development.

These include fostering an enabling environment, driving high-quality development, protecting women’s rights through governance, and promoting global cooperation.

Yan explained that through platforms such as APEC and the G20, China had created frameworks to advance women’s empowerment.

“In response to global challenges, China has deployed over 1,200 female officers and soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions,” she said.

She noted that these officers had offered humanitarian aid to women and children in conflict and disaster zones, reflecting China’s sense of responsibility.

Yan cited data showing that more than 600 million women and girls worldwide still live amid war and conflict.

She added that about 10 per cent of them remain trapped in extreme poverty.

Quoting Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Sulaiman Ibrahim, Yan said empowering women is not charity but an investment in peace and prosperity.

She urged nations to use the global leaders’ meeting as a springboard to hasten the Beijing Declaration’s implementation.

Countries, she said, must also advance the UN 2030 Agenda, address digital-age challenges, and pursue new ways to empower women.

Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Bolaji Dada, praised the Chinese mission and Chinese women’s association in Nigeria.

She commended their sustained advocacy, partnerships, and investment in women’s development.

Dada said such support reinforces global collaboration for a fairer and more inclusive society.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we must renew our shared resolve to build a world where women can reach their full potential,” she said.