Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese delegation thanks the Secretary General for his report submitted under this agenda item and endorses the statement made by Argentina on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Mr. Chairman,

Poverty is both a daunting challenge for developing countries and a common concern for the entire international community. While the very first MDG is to halve by 2015 the population living in extreme poverty and hunger, 1.4 billion people are still living in abject poverty in the world today and most of them are in developing countries. In recent years, international financial and economic crisis, volatile food prices, climate change and regional conflicts have aggravated the difficulties facing developing countries, the LDCs in particular.

As a myriad of economic, political, social and historical factors underlies poverty, its elimination is a cross-cutting issue and the joint responsibility of the international community. Since the United Nations designated the Second Decade for the Eradication of Poverty 2008-2017, global cooperation for poverty reduction has registered some progress but realizing the MDG in poverty reduction remains an enormous challenge. In order to eradicate poverty, the international community needs to make efforts in the following areas:

I. The international community should strengthen the coordination of macro-economic policies to promote sustained, inclusive and equitable growth, create a favorable international environment for the eradication of poverty and ensure equal opportunities for developing countries in pursuit of development.

II. All countries, especially developed countries, should further demonstrate political will and step up support for developing countries by mobilizing sufficient resources and adopting practical actions. The UN system should strengthen inter-agency coordination in the implementation of the system wide action plan for the Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty.

III. Developing countries should incorporate poverty reduction into their national socio-economic plans in light of their particular situation, and establish strategies for poverty reduction with specific targets for each phase in the process. They should also take effective measures to vigorously develop economy and eradicate poverty.

. IV. All walks of life from businesses to civil society, women and youth should be mobilized to form a broadly based partnership to contribute their respective strength to the global cause of poverty reduction.

Mr. Chairman,

Responding actively to the United Nations initiative, China has worked tirelessly for the achievement of the MDGs. Since 1978, China has reduced its population living in extreme poverty by over 200 million, which accounts for 75 % of the total reduction in the developing world. However, we know very well that China is no yet a rich country, ranking only the 100th in the world in terms of per capita GDP. Achieving economic development and improving our people’s livelihood remain an arduous task. By the UN criteria, 150 million people in China still live below the poverty line. We are dedicated to further reduction of poverty through the comprehensive implementation of our new Ten-Year Program for Poverty Reduction and Development.

Mr. Chairman,

Enormous progress has been made in the global cause for gender equality. Promoting gender equality has become a part of the national development strategies of many countries. Countries have made remarkable progress in enhancing legislation for gender equality, improving education for girls and eliminating violence against women.

Nevertheless, women as a group remain vulnerable and many challenges and difficulties are yet to be overcome before full gender equality can be achieved. Women constitute the majority of the world’s population in poverty and account for two thirds of the world’s 800 million illiterate people. Every year, 536,000 women and girls die in pregnancy and/or labor or six weeks after childbirth due to related complications. Women parliamentarians only account for 18.7% of the world’s total. Odds against women in the job market are striking and various forms of discrimination against women continue to exist. All these call for continued efforts by the international community to change deep-rooted stereotypical gender-related ideas, improve women’s economic situation and elevate their level of social participation and political status.

China appreciates the fruitful efforts by UN Women and other UN entities to include a gender perspective in the national development strategies of all countries. China supports the effective coordination of resources by UN Women and its policy making and operational activities in the global cause of advancement of women while giving full play to the leading role of national governments.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the cause of women’s development and works hard to implement the Beijing Declaration and Program for Action by integrating gender awareness in its legal system and public policy and pursuing development with the participation of women in a comprehensive, equal and coordinated fashion so as to promote the development of both men and women and ensure women’s advancement alongside economic and social progress. Recent years have witnessed continuous improvement in the health and education of the Chinese women thanks to ever increasing input in education and health for women and children, new development opportunities for women as a result of the introduction of micro-credit at subsidized rates for women, and progress in our efforts to promote women’s participation in politics and their equal participation in social and political affairs of our country. As the most populous developing country, China has always done and will continue to do its utmost to safeguard women’s rights and interest and further the advancement and development of women.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.