ACWF VP Visits CWU to Celebrate International Women's Day

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Tan Lin, vice-president and member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), visited China Women's University (CWU) on March 8, where she attended a symposium.

All the school leaders, as well as female teachers and student representatives participated in the event, which was presided over by CWU President Liu Liqun.

At the symposium, speakers reviewed the CWU's development history and introduced its accomplishments in implementing the work of ideological and political construction, improving the quality of female talents in the Women's Studies Faculty, strengthening the construction of teaching staff and improving enrollment and employment work. 

Some attendees from functional departments, the North Campus and the logistics departments introduced their respective achievements in social practices, student affairs, the construction of Trade Unions and logistics services.

Those front-line teachers, counselors and students in attendance talked freely about their experiences and specific achievements, analyzed the difficulties and problems in teaching practices and expressed hope that the ACWF could constantly support and guide the university's development.

Tan gave her regards to all the female teachers and students on behalf of the ACWF Party leadership group and the Secretariat and sincerely thanked participants for their efforts in promoting women's development.

She listened carefully to all the delegates present at the meeting and said she was deeply moved by teachers' contributions in women's educational causes and will seriously study their appeals and advice, as well as implement advanced development paths as soon as possible.

Tan pointed out that the March 8 International Women's Day is a meaningful commemoration addressing working women's equal rights 100 years ago. It is also a memorial event for international women's movements. As a festival for women worldwide, it aims to spread the right views on women and carries the dream of women in different countries and different generations. 

"Today, we gather together to celebrate the positive results of Chinese women's movements under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). We are all proud of our country's achievements and great success in women's development. As one of the significant achievers, CWU should take the lead to celebrate the festival, highlight its value and significance and reveal female teachers and students' elegant demeanors," Tan added. 

CWU is an important part of the ACWF and the major driving force of the ACWF's reform development. Tan hoped the university could seize the opportunity to reform, uphold the idea of innovation and build itself into a distinctive women's university in an all-round manner.

"China's higher institutions are under the leadership of the CPC and are socialist colleges with Chinese characteristics, so the Party's policies in education must be fully carried out," Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a meeting on ideological and political work in China's universities and colleges. To fulfill this goal, Tan asked the university to strengthen ideological and political construction. 

The university should teach more about the ACWF's specific work, help students develop strong responsibility for Chinese women, set up a special curriculum on women's studies and arrange more practical activities. At the same time, CWU students should learn more about Chinese women's history, movements and characteristics, and hold the right viewpoint on women, Tan said.

In addition, women's federations at all levels should highlight their advanced nature and play a "half the sky" role in the nation's construction. The ACWF has initiated the activity honoring the National March 8 Red-Banner Pacesetters annually since 2004. The university should invite these advanced women to communicate with its students, make the most of the power of role models and encourage students to stay close to women's federations. Moreover, relevant departments should conduct in-depth research and arrange a curriculum on women's studies with Chinese characteristics, added Tan.

Furthermore, students of related majors should go to the communities, make more investments in grassroots women and provide better services for them. "It is a good way of allowing women's federations to develop profound social work in the grassroots female mass", Tan said. 

In general, the university should integrate ACWF's political ideas, advanced nature and the principles of serving the masses into the entire educational process. School leaders should focus on ideological and political education, strengthen students' professional skills, perfect its curriculum system and construct a first-class women's university with Chinese characteristics.

On behalf of all the teachers and students, Li Mingshun, chairperson of CWU Council, said he really appreciates the ACWF Party group and the Secretariat's support and assistance over the years. Li pointed out that the March 8 Women's Day has a symbolic significance in the long history of women's movements. 

To commemorate this festival, we must bear in mind the specific political ideals and goals that women pursue. On the one hand, the seminar marked International Women's Day with certain historical connotations and social appeal. On the other hand, it urged attendees to study the Marxist view on women, learn President Xi's remarks at the Global Women's Summit and Xi's important speeches and directives when he interviewed the ACWF's leading group in 2016, and earnestly implement the Party's policies according to the university's basic situation, Li said.

CWU will combine recreational activities with professional knowledge and political requirements, uphold the political ideas of gender equality, women's all-round development and the Party's unwavering core leadership, and integrate the university's ideals into the cause of the nation.

CWU will strengthen teaching on ideological and political theory, closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, strengthen and improve the CPC leadership and greet the 19th CPC National Congress with outstanding achievements.

Liu concluded that she was grateful for everything the ACWF did and was swelled with pride as CWU president. She said that Tan's remarks are guidelines on the political work and academic development of the university, urging school leaders to take up their responsibilities and complete the university's special mission.

CWU will consistently uphold the Party's leadership, actively explore the development patterns of women's higher institutes and summarize female students' growth law. In addition, the university will strengthen its ideological and political work, mobilize its strengths in accordance with ACWF's reform, live up to the ACWF and society's expectations and develop into a top women's university with Chinese characteristics, Liu concluded.

(Source: China Women's University/Translated and edited by Gender Study Network)