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The Sustainable Development Goals in China
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in China:
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10 August 2023
Science and tradition drive China-wide effort to restore landscapes
Ahead of Global Tourism Resilience Day on 17 February, which promotes sustainable tourism for poverty eradication and environmental protection, we take a look at a large-scale, award-winning initiative in China to restore ecosystems from mountains to coastal estuaries across the country.
Armed with billhooks, hammers and their bare hands, villagers in China's eastern Yunhe County are methodically clearing a series of abandoned hillside rice fields, many perched dramatically over a yawning valley.
These terraced paddies had long ago fell into disuse, a product of a strained rural economy. But villagers are aiming to make the land productive again by weeding out invasive plants and building walls to prevent soil erosion.
The work, which has been combined with a return to Earth-friendly traditional farming practices, is reviving Yunhe’s stunning hillside farms. And at the same time, it is attracting nature-hungry visitors, making the county a budding eco-tourism destination.
“With the restoration of the terraces and the development of tourism and homestays in recent years, some young people who left the village have returned,” says Wu Xiaofang, who runs a homestay with her husband. “The popularity of this place is growing.”
The transformation in Yunhe, high in the eastern province of Zhejiang, is supported by the Shan-Shui initiative, a hugely ambitious drive led by the Chinese government to restore ecosystems, from mountains to coastal estuaries, across the world’s most populous nation.
The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration has named the initiative, which comprises 75 large-scale projects, among its first 10 Global Restoration Flagships, an award designed to inspire and encourage restoration around the world.
The award underscores the key role China plays in addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste. In December, China and Canada rallied nations behind a new global agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, to halt and reverse the destruction of nature. The accord included a massively scaled-up restoration effort.
An integrated approach
Launched in 2016, the initiative takes a systematic approach to restoration. Projects dovetail with national land use plans, work at the landscape or watershed scale, including agricultural and urban areas as well as natural ecosystems, and seek to boost rural economies.
By enhancing ecosystems and the benefits they deliver, the projects promote the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including those on poverty eradication, climate change and biodiversity.
So far, 3.5 million hectares have been brought under restoration under the initiative, out of a 2030 target of restoring 12 million hectares. In all, the initiative is expected to create more than 3.2 million jobs and deliver benefits to some 360 million people. Critically endangered species that are benefitting include the Chinese sturgeon, birds like Baer’s pochard, and the Baishanzu fir, the world’s rarest conifer.
Tradition meets science
Several of the projects integrate scientific knowledge with traditional farming methods to make land use more sustainable.
About 100 km east of Yunhe, Xu Guanhong does not let pouring rain dampen his enthusiasm for how the fish swimming in his rice paddies mean that he does not need to treat his crop with either pesticides or artificial fertilizers.
Xu, a former schoolteacher, says he took over some idle land near the town of Qingtian several years ago and began experimenting with organic farming methods. Local farmers were sceptical, and Xu’s yields were unreliable in the first two seasons. But now he is seeing results that have caught the interest of his neighbours.
“Our ancestors were smart. They put fish in the rice paddies and let them eat pests and weeds,” Xu told a visiting United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) film crew, raindrops bouncing off his wide straw hat. “The faeces excreted by the fish provide nutrients for the rice. In my field, an ecological cycle is now underway without any fertilizer or pesticide.”
Liu Zhumei, a local farmer, says she has been adopting Xu’s methods, which also include monitoring water quality in rice paddies and installing equipment to maintain the level of dissolved oxygen.
“We didn't earn much before. But now, following these methods, we can earn as much as 60,700 yuan per acre,” Liu says. (10,000 Chinese yuan is about US$1,450.) “Consumers from other provinces also know that our fish here are pollution-free, so they sell very well.”
Restoring harmony
The Shan-Shui initiative is named after a traditional Chinese landscape painting style that depicts the harmony of land and water – a balance that human activities, including industry and agriculture, have often disturbed.
Luo Ming, a restoration expert at the Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Centre of China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, says people should again recognize that they form a “community of life” with nature, and depend on it for their well-being.
“This traditional wisdom has existed for thousands of years,” Luo says. “Such a system is not only good for the environment but also greatly increases the benefits for local people. It attracts people who love the way of life in which people and nature live in symbiosis, making it a sustainable model.”
About the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
The UN General Assembly has declared the years 2021 through 2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Led by UNEP and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN together with the support of partners, it is designed to prevent, halt, and reverse the loss and degradation of ecosystems worldwide. It aims at reviving billions of hectares, covering terrestrial as well as aquatic ecosystems. A global call to action, the UN Decade draws together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration.
This story was originally published by UNEP
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12 September 2022
United We Stand to Achieve Sustainable Development
The world today faces a future that is in peril. Our challenges have become more complex and interconnected, as we see the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, an uneven economic recovery, a climate emergency, growing inequalities, and an increase in conflicts globally. This year also marks a grim milestone, with over 100 million people forcibly displaced.
These events accompany increasing division in the community of nations which threatens to push the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further out of reach for the Global South.
Adding to these crises, rising food and energy prices driven by the conflict in Ukraine, could push 71 million people into poverty, according to UNDP. The Global South, typically comprised of countries in South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, was already grappling with economic issues now exacerbated by the triple planetary crisis.
With limited resources, high vulnerability, and low resilience, people in the Global South will bear the brunt of our inaction, on climate and elsewhere. Solely depending on external aid from the Global North or G7 countries cannot be the panacea. Here, countries of the Global South can empower themselves and combine efforts to achieve sustainable development.
Cooperating to catalyse change
In the face of global threats, international cooperation remains vital, as highlighted by the International Day for South-South Cooperation. South-South cooperation seeks to complement traditional development models by throwing light on the transformations needed to deliver on priorities, including the SDGs. It offers possible solutions from Global South to Global South.
Countries of the Global South have contributed to more than half of global economic growth in recent times. Intra-South trade is higher than ever, accounting for over a quarter of world trade. It is time to further leverage these partnerships in the development space.
We already saw this while many countries were trying to obtain COVID-19 vaccines. Citizens of low and middle-income countries faced systemic discrimination in the global COVID-19 response, leaving millions without access to vaccines, tests, and treatments. India sent over 254.4 million vaccine supplies to nations across the world, under Vaccine Maitri – a vaccine export initiative.
Likewise, China has supplied over 200 million doses of vaccines to the COVAX Facility, in addition to providing millions of dollars in medical supplies to countries in the Global South, including in Africa, throughout the pandemic.
Informing partnership models with Africa & China
To advance development priorities, partnerships need to be rooted in shared interests that can lead to shared gains, as seen in traditional development models and assistance from the Global North. This dynamic needs to be at the core of the China-Africa relationship as well.
China, an economic powerhouse, has the potential to advance development in the Global South, especially in Africa, by bringing its experience, expertise, and resources to bear, and its assistance must advance both its interests and those of the countries where it operates.
Investments in shared goals are reflected in efforts by China to improve public health in Africa, including in the construction of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Ethiopia, and in clean energy, through projects such as the Kafue Lower Gorge Power Station in Zambia.
China promises to invest US$60 billion cumulatively in Africa by 2035, directed at agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, environmental protection, and the digital economy. This is most welcome, and those planned investments must answer the needs of the local economies and societies.
What works in one country may not work elsewhere, but true collaboration allows for learning from mistakes and sharing successes. This is where the UN’s expertise can ensure cooperation is demand-driven, in line with local expectations and needs, national development priorities, and relevant international norms and standards.
Platforms like the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) can work to improve that essential partnership. This mechanism has identified shared priorities like climate change, agriculture/food systems, global health, and energy security, among others, between China and Africa.
For the first time in FOCAC’s history and with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the UN in China is engaged as a strategic partner in this bilateral mechanism between China and Africa. The UN in China is continuing similar efforts in close consultation with relevant counterparts, including the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
For The Rockefeller Foundation, it is a nod to its legacy in China dating back to 1914, rooted in redesigning medical education to improve healthcare and its current priorities to advance Global South collaboration, especially in public health, food, and clean energy access—all global public goods.
Beyond the Global South: Action Together
With less than eight years to achieve the SDGs, truly international cooperation is our only hope. Emerging trends in technology and innovation can get us there, along with enhanced South-South cooperation efforts. But doing so requires us to “flip the orthodoxy”, as UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed advised.
The Ebola crisis is an example of where global cooperation, including South-South cooperation, enabled Sierra Leone to defeat the disease’s spread, notably through a brigade of 461 health workers sent to Sierra Leone to support their overburdened system. Later, other countries made similar efforts to support Sierra Leone and nearby countries, such as Guinea and Liberia. This example shows the potential of South-South cooperation, but also triangular cooperation and North-South partnerships. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are another mechanism for financing and capacity building.
This can be seen in Kenya, where the Government and the UN System convened an SDG Partnership Platform with companies such as Philips, Huawei, Safaricom, GSK, and Merck. The outcomes include a downward trend of maternal and child mortality in some of the country’s most remote regions. Similar PPPs can hold promise in unlocking global progress on the SDGs.
Today, while we face a more volatile world, the spirit of South-South cooperation shows a core value that we need: solidarity. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “The last two years have demonstrated a simple but brutal truth - if we leave anyone behind, we leave everyone behind”.
Deepali Khanna is Vice-President of the Asia Region Office at The Rockefeller Foundation. Siddharth Chatterjee is the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China.
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10 May 2022
UNFPA supports midwifery training for local health providers in Qinghai and Shanxi
“I hope to deliver my second baby here,” says a new mother, who just had her first newborn safely at the Yushu County People’s Hospital, Qinghai province of west China.
Gengsong Daizhong is a Tibetan doctor from the hospital. She is confident that more local women will be willing to have their babies here, thanks to the advancement of their midwifery skills.
Since 2016, China has been providing competency-based midwifery education and training to health workers across the country with the support of UNFPA. Since midwifery is not yet an independent profession but carried out by doctors and nurses in China, the national training offers a critical opportunity to enhance the midwifery skills of health workers in line with the global standards for midwifery set by the International Confederation of Midwifery.
Dr. Gengsong was a participant of the standardized training programme in 2020. She was supported by a project delivered by China Family Planning Association in partnership with UNFPA and the National Health Commission and supported by the Government of Denmark, to improve sexual and reproductive health among vulnerable populations, including ethnic minorities, in Qinghai and Shanxi provinces.
With her newly acquired midwifery skills, Dr. Gengsong is now able to apply the Doula mode of delivery to relieve the anxiety of women during childbirth.
“As the Doula method helps to speed up the process and reduces the risk of severe tearing and postpartum infection, we are receiving very positive feedback from the new mothers.”
A local sexual and reproductive health service provider, Ms. Sun Daomin, participated in the national midwifery training in late 2021. Building on her decades of midwifery experience at the township health center, Sun is supporting the local health facilities in improving their information and services on human-centered, family planning and maternal and child health.
“Postpartum contraception is an essential part of midwifery,” says Sun, as she learned about the different contraceptive choices available to a woman after giving birth. She is expected to visit the villages and share her knowledge on postnatal health management with field health workers, as the COVID-19 situation improves.
From 2020-2021, UNFPA facilitated Dr. Gengsong Daizhong, Ms. Sun Daomin and fifteen other health providers from Qinghai and Shanxi provinces to participate in the 12-week standardized midwifery training programme offered by certified trainers from the Chinese Maternal and Child Health Association.
The training covers theoretical and practical learning on midwifery skills and technologies during pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. It highlights the importance of human-centered care and health education and information throughout the whole process.
Beyond the training of individual health workers, UNFPA is supporting the development of midwifery training bases in health facilities in less developed regions, including the Qinghai Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital. This will ensure that, in the future, midwifery training is available to more health workers in Qinghai and nationwide.
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22 April 2022
Challenging the inequalities people living with HIV/AIDS face
An anxious crowd and deafening silence. People with masks are being called into a clinic cube with an ambiguous sign reading “Immune Deficiency.” This ten-square metre safe house is where people living with HIV meet. As a UN Volunteer Programme Assistant with UNAIDS in China, Weng Huiling shares their stories and fights for their rights.
Weng provides strategic information, advocacy and technical support to coordinate stakeholders to deliver comprehensive life-saving HIV service. She focuses on technical and administrative support to programmes and coordinates partners from the Government, private sector and local communities.
"I have been devoted to the field of HIV/AIDS for years, and UNAIDS has helped broaden my scope to go beyond medical care. My UN Volunteer assignment allowed me to participate in changing the underlying institutional inequality that burdens people living with HIV," she explains.
"Medical care is no longer the bottleneck in HIV response. What we need is accessible and integrated services, community leadership, an evidence-based approach and eradication of the profound inequality. Ending AIDS is possible, if we work together, like with COVID-19." - Weng Huiling, UN Volunteer Programme Assistant with UNAIDS China
In 2021, Weng joined an HIV online prevention intervention study and helped to collect data from key population group discussions and literature reviews. She also used her clinical knowledge to contribute to a cost-effective study on antiretroviral treatment to inform governmental policy prioritization. "I am glad that I could help strategic and technical programme management and participate in discussions on effective, evidence-informed and targeted HIV response," she adds.
"Despite remarkable progress in diagnosis and treatment, people living with HIV are still shackled by discrimination and stigmatization, which can only be overcome by collective inclusiveness. Our goal is to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030." - Weng Huiling
With UNAIDS, Weng has been able to tell the untold. During this year’s Zero Discrimination Day campaign in March, she led five poster exhibition tours and over ten hours of group discussion for more than 60 visitors from UN agencies, schools and universities, and community-based organizations.
She also worked on connecting funding opportunities and the Beijing LGBT Centre for a peer group programme on HIV. The programme, which aims to provide People Living with HIV with group consultations and educational programmes, is now being implemented with an estimated 1,000 influenced population.
"I was so impressed by the five portraits of people living with HIV. Their stories touched my heart. Our mindset towards people living with HIV, sex education and fragile population needs to be revolutionized." -Rita, a visiting student from Renmin University of China
UNAIDS plays a pivotal role in mobilizing China’s political, technical and financial resources through South-South Cooperation and China-Africa Collaboration.
Accordingly, at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting in late 2021, Weng organized a virtual dialogue on China-Africa Health Cooperation, jointly hosted by UNAIDS and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She drafted outcome documents that served for FOCAC in November, emphasizing a joint commitment to local production and multilateral cooperation.
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22 April 2022
UN Volunteers ease accessibility to sexual and reproductive health
With an objective to eradicate poverty and achieve universal access in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), UNFPA, National Health Commission (NHC), and China Family Planning Association (CFPA) launched a 3-year project. This project aims to improve the SRHR among vulnerable populations in Qinghai and Shanxi Provinces in China.
The project mainly targets women and young people of ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups such as those below the poverty line, rural residents, and persons with disabilities. Among this group are the ones in three project sites at an altitude of over 4000 meters including Yushu City, which was heavily impacted by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 2010.
Aimin, a national UN Volunteer Project Coordinator, has worked on this project since 2019. She supports programme management in planning, management, reporting, and coordination with various stakeholders.
One aspect of the project aims to improve the capacity of local service providers – including midwives – so that local women and young people can access better information and quality health services.
"I am now more confident with my skills for providing quality care, and more women are willing to deliver in our hospital." - Cairen Sangji, one of the nine midwives who received a 3-month standardized midwifery training at Huaxi Medical University in 2020
So far, over 600 local service providers, health workers, and teachers have benefited from the capacity building and skill development training. After going back to their communities, these skills are not only empowering midwives but also making maternity care safe and respectful.
Aimin and her colleagues discovered that young people in project sites shared similar needs for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) but had limited access. Many factors contributed to this limitation – scarcely qualified teachers, less awareness, and cultural norms influenced people’s attitudes towards CSE.
Last year, over 1000 students who attended the CSE courses learned about the different aspects of sexual education – how to develop respectful social and sexual relationships, and where to turn for more information. It was a first for many – adults and adolescents – in Shanxi Province's Yushu and Yonghe project sites to get an education in CSE and hear experiences through seminars, workshops, and learning sessions.
Coming from an under-developed area in a remote province of Mongolia, Aimin feels fortunate to participate in a project that brings healthier living conditions for all. She is motivated to make a difference in people's lives, especially the ones who are coming from a similar background as her.
"Aimin has demonstrated a high level of initiative, organizational ability, and flexibility. She is a confident and direct communicator.” - WEN Hua, Programme Specialist, UNFPA
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06 October 2023
UN-Habitat Held a Capacity Building Workshop on Municipal Solid Waste Management Experience Exchange
Beijing, China 13-14 September 2023 - UN-Habitat, in cooperation with the Vanke Foundation, held a two-day capacity building workshop in Beijing to exchange experiences on municipal solid waste (MSW) management. The workshop gathered representatives from 16 local authorities and the private sector of cities including Suzhou, Ningbo, Yantian District of Shenzhen, Xuzhou, and Chaoyang District of Beijing.
After 40 years of progress, China’s MSW management has evolved and upgraded, which has seen rich experiences accumulate and best practices duplicated. This workshop aims to strengthen the capacity of Chinese cities on MSW managemnt, create a platform to share experiences and build networks between cities in China and around the world on MSW management.
During the two-day workshop, national and international experts discussed the context as well as methods to improve the MSW management and practices of cities, while participants proactively engaged in the workshop to explore this matter in further detail. Ms. Li Xi, the Head of Communications of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in China and Chair of the UN Communications Group in China, also joined this workshop to share her thoughts on how to promote further cooperation from the perspective of the UN in China.
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22 June 2023
Delivering as One, a UN in China conversation presented by Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee: Episode 16 with Jingbo Huang, Director of UNU Macau
In the sixteenth episode of the UN in China podcast, UN Resident Coordinator in China Siddharth Chatterjee sits down with Dr. Jingbo Huang, Director of the United Nations University Institute in Macau (UNU Macau).
Dr. Huang, a Chinese national, grew up alongside her sister with the ambition to become a musician. With her father as a composer, she was sent off to study piano and follow in his footsteps. But thanks to the influence of her mother, a medical doctor, she pursued a different academic and career path. However, she cites her musical background as one that provides an enduring source of inspiration. A lifelong learner, she first received her Bachelor's degrees in Economics and French from Peking University in China. She went on to gain a Master’s degree in Arts Administration from the Institut d’Etudes de Grenoble in France and a second Master’s degree in French Instruction from Indiana University-Bloomington in the United States. Her latest qualification is a Doctor of Education degree from Columbia University in the United States, specialized in Communication, Computing and Technology in Education.
With over 20 years of experience in the UN system, she first joined in 2000 as an intern and later a consultant with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris. Later she worked in a variety of roles within the UN Secretariat and as a Learning Specialist for United Nations Development Programme in New York. After 13 years in New York, she then joined the United Nations System Staff College in Turin, leading a team to design, develop and deliver the executive management programmes for the UN System leaders. Given her strong experience within the UN system and a desire to be closer to family, she then moved on to her current role at UNU Macau, joining the UN family in China in 2018.
“Actually, music and my UN work…it has some connections, it’s about solidarity, it’s about working together, it’s about collaboration...”
In this episode, Dr. Huang outlines the history and mission of UNU and UNU Macau. Established in 1972 to function as a bridge between the international academic community and the UN System through collaborative research and education, UNU commenced academic activities in 1975 through its headquarters in Tokyo. Today, UNU encompasses 13 institutes located in 12 countries around the world, each with its own specialization. Supported by the Governments of China, Portugal and Macau, UNU began its presence in Macau in 1991, focusing on software technology. Growing out of this foundation, UNU Macau was then reshaped with a broader agenda as a global think tank on digital technologies and sustainable development.
During the conversation, Dr. Huang highlights UNU Macau’s work to encourage data-driven and evidence-based actions and policies in various policy areas. On gender tech, she raised the EQUALS Research project that examined gender equality in digital access, skills and leadership to identify inequalities and potential remedies. On migrant tech, she brings up UNU Macau’s collaborations with groups such as the International Organization for Migration in China on activities to understand how technologies can support the empowerment and dignity of migrant workers.
Together with the Resident Coordinator, the two discuss other challenges and opportunities in the years ahead, particularly in the areas of sustainable decision-making tech and cyber resilience, as well as UNU Macau’s work to leave no one behind and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, as part of the UN system in China.
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Siddharth Chatterjee
Siddharth Chatterjee took office as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China on 16 January 2021 and is the designated representative of - and reports to - the UN Secretary-General. He presented his letter of credence to the President of China on 14 April 2021.
Mr. Chatterjee has more than 25 years of experience in international cooperation, sustainable development, humanitarian coordination and peace and security in the United Nations and the Red Cross movement. He has served in many fragile and war-torn countries all over the world.
A 3 times TEDx speaker, he is a regular opinion contributor on humanitarian and development issues for a range of journals which includes Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Huffington Post, Forbes, CNN, Al Jazeera, the Guardian and as of late has also published in mainstream Chinese journals.
Mr. Chatterjee holds a master’s degree in public policy from Princeton University in the United States of America.
Jingbo Huang
Dr. Jingbo Huang is the Director of the United Nations University Research Institute in Macau, a UN think tank on digital technology and SDGs. She has 20+ years of UN working experience. She has held various managerial positions in the UN Secretariat, UNDP, UNESCO, UNSSC and UNU. Jingbo received her Doctor of Education degree from Columbia University. She holds a Master’s degree from Institut d’Etudes de Grenoble, France, and the second Master’s degree from Indiana University-Bloomington. She graduated from Peking University, with Bachelor degrees in Economics and French. She has been a career advisor and visiting professor at the Sun Yat-sen University since 2007.
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07 August 2023
Heng Miao and Her Motherly Love
"As someone who is hearing impaired, marriage and parenthood have given me the opportunity to experience yet another beautiful facet of life. If given the chance to choose again, I would still choose my husband and our child."
Thirteen years ago, when I gave birth to Ba Bu, I was not wearing my hearing aid and therefore could not hear anything in the delivery room. It wasn't until the doctor handed me my baby and gently tapped my head with his tiny hand that I realised my child was crying loudly. My husband gave me a thumbs up and I read his lips as he reassured me, 'He's crying, it's normal.'
In that 'silent' cry, I became a mother.
As a mother with a hearing impairment, there are many things that cause me worry. My first concern was whether my child was healthy and could hear properly. The day after giving birth, the nurse came to our room to perform a hearing test on Ba Bu. The test took longer than expected, only adding to my anxiety. It wasn't until the nurse turned around and nodded to me, giving me a thumbs up to indicate that everything was normal, that I could finally relax. In my mind, I kept repeating 'You are amazing,' as I admired my newborn son.
Perhaps other new mothers would worry about their child's incessant crying, but my fear was that I might miss a sign of discomfort from Ba Bu due to my hearing loss. Especially when my husband was busy with work and not at home, I would place my hand next to Ba Bu's when we slept so that I could sense immediately if he woke up or cried. When he was around six months old, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Ba Bu had developed his own unique way of communicating with me. He would use 'em em em' sounds and stretch his body to indicate to me that he was hungry or his diaper needed changing.
During Ba Bu's primary school years, tutoring became a crucial part of my role as a mother. Together, we worked on improving his writing speed and I taught him English phonetics, relying on my residual hearing to guide me. Despite my struggles with pronunciation, I persisted in helping him learn new words, as his trust in me grew over time.
Now that my child is in second grade of junior high school, he is mostly self-sufficient in his learning. This has given me more time to explore cooking and nutrition by researching recipes and studying nutritional combinations, which helps me on my journey to becoming a better mother.
I make it a daily habit to take photos and share them with Ba Bu's dad who travels a lot for work. Despite his busy schedule, we are always on his mind. When he returns from business trips, he takes great pleasure in sharing his experiences and organises family activities like playing billiards or relaxing in hot springs, truly making our family time more enjoyable and meaningful.
Time flies. My son now is almost as tall as his father… It's been 14 years since I became a mother. Looking back on the time when I was thinking about marriage and childbirth, I was frightened and unsure. Thankfully, with the support of my partner and family, I made a decision that I will never regret.
As a hearing-impaired mother, having a child holds great significance for me. It gave me a new purpose in life, the chance to learn and grow with my children, and to experience firsthand the challenges my own parents faced, for which I am grateful.
Therefore, I hope more women with disabilities can have the opportunity to experience this role in life, and that society can provide more easily accessible support for childbirth for women with disabilities. For instance, opening a special channel for women with disabilities to seek reproductive health care and services accompanied by their husbands would be ideal.
This story was originally published by UNFPA China
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19 July 2023
UN-Habitat and China Host the Exquisite City Forum
Weihai, China 12 June 2023 – UN-Habitat, in collaboration with the People’s Government of Weihai Municipality and Shandong Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-rural Development, held Exquisite City Forum from 12 to 13 June 2023, aiming to review its exploration of building the exquisite city, exchanging with other similar cities on how to develop the sustainable urban development, and promoting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda.
This forum is held at the time of the 20th anniversary of Weihai being awarded the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor for its outstanding contribution to sustainable urban development. Weihai City has been proactively seeking to integrate continuous economic and social development with lucid waters and lush mountains for residents’ well-being.
In her letter of congratulation, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, highlighted Weihai’s significant achievements in the field of sustainable human settlements. Its valuable case of "Building an Exquisite City with Green and Warmth" has been selected in the "Shanghai Manual 2022”, which is a valuable experience worth sharing with other cities and readers around the world.
Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, stated that sustainable urbanization means finding a balance between economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. To achieve this goal, governments, civil society, academia, the private sector and international organizations are brought together to ensure the equitable sharing of the benefits of sustainable urbanization both between and within nations, guaranteeing that no one is behind.
Bruno Dercon, Officer-in-Charge, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of UN-Habitat, delivered the keynote speech that UN-Habitat supports member states and cities to harness innovation for a better urban future. Cities are on the frontline to provide new digital services and make sure all people, including the elderly and children, could use digital services and platforms. UN-Habitat collaborates with local governments and the private sector to understand how cities are responding to the digital transformation and automation trends.
Jianbo Yan, Secretary of the CPC Weihai Municipal Party Committee, summarized that Weihai City focused on the integrated system for exquisite planning and design, governance and public service with innovative solutions. He expected the meeting participants’ recommendations and multilateral collaborations to make Weihai City a better future.
Three parallel sessions were held in the afternoon, focused on “Habitat Festival and Architectural Design”, “Enterprises supporting high-quality urban development”, and “Efficient governance with the CPC red property, jointly building and sharing a better community”.
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19 July 2023
UN-Habitat and China host 6th Chengdu Forum
Chengdu, China 24 May 2023 – Mayors, scholars, experts, and representatives from the Chinese Government, international organisations, and the private sector met at the 6th Chengdu Forum where they explored transformative pathways and modalities for cooperation on global and local climate actions to achieve green, low-carbon, and sustainable urban development.
The Forum was organized by UN-Habitat, the China Center for Urban Development (CCUD), and the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat made the opening remark. She encouraged policymakers at all levels to recognize and support the role of urban areas in the net zero transition and gave affirmation to Chengdu as a park city. Chengdu has systematically developed a series of low-carbon actions, encompassing sectors including industry, energy, environment, transportation, consumption, and government.
In his opening remarks, Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, committed that the United Nations in China will continue to support the Government of China by providing technical expertise in support of a greener and more sustainable future.
Yang Yinkai, Member of the CPC Leadership Group and Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) gave a welcoming address, appealing to Chengdu to continue to explore the pathways to green and low-carbon development through an efficient and fit-for-purpose governance system while widely engaging in international collaboration.
Two reports were released during the Plenary session. UN-Habitat China introduced the Future Cities Advisory Outlook. CCUD and the Energy Foundation China released its Case Studies on Low-carbon City Development.
Three parallel sessions were held focusing on Green and Low-Carbon Industrial Development, Urban Spatial Development, and Transportation Structure Development. Meanwhile, the Belt and Road Sustainable Cities Alliance Conference was held.
The International High-Level Forum on Sustainable Urban Development has been convened annually as part of commitments made under the Action Plan on Jointly Promoting the Construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. This Action Plan was agreed in 2019 between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and UN-Habitat. The conferences have so far reached out to more than 50 city mayors from China and abroad, as well as to over 40 international organizations and 140 major companies.
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Press Release
01 December 2023
UN Agencies Collaborate with Chinese Enterprises to Enhance Capacity for Sustainable Procurement
The capacity-building workshop was hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the China International Centre for Economic & Technical Exchanges of the Ministry of Commerce and Project Management Office of Knowledge Sharing, Capacity Building and Supporting Service Programme on Sustainable Procurement of UN/International Organisations (hereafter referred as ‘Sustainable Procurement Project’). As part of the Sustainable Procurement Project, this capacity-building workshop aimed to support Chinese suppliers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and women-owned businesses (WOBs) to understand sustainable procurement standards and align with international best practices.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Anne-Claire Howard, Director of the UNOPS Procurement Group introduced the participation of Chinese suppliers in UN procurements, “China was the 15th largest supplier country with a total procurement amount of 501 million dollars (in 2022). Over 10,000 suppliers in China have registered on the United Nations Global Marketplace, the official procurement portal in the United Nations system.”
The workshop also marks an important milestone for Delivering Responsibility in Vendor Engagement (DRiVE), a supplier sustainability programme launched in 2018 driven by UNOPS’ commitment to sustainability and risk management in procurement. Through vendor assessment, inspection and corrective action planning, DRiVE ensures that UNOPS vendors operate responsibly and in accordance with high standards of integrity.
In early 2023, the initiative began a pilot in China with 13 UNOPS LTA suppliers. Through data collection, assessment, inspection and corrective action planning with Chinese suppliers, this pilot provided practical insights into sustainable procurement, enabling the participating companies to better engage with the UN procurement system and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production.
Mr. Rasmus Hansen, Officer-in-Charge of the UNOPS Sustainable Supply Chains Team, introduced the DRiVE programme and encouraged more Chinese suppliers to join in the future. “We believe there are mutual benefits. We will enhance the sustainability and maturity of our suppliers and make sure they are more engaged in UN procurements. This could raise added value for our entire project and benefit our partners. We are not only bringing a specific project in place but also developing the local economy and abilities of suppliers.”
A highlight of the event was the certificate ceremony for the pilot participants. Two representatives from Shenzhen Mindray and Suzhou Hengrun spoke on behalf of the DRiVE China pilot participants, sharing their insights and expressing their appreciation for the UNOPS-led DRiVE initiative. “Through the DRiVE China pilot program, we now have a better understanding of what sustainable procurement means and how we can continually enhance our business for greater responsibility.”
The workshop also featured knowledge-sharing on Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) investment, corporate value, green human resource management, climate-related disclosure and sustainable supply chain development by experts from Fudan University, Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences and Shanghai University of International Business and Economics. In addition, international organizations and third-party service providers such as Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and SGS were in attendance to share their expertise and hands-on experiences on ESG capacity building.
In the afternoon, three parallel training sessions were delivered by the procurement officer from UNHCR China Office, experts from CDP and SGS, as well as UNOPS sustainable supply chain specialists. Representatives shared their experiences regarding online bidding systems, procurement compliance, ethical standards and supplier sustainability and further interacted with the audiences.
ENDS
Notes to the editors:
Press contact details:
For more information please contact communications@unops.org.
About UNOPS
UNOPS mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. Read more: www.unops.org
About DRiVE
UNOPS attaches great importance to sustainable procurement and has been continuously integrating sustainable standards into the bidding process to build a responsible supply chain. Delivering Responsibility in Vendor Engagement (DRiVE), initiated by UNOPS in 2018, has become an important component of the Sustainable Procurement Framework since 2020 and contributed to our collective efforts towards a more sustainable future.
Driven by UNOPS' commitment to sustainability and risk management in procurement, DRiVE ensures that UNOPS vendors operate responsibly and in accordance with high standards of integrity through vendor assessment, inspection and corrective action planning. DRiVE has not only promoted sustainability in procurement, but also contributed to accelerating the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production.
In China, DRiVE was launched in early 2023 with 13 UNOPS LTA suppliers as pilot participants who continuously enhanced sustainable procurement through vendor assessment, inspection, corrective action planning and social impact.
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Press Release
18 November 2023
UN Special Envoy for Road Safety visits China to advocate for actions in addressing new road safety challenges
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the China’s road traffic fatality rate was 18.2 per 100,000 population, higher than the Western Pacific regional rate of 16.9 (WHO 2016). Furthermore, the cost of road crashes in China represents 6.2% of GDP (WB, 2016). The country's efforts to improve road safety are very encouraging such as the mandatory use of child safety seats to protect children on the road or the enforcement on speed limits and against drunk driving. However, despite the various measures implemented and a clear downward trend in the number of victims, there is still work to be done to tackle the emerging challenges on Chinese roads.
During the mission, the Special Envoy will visit three cities: Guilin (19 – 21 November), Shanghai (22 – 23 November) and Beijing (24 – 27 November). In Guilin, the Special Envoy will attend the China-ASEAN Mayors Forum and an event for UN Global Compact SDG Innovation Accelerator Learning Center, exploring the important nexus between road safety and other SDGs.
China is facing emerging road safety challenges
In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that there were 256,180 road traffic fatalities in China, the second highest absolute total after India. Faced with the worrying situation, China has implemented several measures over the past years, including prohibiting drunk driving, establishing coordinated rescue mechanisms for road crashes in collaboration with the National Health Commission, reducing air pollution emissions in the transportation sector and launching campaigns to promote the mandatory use of helmets and safety belts. In 2022, the Government announced its 14th Five-Year Plan for National Road Traffic Safety (2021-2025).
In addition, China observed a considerable increase in the use of urban public transport and attached importance to this field: in recent years, China continues its large investment in transport infrastructure and develops intelligent public transportation systems. As for road safety related laws and regulations, progresses are also made, including the compulsory use of child safety seats and national standards for e-bikes. With effective measures, there was a downward trend in road traffic mortality in the country in the last 20 years. However, while China has seen significant improvement in road safety, its road traffic mortality remains much higher than that in developed countries (the European average is 9.3/100,000 population). Vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, motorcyclists and pedal cyclists, represent a large proportion of road traffic deaths in the country. Moreover, the growing number of e-bikes is posing a critical challenge to safe mobility. With approximately 300 million e-bikes, China is one of the largest e-bike markets worldwide. From 2013 to 2017, e-bikes have caused more than 56,000 traffic crashes and over 8,000 fatalities. In 2019, e-bike riders accounted for 13.8% of road traffic deaths and 17.4% of road traffic injuries. In consequence, road crashes involving e-bikes have emerged as one of the most important challenges to road safety in China. Furthermore, as world's largest car market, the country is witnessing a remarkable surge in private car ownership and usage, particularly in its major cities. This trend is fuelled by rapid economic growth and higher household disposable incomes in these urban centers. However, this accelerated urbanization has come at a cost, leading to severe traffic congestion, high levels of air pollution, and significant carbon emissions in many of China's bustling metropolises.
Special Envoy’s call for action
During his visit, the Special Envoy will meet with various stakeholders to discuss the road safety situation in China and explore potential opportunities of addressing the emerging challenges. According to the Special Envoy, further actions are needed to ensure safe and sustainable mobility in the country, including strong enforcement of the mandatory use of helmets, strengthening the post-crash emergency care, launching national road safety awareness campaigns, as well as improving road infrastructure especially in rural and underdeveloped areas.
“On top of the existing causes of road crashes, I have observed the emergence of new road safety challenges in the country, such as the increasing number of e-bikes and traffic congestion,” noted the Special Envoy, Jean Todt. “China being a leader in tech has a huge opportunity to quickly address these issues. This silent pandemic requires that it is placed high on government priorities.”
For further information or media inquiries, please contact Priti Gautam at priti.gautam@un.org and Stephanie Schumacher at stephanie.schumacher@un.org
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About the Special Envoy: Appointed by the UN Secretary-General, the Special Envoy for Road Safety is dedicated to advancing road safety initiatives globally. Through strategic advocacy and community engagement, he works to create safer roads, mitigate road traffic injuries, and save lives worldwide.
Special Envoy brochure and Twitter account
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Press Release
10 November 2023
Second Int’l Forum on Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation Highlights Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Using the First Forum, which focused on agri value chains as a cornerstone, the Second Forum on the International Forum on Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation, shifted its focus on empowering youths, who are the key agents in pushing the rural transformation agenda through digital technologies.
Around 100 representatives of social groups, research institutions, enterprises, government institutions, the media, UN agencies, and other international institutions from China and abroad, as well as farmers who have benefited from various rural development programs and undertakings, attended in person and online.
While there are 600 million rural youths in the world, their limited access to education, land, natural resources, finance, technology, information, and education has impeded them from contributing to the rural economy. Nii Quaye-Kumah, IFAD Country Director and Head of IFAD East Asia Hub, highlighted that we need to scale up investment in rural youth, if we are to reap the demographic dividend and accelerate the 2030 Agenda. He observed that an increasing number of young people have been using innovative technologies to start-up businesses in rural areas. Nii Quaye-Kumah indicated that IFAD always places young people at the forefront of its development actions and will continue to ensure their access to resources and services and increase their representation in decision-making roles through its joint programs undertaken in line with the Chinese government’s rural revitalization agenda.
“China’s people-centred development has led to several accomplishments, including the eradication of extreme poverty,” said Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China. “The experiences of China offer many potential lessons that can be shared with other developing countries on their paths towards sustainable development.”
Wang Xiaohui, Editor-in-Chief of CIIC, remarked that more emphasis should be placed on the role of youth in promoting global rural vitalization in his opening speech. He pointed out that institutional mechanisms should effectively engage knowledgeable, passionate, and energetic young people to stimulate innovation and help them become pillars of rural development. Wang also expressed that more global platforms that facilitate exchanges and the sharing of experiences related to rural development among young people should also be created and that new ideas, approaches, and development areas should be pursued.
“Across the globe, young people are increasingly connected, informed, technologically adept, and better educated than any prior generation,” said Tomomi Ishida, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Social Protection Officer (Rural Development). However, she also pointed out that youths tend to encounter unique challenges that are often more profound than what their adult counterparts experience when striving to engage in productive and effective involvement. The agendas of youth empowerment and protection thus hold paramount importance in FAO’s strategies.
Wang Yi, Executive Director of the World Youth Development Forum Secretariat’s organizing committee and Executive Director of the All-China Youth Federation’s international department, indicated that it is estimated that 130,000 Chinese young people choose to participate in various rural vitalization projects every year. Wang shared that the WYDF has established a special fund and scholarship program to engage youths in rural revitalization by facilitating the provision of small grants and promoting capacity building, international communication, advocacy, and publicity pertaining to youth leaders around the world.
The Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation: 2023 Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship report was also released at the forum. It features 15 inspiring stories and case studies related to young innovators and entrepreneurs from China and abroad in areas such as digital agricultural machinery, precision agriculture, the connection of smallholder farmers to markets, financial empowerment and South-South cooperation.
The report was jointly compiled by the IFAD China Office, FAO Representation in China, the WFP China Centre of Excellence, ESCAP-CSAM, and the CIIC, and received support from Robert Walker, professor of sociology at Beijing Normal University and professor emeritus and emeritus fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford.
Professor Walker observed that young people can lead the way by using new technologies to transform traditional agricultural production and distribution, such as drones, field video systems, and smart fisheries to accelerate the SDGs. However, it can only be achieved if they are equipped with financial support, fiscal and tax incentives, on-site support, relevant public services, market access, training, talent introduction, and other forms of support.
As of date, IFAD finances over 35 projects in China worth US$ 3.4 billion. In the most recent projects in Sichuan, Yunnan and Hunan Province, IFAD provides young rural entrepreneurs and investors with small grants for poverty reduction and rural revitalization. Tang Wenwen (1st from the right), one of the youth entrepreneurs who benefited from IFAD’s small grant support, established the rural cooperative, Chushan Agricultural Valley, in her hometown in Sichuan Province. This innovative initiative modernized the local agricultural system, strengthen farmers’ skills and raised farmers’ income.
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Press Release
31 October 2023
‘Inclusion is key’ say experts at education seminar held in Beijing
Quality education, as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in itself and an enabler for achieving other SDGs, is well understood to be pivotal in shaping societies, fostering inclusion and driving sustainable development, with the seminar well attended by representatives of Member States, the Host Country, the UN in China, the World Bank, academia and research institutions.
As acknowledged during the seminar, significant progress has been achieved globally; however, millions of people still face barriers to quality education, with an estimated 773 million adults worldwide lacking basic literacy skills, limiting their ability to realize their potential and participate fully in their societies.
His Excellency Mr. Jesús Seade, Ambassador of Mexico to China, during his remarks, said, “But the fight against poverty cannot possibly be sent to the back seat. It is vital and urgent to address poverty comprehensively. And hand in hand with this need, as both its major cause and its effect, is the absolute need we have to bring and ensure quality, inclusive, and equitable education for all.”
The seminar sought to provide a platform that analyzes and discusses the experiences and lessons learned in literacy and education within China, Mexico and Germany, for participants to gain a broader understanding of strategies that have worked globally to promote inclusion and reduce inequalities.
Her Excellency Ms. Patricia Flor, Ambassador of Germany to China, during her remarks, said, “A gifted child that has to stay home to help or cannot go to school because of fees or other entry barriers is simply a human tragedy. An expression of our failure. A lost chance, especially for many girls. We therefore need universal access to schools and institutions of higher education, individual support where needed and social security systems that promote learning.”
The seminar also aimed to shine a light on the persistent inequalities of access to quality education, including those experienced by those in vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, and women and girls, with approximately 129 million girls of primary and secondary school age out of school, all challenging our ability to achieve quality education, the SDGs and leave no one behind.
Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, during his remarks, said, “We must reshape our education systems to equip young people with the skills necessary to navigate the evolving social and environmental landscape, the rapid advancements in technology and innovation, and the changing dynamics of the job market. Importantly, we must end any discrimination and barriers to access quality education.”
As raised during the seminar, China has achieved substantial progress in literacy and education, which has contributed to the development of its workforce and economic growth with many potential lessons for other developing countries; however, more work remains to address lingering disparities.
Dr. Zhang Ran, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education, Peking University, during her presentation, said, “The Ministry of Education did take up efforts on the ‘Gaokao” examination, making it available with more accommodations to students with disabilities starting in 2015. The State Council also revised its regulation on special education that year. More recently, inclusive education settings of having students with disabilities placed in everyday learning environments with accommodations is becoming a regular model.”
Some of the specific experiences highlighted by speakers and panellists during the seminar include the creation of conducive and holistic learning environments, proper resourcing at schools to ensure students' safety and well-being, and the increasing importance of vocational education programs.
The seminar concluded with remarks from the representatives in China of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with both UNICEF and UNESCO supporting the organization of the seminar.
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For further information, please contact:
Ms. Louise Xi LI, Head of Communications, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in China, Tel: +8610-85320725, Email: xi.li@un.org
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Press Release
24 October 2023
SDGs take centre stage at UN Day celebration in China
UN Day, on 24 October, marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. Celebrated every year, the occasion offers an opportunity to reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided the Organization and the international community for the past 78 years.
Under the theme “Act Now for the SDGs”, this year’s celebration of UN Day aimed to raise awareness, inspire dialogue and mobilize efforts for a new phase of accelerated progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), further demonstrating the convening power of the UN across its Three Pillars of peace and security, human rights and development.
Mr. António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, in a global video message played at the event, said, ‘The United Nations is guided by timeless values and principles, but it must never be frozen in time. That is why we must always keep strengthening ways of working and applying a 21st century lens to all we do.”
Representatives of the Government of China, led by His Excellency Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, who served as the Guest of Honour, attended the event, highlighting China’s support for the Organization.
His Excellency Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for the People’s Republic of China, during his remarks, congratulated the UN on its 78th anniversary and expressed that the world today needs a robust UN more than ever. He emphasized that China will continue to support UN development agencies in China, in focusing on development and joining China’s endeavour to pursue Chinese modernization, and that China will make every effort to ensure that cooperation between it and the UN achieves new and greater results.
Representatives of the UN in China, led by Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee, were in attendance at the event. The Resident Coordinator used his remarks to call for renewed multilateralism for the SDGs as well as a healthy planet, better economy, just society and a world working together.
Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, during his remarks, said, “The multilateral system is under duress, with several regional crises and other global challenges threatening to tear us apart. We must not succumb to these differences. Only through international cooperation and a revitalized and reinforced UN and multilateral system will we be able to come together to develop solutions to these issues and begin to address them.”
The work of UN entities in China, including publications, reports and other related material, was made available to guests via a display area at the venue, highlighting their efforts to implement the Cooperation Framework, achieve the SDGs and leave no one behind.
Following remarks at the event, several performances touching on the theme of unity took place, including a recital of “We Are the World” by a children’s choir, pieces that featured Chinese musical instruments such as the guqin and pipa, and a concluding performance of “Ode to Joy”.
The UN in China gratefully acknowledges the efforts of its supporting partners and thanks all guests for their attendance at this year’s UN Day event.
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For further information, please contact:
Ms. Louise Xi LI, Head of Communications, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in China
Tel: +8610-85320725, Email: xi.li@un.org
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