Speech by Mme. Gu Xiulian, Vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, at the 5th Asian Women Parliamentarians' and Ministers' Conference

27 November 2007

Mr. Chairman, Respected Women Parliamentarians and Ministers, Sisters and Friends,

Good morning.

It is now cold in Beijing in this winter month of November. But it is all spring here in the Great Hall of the People. Your colorful clothes, beautiful smile and, above all, your true affection for women and girls bring with them the warmth of spring. I am very honored and delighted that the 5th Asian Women Parliamentarians' and Ministers' Conference is convened in Beijing. Let me begin by expressing my sincere congratulations on the convocation of the Conference and warm welcome to all friends from afar.

Since the 1st Asian Women Parliamentarians' and Ministers' Conference was held in Manila four years ago in 2003, the Conference has developed into a major platform of dialogue and exchanges for Asian women parliamentarians and ministers. Women parliamentarians and ministers have played an active role in participating in population and development affairs, promoting progress under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), upholding women's rights and interests and improving gender equality. It is highly significant that we are gathered again today for the 5th Conference to discuss “Educational Empowerment for Women and Girls—Crucial to Social and Economic Development”. This gives us an opportunity to pool our wisdom and strength and contribute to more equal right to education for women and girls, greater progress in economic, social, and cultural development in Asian countries and the building of a harmonious Asia. Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

Remarkable progress has been made over the past five years in China's reform and opening-up endeavor and the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Faced with the complex and changing international environment and the arduous task of achieving reform, development and stability at home, China has continued to deepen reform and open wider to the outside world through expanding domestic demand and implementing a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy. Comprehensive progress has been made in China's socialist economic, political, cultural and social development and significant progress has been made in the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. In the past five years, China's GDP grew by 9.5% annually, ranking the fourth in the world with per capita GDP nearly doubled. China's foreign trade volume rose to the third largest in the world and it now has the world's largest foreign exchange reserve. The living standard of China's urban and rural residents has improved and the people have enjoyed more benefits brought by reform and development. China's education, science and technology, culture, health and other social programs have made vigorous progress and its economic and social development programs have enjoyed parallel and rapid growth.

In 2006, the Fourth Session of the 10th National People's Congress ratified the Guideline of the 11th Five-Year Program for Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China. The Guideline thoroughly applied the two major strategic thoughts, namely the Scientific Outlook on Development and the building a socialist harmonious society. It expounded on the national strategic intention of China and priorities on the agenda of the Chinese Government, and will serve as a blueprint for China's social-economic development in the next five years and the common plan of action for the Chinese people of all ethnic groups.

China is facing both unprecedented opportunities and challenges in the coming five years. China is still in the primary stage of socialism and will remain so for a long period of time to come. If we want to open a new situation, achieve new victories and fulfill the lofty mission that our era has entrusted upon us, we must implement the Scientific Outlook on Development in an in-depth manner, continue to emancipate the mind, adhere to reform and opening-up, promote development in a scientific way, increase social harmony and advance China's socialist economic, political, cultural and social development in all respects.

As is known to all, women are a great force behind progress of human society, and equality between men and women is an important measure of social progress. To improve the status of women and promote gender equality has become a consensus of the international community. The Chinese Government takes promoting and achieving gender equality as a basic state policy in advancing national and social development, and has been committed to promoting the development and progress of women. President Hu Jintao clearly pointed out that “the destiny of women is closely linked with the destiny of our country and nation. Only by devoting themselves to the great cause of revolution, national construction and reform led by the Party can women realize their emancipation, development and progress. Only by winning the energetic support and participation of the great force of women can China's cause of revolution, national construction and reform succeed.” The Chinese Government has established the national mechanism aimed at promoting gender equality. It has improved the legislative, working and organizational mechanisms to promote women development and protect women's rights and interest, and has fostered a good social atmosphere of care and support for women's cause. By now, 20.24% of deputies to the National People's Congress are women. 10% of ministerial level officials of the 28 agencies under China's State Council are women. There are three female vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, four vice chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and one female vice premier and one female state councilor in the State Council. By 2005, 99.14% of school-age girls had entered elementary school. Female students accounted for 47% of primary school pupils, 49% of middle school students, 47% of undergraduate students and 43% of post-graduate students. 5.7% of members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering are women. The proportions of women in leading positions in the China's Communist Party and the government, as well as in management and the professional workforce have reached 23.1%, 29% and 44.4% respectively. Women now play an important role in China's modernization drive.

To ensure equal right to education for women and girls and lift their educational level, China's Constitution, Law on Compulsory Education, Law on the Protection of Minors, Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women and other relevant laws all provide for equal right to education between men and women. The Program for the Development of Chinese Women and the National Program of Action for Child Development in China carry educational targets for women and girls as well as strategies and measures to achieve these targets. The midterm monitoring and evaluation reports of these two programs show that the share of women in education at all levels is on the rise, the gap between men and women in education is narrowing and the level of cultural attainment of women is on the whole increasing.

In recent years, the Chinese Government has mainly taken the following measures:

First, work hard to advance compulsory education in a balanced manner.Some Opinions on Further Promoting the Balanced Development of Compulsory Education formulated by the Chinese Government follows the policy guideline of putting more public education resources into rural areas, central and western regions, poverty-stricken areas, border areas and ethnic minority areas and places compulsory education, that of rural areas in particular, high on the agenda of the development strategy in order to narrow the gap in education between urban and rural areas and among regions.

Second, ensure equal right to education for women and girls in poverty.To guarantee equal right to compulsory education for children, the government has developed a policy of exempting school fees and textbook costs for school-age children and providing subsidy to boarding school students from poor families in the stage of compulsory education, a policy dubbed as "two exempts and one subsidy". 10 billion yuan has been put into the poor western region for the project of making nine-year compulsory education basically universal and basically eliminating illiteracy among young and middle-aged people (the "two basics"). To raise the school enrollment rate of girls, a system of helping girls receive education has been set up. Rural girls above a certain age will receive training in horticulture, livestock cultivation or sea farming, embroidery and computing, which help improve their ability of self-support and self-reliance.

Third, effectively safeguard migrant children's right to education.As China becomes more industrialized and urbanized, there are a large number of migrant children and children that are left behind in the countryside. The Government has issued a host of policy measures that carry specific provisions for compulsory education of migrant children, asking the receiving local authorities to ensure equal compulsory education opportunities and treatment for migrant children.

Fourth, launch campaigns to eradicate illiteracy.The Chinese Government makes the eradication of illiteracy among women an important part of the task of improving women's education and essential qualities. A "Chinese Literacy Prize" has been set up to recognize organizations and individuals that have made outstanding contribution to the reduction of illiteracy. The All-China Women's Federation has initiated an "Obtain Knowledge and Skills, Join the Competition for Development and Contribution" contest among women in rural areas across the country. 120 million women has taken part in the contest, which helped nearly 20 million women become literate and 96 million grasp one or two practical skills.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

The destiny of a nation is determined by education. Of all the important tasks, education is the most fundamental. The cultural and scientific level of women, who account for half of the population and human resources, has a direct bearing on the development of a country and a nation. To improve the education and scientific and cultural standards of women, priority should be given to the right to education of girls and to ensuring an equal start for both genders in education. The right of women and girls to education is the key to social and economic progress. However, the education of women and girls in China is still faced with many difficulties due to reasons related to history, economic development, traditional ideas, population structure and shortcomings of the education system. For example, the level of education of women is still lower than that of men. The development of women's right to education is still imbalanced among regions and between urban and rural areas and the external environment affecting women's right to education remains to be improved. There is still a long way to go before China can reach full equality between men and women in their right to education.

The Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China has set the grand goal of giving priority to education and turning China into a country rich in human resources. It has also formulated a series of policy measures to promote balanced development of compulsory education, facilitate the popularization of senior secondary education, vigorously develop vocational education, support the development of education in poverty-stricken and ethnic autonomous areas and ensure that children from poor families and of rural migrant workers in cities enjoy equal access to compulsory education as other children. Mr. John Dewey, the American educator, believed that social transformation is to be promoted by way of educational reform. We are convinced that with the great importance and care attached to education by the Chinese Government, China will enjoy a bright future and greater prospects!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, As an old Chinese saying goes, "there are other hills whose stones may serve to polish the jade." Women's development in Asian countries is faced with similar issues, and to enhance exchanges and cooperation is conducive to the comprehensive development of the cause of women. At this convention, we hope to gain valuable experience and inspirational ideas from other countries on promoting the right of women and girls to education, so as to promote gender equality and comprehensive development of women.

Being a member of the Asian family, China cannot develop itself without support and assistance of other Asian countries. "Upholding harmony and honoring commitment" lies deep in China's historical and cultural tradition. We will continue to follow the good neighborly foreign policy of friendship and partnership and of "building a harmonious, peaceful and prosperous neighboring environment" and remain committed to friendly cooperation with other Asian countries to achieve common development and joint revitalization of Asia in the new century. Women members of China's National People's Congress and women ministers of China are ready to work together with women parliamentarians and ministers from other Asian countries to implement the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, deepen understanding, friendship, trust and cooperation among peoples and congresses of different countries and make new contribution to enduring peace and common prosperity of Asia. I wish all the friends present a pleasant stay in Beijing!

Let me conclude by wishing the conference a great success!

Thank you!