Madam Chairperson,

The Chinese delegation welcomes the designation as the priority theme of this session issues related to rural women. Rural women are an important force in agricultural production and rural development, as well as in resource management, ecological construction, and cultural and social development in rural areas. Realizing the development of rural women is an important part of implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 2030 sustainable development agenda. Currently, rural women and girls still face challenges in their development, which requires great attention and practical action by all countries. First, improve policies and increase input to effectively lift rural women and girls out of poverty, improve their education and nutrition, and safeguard their equal rights and interests in relation to land. Secondly, help rural women and girls adapt to rapid economic and social development, especially to help them acquire new skills and use new technologies. Thirdly, let rural women take initiatives and push them to participate in agricultural and rural development. Fourthly, create an enabling environment for the development of rural women and girls, including improving infrastructure, eliminating sexual discrimination.

Madam Chairperson,

In October, 2017, the 19th National Congress of the CPC was successfully convened. The Congress established the position in history of the Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and made a comprehensive plan for the roadmap and timetable for building China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by mid-century. The report of the 19th National Congress put forward a strategy for rural revitalization, reiterated that we would “adhere to the basic state policy of gender equality and protect the legitimate rights and interest of women and children” and proposed to “improve the system for supporting and caring for children, women and elderly people left behind in rural areas”, thus fully demonstrating the great importance that China in this new era attaches to gender equality and the all-round development of women.

Recent years have witnessed more progress in the cause of the Chinese women. Our mechanism for gender-related assessment of laws, regulations and policies has further improved, and the system of conducting interviews to ensure equal employment for women has been incorporated in local legislations. Of the representatives elected at the beginning of this year to the 13th National People’s Congress, women constitute 24.9%, a record high. Female members make up 20.39% of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an increase of 2.55% over last session. The number of rural women living in poverty has decreased drastically and more rural women now enjoy social security benefits such as basic pension scheme and new rural cooperative medical scheme. 80 million rural women have access to free screening for cervix cancer and breast cancer. A total 345 billion RMB in guaranteed loan has been issued to rural female entrepreneurs, benefitting women in the amount of 6.17 million person-time. Each year, women’s federations at all levels provide training to rural women in about 3 million person-time, establish 30,000 agricultural demonstration bases of various types, and help over 2.6 million rural women increase income and achieve prosperity.

Madam Chairperson,

At the beginning of this year, China released the “Opinion on the Implementation of the Strategy for Rural Revitalization” and set the general goal of achieving strong agriculture, beautiful countryside and prosperous rural population by 2050. China will vigorously carry out “women for rural revitalization action”, the main initiatives of which include: improving the quality of rural women, increasing their ability to adapt to productivity development and market competition, creating “beautiful homes” by guiding rural women to jointly build and enjoy ecologically healthy and highly livable new farm houses, and taking “women for poverty eradication action” to further depth to increase poor women’s sense of gain. China will also remain committed to international exchange and cooperation for the development of women, and increase training and support for women from other developing countries.

China is ready to work together with other countries to strive tirelessly for gender equality and women’s progress, and for the building of a community of shared future for mankind.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson.