ISO: CHN
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The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth
World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women
Secretariat.
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AS WRITTEN


Speech by Madame Peng Peiyun 
Deputy Head of the Chinese Delegation and State Councilor 
at Fourth World Conference on Women


Madame President,
Fellow Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to express, on behalf of the Chinese 
Government and people, Our warm welcome to friends who have come to 
Beijing from all corners of the land for discussion of issues vital to 
women all around the world. I would also like to congratulate you, 
Madame President, and members of the Bureau on your election and wish 
the Conference a crowning success. 

The issue of women is among the major social issues to the concern of 
the international community. Since the convocation of the Third World 
Conference on Women in 1985, equality, development and peace, which is 
set forth by the Nairobi Strategies, has become the common objective of 
the governments and international community. Liberation of women and 
gender equality have become the irreversible trend of the times. At the 
same time, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the implementation of 
the Nairobi Strategies is far from even in the world and women are still 
faced with difficulties that hinder their advancement. Many women are 
still under the threat of poverty, hunger, diseases and war. Long-term 
and arduous efforts must be made before further enhancement of women's 
status and genuine gender equality can be achieved. 

Madame President, 

The great importance of the Conference goes beyond this century-y. The 
Platform of Action and Beijing Declaration to be formulated by the 
current Conference will be of far-reaching significance to women's calls 
throughout the world. The Chinese Government wishes to put forward the 
following proposals on women's development for discussions with all of 
you:-- Women play a great role in creating human civilization an(l 
achieving social progress. Since women and men are both driving forces 
in the progress of mankind and creators of material and spiritual 
civilization in the human society, they should enjoy the same human 
dignity and respect, and the same rights and status. Therefore, respect 
for women, protection of their fundamental human rights and providing 
conditions that give full play to their talent and potential is an 
important indication of social progress and should be included ill the 
legal framework and ethics of a civilized society. 

-- The development of women's cause is always closely linked with the 
progress of the whole society. The realization of gender equality and 
the advancement of women's status are closely related to the improvement 
of the political, economic and social environment to which] women owe 
their survival. Only when economic prosperity is energetically pursued 
in peace with a view to eradicating poverty and promoting overall social 
progress can women have access to opportunities for extensive 
participation in development and enjoyment of equal rights. The progress 
of the whole society, on the other hand, cannot be achieved without the 
development and advancement of women. Women should work together with 
men to promote social progress, share the accomplishment thereof and 
achieve their own liberation while participating in social development. 

-- National Governments are duty-bound to achieve the goals set forth in 
the Nairobi Strategies by the end of the this century. They should make 
new political commitment to this end, formulate policies and measures 
suited to their national conditions and put them into practice. Women, 
on their part, should also endeavor vigorously to achieve their 
liberation. 

The development of women's cause calls for enhanced international 
cooperation. International cooperation must be based on mutual respect, 
equality and mutual benefit, and must be consistent with the purposes 
and principles of the UN Charter. The developed countries have the 
obligation to assist the developing countries, and the United Nations 
and its specialized agencies should make new contributions in this 
regard. 

Madame President,

The founding of the People's Republic of China ill 1949 made Chinese 
women masters of their country and enabled them to achieve a higher 
status by actively participating in economic and social development. The 
development of Chinese women's cause has entered a new stage since the 
country embarked on reform and opening up in 1979. After the Third World 
Conference on Women, the Chinese Government has continued to attach 
great importance to women's cause in earnest implementation of the 
Nairobi Strategies. A series of laws and decrees aimed at protecting 
women's rights and interests have been promulgated, including the Law 
011 the Safeguard of the Rights and Interests of Women. A large number 
of women have become leaders at various levels. Women workforce has 
increased by 114 million, up 25% than that of 1985. Tens of millions of 
women have shaken off poverty and become prosperous. The number of 
illiterate women has gone down by over 30 million, and over 96% of girls 
of school age are in school. Marrying the partner of one’s choice, 
maintaining family harmony, respecting the elderly and caring for the 
young have become the order of the day. The average life expectancy of 
women has reached 72. In short, Chinese women are now enjoying the equal 
rights which were denied to them for thousands of years in old China and 
got the present-day developed countries hundreds of years to recognize. 
In the spirit of self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-
improvement, Chinese women have made important contributions in the 
development of economy, science, culture, education, public health, and 
sports and the promotion of the country's material and cultural 
progress. 

Madame President, 

China has scored remarkable achievements in the advancement of women. 
However, as a developing country constrained by inadequate social and 
economic development and outdated mentality, China is still faced with 
many problems in this regard. Therefore, we must continue making 
efforts. Not long ago, my Government, proceeding from China’s national 
conditions, formulated and published the Programme for The Development 
of Chinese Women 1995-2000. This is a program of action guiding and 
promoting the advancement and development of Chinese women, whose 
objective by the end of the century is to ensure a marked improvement of 
the overall status of women by further materializing the equal rights 
women are legally entitled to in the political, economic, cultural, 
social and family life through their full participation ill the economic 
and social development and in the administration of state and society. 
To this end, we will take, in the main, the following practical steps: 

1. Ensuring women's full participation in economic development. The 
state will formulate a Programme for the development of human resources 
among women which features wider areas of women employment, more jobs 
for women, extensive vocational training and equitable remuneration for 
women, labour protection and social security, as well as higher level of 
socialization of housework. Special Support will be given to women in 
poor areas and special women groups in great difficulties so as to help 
lift them out of poverty as soon as possible.

 2. Vigorously developing women education. The state will give priority 
to education. By the end of the century, we will basically wipe out 
illiteracy among the young and middle-aged women and universalize the 
nine-year compulsory education. We will further reduce the drop-out rate 
among school-age girls and gradually increase the proportion of women 
receiving secondary and higher education.

3. Improving the health of women. The state will provide support and 
assistance to the health-care institutions for women and children to 
improve their services so as to enable both rural and urban women to 
enjoy health-care, including good maternal and child-bearing services. 

4. Taking concrete steps to protect the rights and interests of women. 
The state will further improve laws and regulations for the protection 
of the rights and interests of women, educate people to become more law-
abiding and punish according to law all kinds of violations of the 
rights and interests of women. 

5. Further increasing the participation of women in political affairs. 
The state will formulate plans to train and select more female officials 
and actively create conditions to improve the quality of women officials 
with a view to enabling more women to assume important posts at all 
various levels of government institutions. 

ó. Further improving women's institutions. The state will further 
improve women's institutions at all levels, establish a monitoring 
system on women's condition and attach more importance to the role of 
NGOs. 

Madame President,

It is a long-term and arduous task to achieve gender equality. We will 
join hands with all other national governments to make unremitting 
efforts for the advancement of women worldwide. The UN Fourth World 
Conference on Women bears a glorious mission. We are ready to work 
whole-heartedly with foreign delegates on the basis of mutual respect, 
friendly cooperation, consensus through consultations and seeking common 
ground while putting aside differences so as to make the Conference a 
success. 

Let women all over the world unite under the banner of Equality. 
Development and Peace to jointly create a splendid future. 

Thank you.