Greetings to you all! I would like to extend hearty congratulations to the SCO Forum on Women's Education and Poverty Reduction, and warm regards to all distinguished guests.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the SCO. Over the last two decades, our fellow sisters in SCO countries have acted on the Shanghai Spirit to share experience on women's development, advance cooperation in various fields, and contribute to the overall SCO cooperation.
I have been to a number of SCO countries and got to know many outstanding females who are highly committed to the cause of women's education and poverty reduction. They have impressed me immensely.
To end poverty and live a happy life is the shared aspiration of women around the world. As an ancient Chinese proverb goes, “It is better to teach people how to fish than to just give them fish.” Access to education and to knowledge and skills could empower women to shake off poverty. And then, as mothers and the first teachers of their children, women can pass on such power to future generations.
After decades of unremitting efforts, China has scored a complete victory against absolute poverty, getting hundreds of millions of Chinese women out of poverty. A broad range of measures have been taken to ensure that women get equal access to education and become not only beneficiaries, but also participants and contributors in China's poverty alleviation endeavor. The strong commitment of the country, the full support from social organizations and selfless dedication of people from all sectors have provided an inexhaustible driving force for the cause of women's education and poverty reduction.
Let me give you some examples. In Guizhou Province, the local government introduced a scheme called “The Beautiful”. It is a program designed to support women's development by promoting the handicraft sector. With proper training under this program, some 500,000 women can now work from home, making or selling handicrafts such as embroidery, batik and weaving products. They have created a beautiful life with their own hands.
Another example is “Spring Bud”, a public welfare project on girls education. Thanks to this project, over three million girls from poor households have completed their schooling. Among them, many have grown up to become teachers, doctors, lawyers, scientists and researchers. By giving back to society with a grateful heart, they're passing on the power of love to many others.
I also want to acknowledge the many unsung heroes who have dedicated themselves to this worthy cause with a firm conviction. Zhang Guimei is one of them. A teacher in a poor mountainous area for the last 40-odd years, Zhang has founded a tuition-free high school for local girls and done everything she could to help nearly 2,000 girls fulfill their dreams of attending universities. She is fondly addressed as “Zhang Mama” by the girls. Stories like this take place everyday, everywhere in China.
In our world, however, 435 million women and girls are still living in extreme poverty. The gender gap in education remains wide. And the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to poverty alleviation for women. Ours is a cause that requires love and long-term commitments from various quarters.
Let us join hands and make every effort to deepen cooperation on women’s education and poverty reduction. Let education serve as the beam of hope to light the way forward for women so that more women could live up to their full potential and more families could live a better and happier life.