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UNIFEM China stresses the importance of Investing in Women and Girls on International Women’s Day 2009

UNIFEM China, in collaboration with the United Nations Theme Group on Gender (UNTGG) and the All China Women’s Federation, held an event in Beijing on Thursday, 5 March 2009 to commemorate International Women’s Day and emphasize the importance of investing in women and girls, particularly during the current global economic climate.

The event, held at the Beijing News Plaza Hotel and attracting more than 120 participants, highlighted the gendered impact of the economic crisis in China, as well as emphasizing the importance of continuing to support programmes that uplift women and girls.

The keynote speaker, Ms. Liu Bohong, Deputy Director-General of the Women’s Studies Institute of China, analysed the impact of the financial crisis on different female groups in China, including university students and migrant workers, as well as possible repercussions for gender equality.

Ms. Bohong said that the financial crisis, and subsequent loss of income, has increased pressure on families, with, sometimes, terrible consequences such as a rise in domestic violence. She underscored the need to “further promote women’s education and training… (and) boost government support in public services” to minimize the gendered impact of the crisis.

One of the key ways the UN is investing in women and girls in China is through the China Gender Facility for Research and Advocacy (CGF). The CGF, established by the UNTGG in 2004, provides funds and technical assistance for projects that promote evidence-based advocacy and social dialogue on gender equality and women’s empowerment in China.

Representatives from the Institute for Women’s Studies at the Centre for Chinese Rural Research of Huazhong Normal University spoke on the key achievements of their CGF-supported project, which ensured female representation in village committees. The project increased women’s representation in village committees by 16% - today, 86% of committees have female representatives.

Mr. Ma Leijun from UNIFEM China, the UNTGG secretariat and implementing agency of the CGF, announced the Fourth Batch of successful CGF projects, which included seven grantees from across China. These were:

Mr. Jing Yizhu from the Sichuan Party School said: “It is our great honour to be selected as one of the fourth batch of CGF grantees and we thank CGF for its attention to women's rights in the earthquake-stricken areas of Sichuan province.”

The UNTGG also announced it would be holding a future workshop in May to further explore the impacts of the economic crisis on women and girls in China. More details will be made available as they are confirmed.

For more information, please contact UNIFEM China Communications Officer Pi James at Tel: 85320934; Fax: 85320903 or e-mail: pierette.james[at]unifem.org.  

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