Nation reaffirms its commitment to gender equality

China will host an important gathering of domestic and international leaders on Monday and Tuesday when the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women is held in Beijing. The conference enjoys the strong endorsement of UN Women, the United Nations agency tasked with working for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Adding gravitas to this year's event will be a keynote speech delivered by President Xi Jinping.

The Chinese president has often spoken of the critical need to improve the lives of women around the world.

For example, at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in 2015, he said, "Women's rights and interests are basic human rights", adding that they must be protected by laws and regulations and integrated into national and social rules and norms.

"A review of history shows that without women's liberation and progress, the liberation and progress of humankind would not be attainable," Xi said.

Viewed another way, China regularly speaks of a shared future for humanity. Such a future is not possible if women, who are projected to equal the number of men in roughly 25 years, continue to lag in critical economic and social indicators.

Recent data from UN Women notes that the lives of Chinese women and girls are on the upswing, with positive indicators relating to gender equality.

Of course, leaders of nations from all corners of the globe will acknowledge that more needs to be done for women everywhere, but China is reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that Chinese women enjoy fulfilling lives. As a result, the nation has the needed moral authority to assume a leading role in this critical international effort.

China has shown strong leadership in multiple areas in recent years — fostering a can-do attitude in addressing climate change; establishing the globally supported Belt and Road Initiative, which has generated billions of dollars in economic growth in more than 100 countries; and bridging decades-long divides in the Middle East.

This kind of leadership is needed even more now, with certain countries that have often been at the center of humanitarian and economic development around the world suddenly interested in closing doors and preaching a reckless form of nationalism. Let's also remember that China embraces any association with the UN, a relationship that some nations see as undermining domestic authority. Recently, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres applauded China for being "a fundamental pillar of the multilateral system". Indeed, multilateralism, not unilateralism, is a must if global challenges will be solved.

Thirty years ago, China hosted the Fourth World Conference on Women, which is remembered for the critical release of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Representatives from 189 nations signed the declaration, which focused on multiple issues, including addressing poverty, increasing education and training opportunities, enhancing health, reducing violence and armed conflict, boosting national economies and expanding human rights — all attached to the goal of securing brighter futures for girls.

That document included an important acknowledgment: "We are determined to … ensure the full enjoyment by women and the girl child of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and take effective action against violations of these rights and freedoms."

And how close is that goal to being realized? UN Women released a report last month, and it said that despite significant advances in areas such as education and political participation, "poverty, hunger, war, climate disasters and backlash against feminism are eroding progress and could obliterate the gains made by a generation".

One data point from that report is perhaps the most eye-opening: Roughly 64 million more women than men face food insecurity, with these dietary deficiencies carrying a host of short — and long-term risks, including anemia.

The report is but one example of how UN Women has challenged the global community to remember that "equality could still be a reality for girls born today, but the world must invest now". Furthermore, it noted that the UN has issued the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development initiative, which seeks the attainment of equality for women in all areas.

For that to have any chance of being realized, countries will need to line up behind China. The reality is that there is no other nation with the capability to work with the UN and its various agencies.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun recently said that the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women will inject another layer of enthusiasm into the advancement of the rights of women and girls. That is true, and China can be counted on to be in the driver's seat.

The author is an associate professor in the Communication and Organizational Leadership Department at Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania, the United States.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily or Robert Morris University.