The International Symposium on Transforming Education for Girls and Women in the New Era, with the theme "Inclusion, Equity, and Quality," was held in Beijing on March 28, 2023. More than 100 delegates, including representatives of women's organizations, experts and scholars from approximately 30 countries and international organizations attended the Symposium and engaged in in-depth discussions on "Achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals — Leaving no Woman and Girl Behind," "Enhancing STEM skills and competence for girls and women" and "Promoting digital skills for girls and women." 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), addressed the opening ceremony. Huang said to ensure an equitable and inclusive quality education for girls and women is the fundamental pathway for their sustainable development, as well as a strategic task bearing on the future of the world.

Huang outlined comprehensively China's implementation of the basic State policy of gender equality and the measures taken in China to advance equity in education and the high-quality development of education for girls and women.

Huang said the leadership of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, are the fundamental reasons leading China to achieve progress in education.

Huang noted the 20th CPC National Congress (held in October 2022) made new arrangements and new requirements including "continue to give high priority to the development of education" and "promote the digitalization of education," creating a broad future for enhancing the development of education for girls and women in the new era.

Huang expressed hope for the international community to work together to ensure equal access to development opportunities and equal share of fruits of development for every girl and every woman, and make contributions to reaching the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Chen Jie, Vice-Minister of Education and Chairperson of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), said China advocates for the advancement of education for girls and women globally, and China supports UNESCO's worldwide priority in gender equality, considering it a focus of the cooperation between China and UNESCO. Chen made three proposals: Adhere to the priority given to girls and women's education, laying a solid foundation for women to achieve self-development; enhance comprehensively girls and women's digital and health education, giving women a supportive strength to cope with challenges in the future; and, continuously deepen and expand the partnership, creating an enabling environment for women to have access to equal and good-quality education.

Zhou Zuoyu, Vice-President of Beijing Normal University, said the symposium answered calls raised during the Transforming Education Summit (held by the United Nations in September 2022), and helped participants reach consensus on the fulfillment of the 2030 goals in education. Zhou emphasized that importance must be attached to girls and women's participation and leadership in science, technology and the digital field, to ensure "no one will be left behind" during the transformation process of society and education.

Other speakers included: Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education of UNESCO; Volha Shpileuskaya, Chairperson of Belarusian Women's Union; and Oyungerel Batnasan, President of Mongolian Women's Federation.

The symposium was jointly organized by the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, the All-China Women's Federation and Beijing Normal University.

(Women of China English Monthly)