Representatives from 11 countries participate in the virtual ministerial roundtable meeting on August 5. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

UN Women on August 5 held an international virtual ministerial roundtable meeting on ensuring progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) amidst the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, entitled "From Response to Recovery: Experiences from China and Global Partners."

The meeting was held against the backdrop of the global spread of COVID-19, and aimed to share experiences of China and other countries in fighting against the pandemic, promoting women's development and enhancing international cooperation.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director delivered a keynote speech at the meeting. Ministerial representatives from 11 countries including China, Egypt, Myanmar, Pakistan, Uganda, Senegal, and etc. took part in roundtable discussions, and nearly 90 people participated in the online meeting.

Participants explored the impact of the pandemic on gender equality and women's development, shared the experiences and practices of countries in epidemic prevention and control as well as the resumption of work and production, and discussed measures to promote gender equality and women's all-around development in the post-pandemic era. They also called for further international cooperation to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Declaration, Beijing Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations, to build a more equal, inclusive and sustainable society.

Huang Xiaowei, Vice Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council and Vice President and First Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, delivers a keynote speech at the meeting. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

China was the only country invited by UN Women to give a keynote speech at the meeting. The address was made by Huang Xiaowei, Vice Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council and Vice President and First Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), who introduced China's practices and experiences in coordinating COVID-19 prevention and control as well as economic and social development under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.

Huang said in the face of the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic, the CPC and the Chinese government has put people's lives and health first. CPC General Secretary and Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken charge and planned the response in person, and the whole country was mobilized to fight against the pandemic. Significant strategic achievements in the epidemic prevention and control have been made while the economy has been reported stable with signs of improvements in China.  

Huang shared the measures taken by China to safeguard the health and safety of women and children, along with the roles of Chinese women and women's federations in pandemic containment and the resumption of work. She pointed out that solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapon to defeat the pandemic. 

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Director of UN Women, delivers a keynote speech via video link at the meeting. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

Ngcuka thanked the Chinese government for its strong support for UN Women, and the ACWF for sharing China's valuable experiences in COVID-19 prevention and control and economic recovery. She stressed that the women's contributions and leadership in responding to the pandemic and recovering economy should be fully valued by society.

While the pandemic poses a huge challenge to the advancement of global gender equality and women's development, it also creates opportunities. In the post-pandemic era, countries should strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and work together to build a better world, Ngcuka added.

Representatives spoke highly of China's successful measures in the fight against the pandemic and in boosting socio-economic development, as well as the importance it attaches to women and children. They appreciated the efforts made by Chinese women and women's federations, and expressed their gratitude to the Chinese government for its material assistance and support in fighting the pandemic around the world.

(Women of China)