CWU President Liu Liqun Attends Round Table Discussion on Gender Equality at China-Spain Forum

The Eighth Meeting of China-Spain Forum was held in the Spanish capital of Madrid from April 20-22. Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) Jiao Yang led a Chinese women’s delegation to the meeting. Professor Liu Liqun, President of China Women’s University also participated in the forum and relevant activities.

As part of the forum, the ACWF and Spain’s Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality jointly hosted a round-table conference on gender equality on the afternoon of the second day. The conference aimed to highlight  gender equality in the age of the information society. Professor Liu, Yu Jiantuo, director of the first research division at China Development Research Foundation, Carmen Plaza, General Director of the Women Institute and Equal Opportunities of Spain, and Anna Muñoz, director of Spain’s Social Inclusion Foundation all delivered speeches.

The speakers discussed in-depth about the development of women’s issues in both China and Spain, and covered topics such as the challenges and countermeasures in promoting gender equality on the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Beijing Action Plan; boosting equal opportunities; prevention of domestic violence; sexual harassment at the workplace; information and communication technology; and social inclusion of marginalized populations. They also shared views, experiences and practices in pushing forward gender equality and women’s development. The meeting attracted representatives from various circles including Chinese women in Spain.

During the forum, women from the Chinese delegation, Spanish government officials and other experts conducted a heated debate on state mechanisms and policies to promote gender equality and measures supporting the employment of women who had fallen victim to domestic violence. Afterwards, the delegation visited the association of Spanish enterprises and examined the program to promote women into leadership positions. On the last day, the delegation and representatives from the Association of Spanish Chinese Women and the Association of European Chinese Women conducted friendly exchanges.

Uyunqimg, Chinese chairperson of the forum and former vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress; and Pedro Solbes, Spanish chairperson and former Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, attended the forum together with more than 300 delegates from the two countries’ governments, communities and enterprises. At the closing ceremony, King Felipe VI of Spain further met with high-ranking Chinese delegates at Zarzuela Palace.

The China-Spain Forum was launched in 2003, and aims to bolster bilateral communication and cooperation in culture, science, education, physical education, health care, media, environmental protection, society and other shared arenas. In this way it is expected that the two nations will deepen their mutual understanding and trust and build a positive image in the international community. China is anticipated to witness further development in its ties with Europe and Latin America in terms of its building of a new, fair, rational international political and economic order. It is hoped that the forum, with its political, economic, cultural, physical education, law, urban, gender equality and education committees, will successfully continue for many years to come.