Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, the Chinese delegation would like to thank the Executive Director of UNICEF for the report on the progress of work by UNICEF on gender equality and empowerment of women and welcome the formulation and implementation of the Gender Action Plan 2014-2017. We have noted that UNICEF engaged in broad consultations in formulating the Action Plan and fully sought the views of all stakeholders, including those of various UN agencies, with a view to avoiding repetition and overlapping of mandates.

China appreciates the vigorous efforts of UNICEF in advancing the agenda of gender equality and women’s empowerment and its emphasis on promoting the implementation of the strategy on gender mainstreaming through monitoring. Operable monitoring indicators are indispensable for the measurement of the progress in the area of gender equality, a point China is deeply aware of through its own experience. Both the Development Outline for the Chinese Children (2011-2020) and the Outline for the Development of Chinese Women (2011-2020) contain monitoring indicators and our statistical department has been working to continuously improve data collection and analysis in the area of gender equality in order to provide necessary basis for policy making.

Mr. Chairman,

We have noticed that UNICEF has designated gender equality advisors in all regional offices and prompted its national offices to better incorporate the gender perspective in national cooperation programs. We welcome these initiatives and hope that UNICEF would enhance gender sensitivity of all its staff, fully take into account the gender perspective in project planning, monitoring and evaluation, give adequate attention to girls’ needs, make more rational use of its resources and ensure the equal participation and equitable benefit of girls.

Mr. Chairman,

There is no doubt as to the importance of education to girls, and family education is equally indispensable. Family is the first school of children, and values, role-playing and future self-expectation that children, girls in particular, learn at home will have a significant and lifelong bearing on them. Judicious family education can provide children with infinite horizon for development. With the support of UNICEF, China has formulated and started to implement its National Family Education Guidance Outline. We hope to see further strengthening of advocacy and promotion of family education and are willing to continue the relevant cooperation with UNICEF.

China hopes that in the implementation of the Action Plan, UNICEF will maintain good communication and full consultation with national governments, take into full account different situations and needs of various countries in the area of gender equality, and make greater contribution to the global cause of empowerment of women and development of girls.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.