Organised by the Chinese Women’s Federation, the forum took place in Beijing as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko addressed the SCO forum on women’s education and poverty alleviation via videoconference. The event was held in Beijing on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the SCO and was organised by the Chinese Women’s Federation.
According to the Speaker, the SCO’s authority and influence extend to all areas. “Digitalisation of the economy, development of robotics and artificial intelligence are aimed at eradicating poverty and improving people’s quality of life, which is impossible without gender equality and full-fledged engagement of women.”
The pandemic has created a serious challenge for the education system, but it has also highlighted its growing importance in the world.
Valentina Matvienko noted that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a promising future of many countries where the status of women has deteriorated is now at risk. “This pandemic has presented a serious challenge for the education system while also highlighting its growing importance throughout the world.”
The Speaker stressed the special role that the SCO University is playing: “The primary purpose of the SCO University is to boost integration in the field of education and also to create more quality education opportunities for young people, including young women, of course.”
“The People’s Republic of China and its President Xi Jinping are making a weighty contribution to promoting the women’s agenda and offering solutions both in their own country and internationally,” Valentina Matvienko added. “We cannot but praise China’s contribution to reducing poverty worldwide.”
The Speaker spoke about measures being taken in Russia to prevent a crisis of the healthcare system, an extensive lockdown, collapse of the education process and a surge in poverty. “We are ready to share our practices and experience with all interested countries and international organisations.”
Valentina Matvienko mentioned the upcoming 3rd Eurasian Women’s Forum. “The forum’s council meets on a regular basis. This organisation supervises over 20 international projects which are specifically focused on implementing social contracts, developing women’s entrepreneurship and involving women in high technology. We will continue working on issues that are being raised by the SCO forum, among other things.”
The other prominent figures who addressed participants of the forum included Peng Liyuan, the First Lady of China and UNESCO Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girls’ and Women’s Education, Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China and President of the Chinese Women’s Federation, the First Lady of Uzbekistan Ziroat Mirziyoyeva, Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Sattoriyon Matlubahon, the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani, Vice President of Iran Masoumeh Ebtekar, UN Under-Secretary-General Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov.