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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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13 September 2024
Together for a Better Tomorrow: Reflections on South-South Cooperation
Today, on International Day of South-South Cooperation, we are confronted by a world further split by its divides across all dimensions.Conflicts and geopolitics are putting a great strain on nations and people of all strides, putting their peace and prosperity at risk.If we are to achieve the 2030 Agenda, we must reverse our recent course and resume our path of progress towards sustainable development.The UN’s role in South-South cooperation Four years ago, I assumed the role of Resident Coordinator in China amidst a once-in-a-century pandemic.As I deployed, it became clear that a revitalization of the global partnership for sustainable development was necessary around the globe, to keep our promises and achieve the SDGs by 2030. It gave great clarity to me, as Resident Coordinator, on what had to be done. This was however no small task for the United Nations in China, including my team in the Resident Coordinator Office. With the circumstances often forcing us to convene online, this fuelled much distrust globally while stalling our progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Meanwhile, many came to question the ability of international cooperation and multilateralism to achieve results in a world that has become increasingly polarized.South-South cooperation has long been recognized as a framework for countries in the Global South to contribute to their national well-being, national and collective self-reliance, and the attainment of internationally agreed commitments, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Therefore, our task over the past years has been to renew this collaborative spirit through a dialogue with our counterparts from government and other sectors of society on how China’s experience and expertise could be best shared with other countries, focusing primarily on those in Africa. Reimagining South-South cooperation for AfricaChina has long been Africa’s largest trading partner.Chinese projects, have sprung up all over the continent, including the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya. But as fiscal space has tightened, so too have needs widened on the continent. The climate crisis has wreaked havoc in Africa, placing pressure on food security and agriculture, accelerating the need to rapidly transition to affordable and clean energy.Similarly, the growing cohort of young people in Africa has turned the world’s attention to their needs, and their capacities in areas such as technology and innovation.Transforming partnerships into actionThrough our Transformative Partnerships Initiative, the UN in China has sought to foster policy and technical discussions with our Host Country and other Member States, particularly the African Ambassadors Group in Beijing, to identify ways to accelerate action towards the SDGs.We have aimed to identify the specific areas for potential collaboration between China and African countries stemming from the FOCAC process and to seek out where more cooperation can contribute to progress on sustainable development, in a way that maximizes impact for people and planet.Throughout our work, African Ambassadors have led the process, for example, in preparing for the FOCAC summit in Beijing. As the Resident Coordinator, along with my UN Country Team, we are committed to convening, connecting, and catalyzing action. We believe in bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders - extending beyond our traditional partners to include academics, civil society organizations, and the private sector. This approach is evident in our efforts, from conversations on tackling drought in the Horn of Africa to calling attention to the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change. As concrete proposals evolve from such discussions here in China, we hope to eventually see more progress on the SDGs realized for the people of Africa.Now more than ever, we need bridge builders and torchbearers for sustainable development.So, let this International Day of South-South Cooperation bring us one step closer to a better tomorrow, together.
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02 August 2024
Sustainable development can solve rural China's climate challenges
This article was originally post on ifad.org.As I arrived in Hunan, where otherworldly limestone hills emerge from lush greenery, I knew I was in a place unlike anywhere else in the world. Here, people are in touch with the changing seasons and the rhythms of agricultural life.But Hunan, like the rest of China, has experienced dramatic change in the past decades. On my first visit to China as Associate Vice-President, I was eager to learn how IFAD has accompanied this dynamic country on its development journey – and how we will continue to collaborate into the future.Back in 1981, IFAD was the first international institution to financially support China’s rural development. Since then, more than 20 million of its poorest and most vulnerable rural people have benefited from IFAD-supported projects.Following a period of unparalleled economic growth, China declared it had eradicated extreme poverty in 2021.Changing tack in challenging timesYet our work is not done. Climate change presents a devastating threat to rural communities in Hunan. Natural disasters, once a rare phenomenon, are increasingly common. During my visit alone, a flood at Dongting Lake breached an embankment and devastated the fields around it.When such disasters strike, rural people on the verge poverty risk backsliding. For the most vulnerable people, including ethnic minorities, this risk is even more pronounced.In the prefecture I visited, four in five people are from Tujia or Miao ethnic minorities, many of whom just recently emerged from poverty. That’s why, to protect fragile progress, rural development must be sustainable.In Fenghuang county, I met Guanmin, a member of the Miao ethnic minority and the leader of a cooperative of kiwifruit growers. Supported by the H2RDP project, he switched to red kiwifruit, which commands a much higher market price. But he’s also been careful to adapt his farm to climate change.Thanks to irrigation infrastructure and organic fertilizer provided through the project, his vines are thriving in spite of shifting weather patterns. The cooperative now has a fallback whenever rain is scarce, while the soil is healthier and more resistant to floods. As Guanmin told me, “With the help of IFAD’s reservoir, we can have stable water supply and prevent agricultural losses even during droughts.” His livelihood much improved, he sees a long future ahead for his farm. Guanmin told me that his 15-year-old son aspires to study agriculture and contribute to the farm's success. Rural youth for rural gainsMirroring China’s new rural revitalization strategy, the H2RDP project creates employment opportunities so young people remain in or return to rural areas.One of these young people is Huaqing. He migrated to Chongqing city after graduating high school. But in 2022, Huaqing decided to return to Sanzao Village. With a grant and training from H2RDP, he set up 150 beehives and began a thriving beekeeping business.Now 27 years old, Huaqing has supplied bees and given beekeeping training to over 40 villagers. Thanks to this entrepreneurial and passionate young person, many others in his community can earn an income from honey and be part of China’s rural transformation. A green development agendaI met countless IFAD project participants who are achieving sustainable change. Yet, despite living on the frontlines of climate change, they are often left out of global conversations about climate adaptation and mitigation.That’s why IFAD’s new agreement with the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance is so important. Together, we will improve cross-border connectivity, knowledge sharing and capacity building for green development, opening an important channel for climate finance to reach those most in need. Sharing sustainable successChina's rural transformation over the last forty years has been extraordinary – and the China-IFAD SSTC (South-South Triangular Co-operation) Facility is helping other countries make similar progress. Since 2018, the facility has shared local knowledge and proven solutions from China and the Global South with 38 developing countries – and counting.Projects focus on value chain development, climate adaptation and agricultural productivity. For example, a projectsupported by the Facility and implemented by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization improved the bamboo value chain in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana and Madagascar. It did so by developing a national bamboo strategy and providing technical assistance.The Facility is just one of many opportunities to partner with China on SSTC – and that’s why IFAD is strengthening our general SSTC programme around the world.Tackling shared challenges together is exactly the type of collaboration we need to achieve sustainable development for all. And it's why, despite immense global challenges, my time in Hunan gave me hope that a better and more sustainable future for our planet's rural people is possible.
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23 July 2024
Fostering gender-responsive communications within the UN system in China
Beijing, China — On 19 July, 30 communication professionals representing 13 United Nations (UN) agencies, funds and programmes in China, joined a capacity development session on “Gender-Responsive Communications” organized by UN Women in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in China.Delivered by Diego De La Rosa, Communications Specialist for UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, the session emphasized the importance of integrating gender considerations into all forms of communication. It referenced significant milestones in gender equality, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which set the foundation for global efforts toward gender equality and women's empowerment.Key principles highlighted in the presentation include featuring women in communications, ensuring equal representation and respectful portrayal of all genders, and challenging gender stereotypes. It advocates for the use of gender-sensitive language, avoiding stereotypes and sexist expressions, and promoting equal visibility for women and men in various roles, especially leadership positions. The presentation also stressed the importance of considering multiple aspects of diversity, such as socio-economic background, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation, in communication materials."Integrating gender responsiveness into our communications is not just an option; it is a necessity for achieving true equality and justice. Today’s capacity development session shows how the UN Communications Group in China is striving to be fit for purpose, and gender-responsive throughout our work," said Louise Xi Li, Head of Communications, UN RCO China.Wenting Zhao, UN Women China Communications Specialist, said: "By making our communications gender-responsive, we amplify the voices of women and girls, challenge stereotypes, and pave the way for a more equitable future. This is a crucial step toward achieving gender equality and empowering all individuals." The session on “Gender-Responsive Communications” was part of a capacity development mission conducted by UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to China. It also included a session on storytelling and social media for UN Women China staff and a briefing session for members of the media, public relations agencies and cultural institutions, focusing on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the UN Women global campaign on the Paris 2024 Olympics. For more information, please contact:Zhao Wenting
Communications Specialist
UN Women ChinaE-mail: wenting.zhao@unwomen.org
Communications Specialist
UN Women ChinaE-mail: wenting.zhao@unwomen.org
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17 April 2024
Meet the women closing the digital divide in rural China
Digital technology has immense transformative potential. Just think of the possibilities unlocked by the click of a mouse or a tap on a screen: banking, education, social media and much more.But around the world, rural women have disproportionately limited access to this technology. This pervasive digital divide is part of the reason education and economic independence remain out of reach for many women.Investing in women's digital empowerment and closing this divide can foster prosperity not just for them, but for entire communities. These three remarkable rural women revitalizing their villages in central China’s picturesque Hunan Province are living proof of this.Building a thriving rural businessThirty-five-year-old Ma Qinyan once pursued a career as an architectural designer in the southeastern city of Shenzhen. But she always harboured a desire to contribute to the prosperity of her native village in Hunan.Spotting a business opportunity in her region’s renowned spicy cuisine, Qinyan made the bold decision to return to her rural roots and start a chili sauce business. At first, her customer base was smaller than she had hoped.That's when she learned about Women Up, a training initiative supported by IFAD and the Youcheng Foundation focused on rural women's economic empowerment. Qinyan decided to take a chance and signed up for classes in digital literacy and entrepreneurship.Armed with new skills, she started using e-commerce and livestreaming to promote her products. Now her business is thriving – and by passing on what she has learned to her fellow villagers, she’s cultivating a new generation of digitally empowered rural women."I refuse to let my villagers down. I want to be a beacon of hope for them," says Qinyan. Empowering future generationsThe Women Up initiative was part of the broader Hunan Rural Revitalization Demonstration Project, which is increasing economic resilience across the province. In particular, the project aims to expand opportunities for rural youth and women.Zhang Jinyou knows all too well what it feels like to lack these. Born into a difficult financial situation exacerbated by her mother's disability, Jinyou eventually dropped out of high school to support her family.Now a 41-year-old mother of two, she’s determined to break the cycle of hardship that once defined her life.Like Qinyan, Jinyou participated in Women Up’s training and gained a variety of digital skills, including broadcasting and online finance. Her sense of hope and purpose renewed, she decided to begin a career in e-commerce.Today, Jinyou doesn’t just sell chili peppers and grapes for a local company via livestreaming – she is also in the process of establishing her own e-commerce business. Her children are in school and have a bright future ahead of them in an economically revitalized village.“E-commerce was a daunting challenge. But this training reignited my optimism and provided me with the resilience to persevere,” says Jinyou. Age is just a numberMany people associate digital technology and social media with younger generations. Long Yuan'ai is proving them wrong.Yuan’ai, 61, had already retired from her job at a local insurance company when she came across Women Up. But she didn’t let her age stop her from taking part – instead, she jumped at the opportunity to learn a new set of skills.Today, Yuan’ai is using her newfound digital literacy to support a career in e-commerce. She’s even beating young users of Douyin – the equivalent of TikTok in China – at their own game.Drawing on her expertise in kiwi farming, she launched an agriculture-themed Douyin page that gained thousands of followers in just two months. Now the kiwi farms of Hunan are reaching screens across China, boosting sales and uplifting the community she loves."For me, age is never an excuse to halt progress," says Yuan'ai. Gender inequality is a major obstacle to sustainable, inclusive rural development. That's why IFAD works across the world to eliminate it in all its forms – and in our interconnected modern world, it is essential that this include the digital divide.In rural China, Qinyan, Jinyou and Yuan’ai are demonstrating what this looks like: digitally empowered women of all ages, forging their own paths and spearheading their communities’ development.This story was originally published by IFAD China
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12 April 2024
Keep Breathing, Keep Smiling: A UN Diplomats Approach to Health
Siddharth Chatterjee wears a grey checkered suit with a badge on his chest, with a blue United Nations flag and a red Chinese flag, the two flags interlocked and edged in gold, a must-have accessory for his interviews.Siddharth Chatterjee is from India and has worked in the UN system for more than twenty-five years, having been posted to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya, Iraq, Indonesia, Somalia, South Sudan and other countries and regions. This year is also his fourth as UN Resident Coordinator in China. At the UN office in Liangmaqiao, Beijing, Siddharth Chatterjee is a fitness enthusiast. In between work, he spreads out a yoga mat on the floor, doing breathing, headstands and abdominal exercises. On the social media platforms of X, Weibo and WeChat moments, he also often shares his workout routine. He quoted Linda Fried, dean of Columbia University's School of Public Health, who said that exercise is the best thing we can find, other than magic, to use to fight ageing. He also shared a picture of himself working out at the gym - he completed 55 pull-ups plus 100 push-ups in three minutes and 12 seconds. This kind of intensity may not even be achievable for many twenty-somethings in Beijing.The theme of World Health Day 2024 is "My Health, My Right". "Health" and "exercise" are two mottos Siddharth Chatterjee lives by, and he hopes to spread his ideas to the people of China through the work of the UN in China. My Health, My RightIn January 2021, Mr. Chatterjee travelled from Kenya to China to serve as the UN Resident Coordinator in China. When he landed in Guangzhou, China, COVID-19 was raging, and Chatterjee, along with other foreign visitors arriving in China, underwent a 21-day quarantine. It was his first quarantine, and during that time, he insisted on working out in his room, combining breathing and yoga routines, even clocking an average of 20,000 steps a day to keep his mind and body sharp.China's strict and orderly entry inspection measures left a great first impression on him, and after his quarantine ended, Siddharth Chatterjee wrote down his observations, which were published in Forbes Africa. "I think what the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the world is a wake-up call about how vulnerable we humans are and how vulnerable our health systems are." As it is, more than 100 million people around the world are pushed back into poverty because of out-of-pocket health shocks annually. From his experience in responding to COVID-19, Chatterjee recognizes that a public health crisis will be devastating to a country’s economy, employment, and national income. On the contrary, the realization of health for all requires not only support from the national government, but also individual attention and investment in health. Chatterjee is impressed by China's progress in public health over the past decades. In the 1960s, life expectancy in China was 51 years, but now it is 78 years. Now, China's basic health insurance coverage has stabilized at over 95%. He even praised China's "barefoot doctor" system in the 1960s and 1970s, which enabled ordinary people to have access to certain medical resources in a special era.Indeed, behind this leap forward, China also faces the challenge of major chronic diseases, with hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes plaguing hundreds of millions of Chinese people, with 1.34-1.8 million people dying each year from smoking-related illnesses. Many of these chronic diseases are related to unhealthy lifestyles. According to Chatterjee, contemporary China also needs a new "barefoot doctor" - an online clinic that, with the help of new medical technologies, can travel from home to home, so that all people can get information and advice on health and adopt healthy lifestyles. Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by all UN Member States for 2030, the third goal is good health and well-being, including decreasing communicable diseases and achieving universal health coverage. The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and State Council also issued the "Healthy China 2030" plan in 2016. China's achievements in the field of public health also significantly impact the global achievement of the SDGs, as China accounts for one-fifth of the world's population.Health problems that are not supported by the healthcare system can push a family back into poverty, and if this happens frequently, it can cause major problems for the economic development of a country's human capital. Years of postings around the world have also deepened Chatterjee’s understanding of health.He hopes that one day, the remaining 5% of China's population without coverage will join those with basic health insurance and will no longer have to suffer financially from illness. The proposal of "Healthy China 2030" is also considered crucial by Siddharth Chatterjee: "Health is closely related to economic development, social progress, and all mankind."Losing 25 kilograms, self-discipline brings a turnaroundAs an advocate of a healthy lifestyle, four years ago, Siddharth Chatterjee's lifestyle was not ideal. At that time, he was working as UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, and unlike his trim and tight physique now, he weighed 85 kilograms at that time. He caught a cold every year and often felt weak, tired and unable to get enough sleep. He had been suffering from high cholesterol for the past 15 years, had pre-diabetes, and had a blood pressure of 160/90. Although he had been active in sports, running and fitness, he realized that it was his lack of moderation in eating and drinking that was affecting his health.One day in March 2020, on his way back to Kenya from UN Headquarters in New York, Chatterjee looked at himself and couldn't help but think, "What have I done to my life? I don't feel very good, always in a state of anxiety." Lifestyle changes were imminent. He began breathing exercises combined with cold showers, fasting and high-intensity interval training.Siddharth Chatterjee stuck with it and brought about a complete transformation in his life. For four years, he ate only one meal a day. Every three months, he would go on a three-day water fast, during which he would not eat anything and would only be able to drink water. At six-month intervals, he would go on another five-day water fast. "These changes not only reshaped my metabolic system, but also gave me abundant energy and higher awareness, bringing true spiritual, physical and emotional balance to my life." Siddharth Chatterjee said.After these changes, he managed to drop his weight to 60 kilograms, has not contracted a new infection, and the symptoms of the disease that once plagued him have not reappeared. Moving to Beijing was also a great opportunity, as Chatterjee found the air quality to be very good, allowing him to get out and exercise more often.He has also benefited from the traditional Indian practice of Pranayam, combined with the Chinese practice of Qigong. If you follow Chatterjee on his social media platforms, you will find that he often shares photos of himself practising yoga. In the office, at home, or even on the frozen waters of Beijing, Chatterjee can be seen in the lotus position, focusing on his breath or doing breathing exercises. By adjusting one’s breathing, it is said that a person can influence the nervous system, relieving mental stress, and reducing anxiety. "Breathing is like a superpower that you have, and by learning to control your breath, you can actually learn to control your senses." In the midst of a busy schedule, breathing is often Chatterjee’s most effective way of relieving stress. It doesn't require a gym, it doesn't require any special venue, it can be started anytime, anywhere.Chatterjee feels that the Sanskrit word for breathing exercises, "Pranayama," has a lot in common with the Chinese word “Qi”. Yogis use a variety of breathing techniques to master and prolong "Prana", the life-giving force or energy. In traditional Chinese culture, "Qi" is also associated with the flow of the universe and life energy, and through the nourishment of the breath, it can also bring people to the realm of harmony. Despite the different cultural contexts, both Qi and Pranayama emphasize the importance of the breath in life and health, and its potential to promote harmony, peace, and wellness."Keep Breathing, Keep Smiling"Every morning, Siddharth Chatterjee’s day begins with a 30-minute breathing session, followed by 15 minutes of high-intensity interval training, then into the sauna for 20 minutes before spending five minutes in a cold bath or shower. The self-discipline has been the same for four years. After completing this series of moves, he would start his day. During the day, in between work, he would also take time to do some breathing exercises in his office and some yoga postures. Every evening, when he finished his work, if he had no other social engagements, Siddharth Chatterjee would go home and have dinner with his son. This is his only meal of the day. Despite his busy work schedule, Siddharth Chatterjee finds every day very fulfilling and enjoyable. "That's why I say that when you reach good health, you start to achieve a balance of spirit, body and mind in your life."On social platforms, Siddharth Chatterjee looks like a fitness KOL outside of his role as UN Resident Coordinator. He shares bits and pieces of his exercise, promotes his lifestyle, and lists the benefits and principles of each exercise in detail. He also takes time out of his busy schedule to teach others about breathing and wellness. So far, he has already taught nearly 700 people.He recorded a video of himself walking to the gym on a snowy Beijing street in December 2023. The snowflakes are still in the air, and Siddharth Chatterjee looks relaxed in his athletic short sleeves. "Remember, the cold is your best friend, don't be afraid of the cold," Siddharth Chatterjee said with a smile as he faced the camera.In Siddharth Chatterjee's social media posts, you can see him practising breathing bare-chested outdoors in minus-11°C snow, doing headstands in a hotel in Sanya and jogging outdoors in Beijing. At least three times a day, he performs a headstand for five minutes at a time, supporting his body weight with his head and forearms and stretching his legs toward the ceiling. This anti-gravity asana is said to be good for stretching the spine, but also for getting the blood flowing to the head and improving circulation throughout the body.On January 19 this year, Chatterjee ended a five-day water fast and shared his journey on social media. For five days, he drank only water and black tea, while other exercises, breathing exercises, saunas and routines he had been following remained the same. In his tweets, he explained the rationale for the fast - intermittent fasting, which is said to cause the body to alternate between eating and prolonged fasting, shifting from a reliance on glucose to increased fat burning and ketogenesis - and in one breath, listed ten reported benefits of fasting - including lower levels of inflammation, increased insulin sensitivity, enhanced immune response, weight loss, improved mental focus, and more.At the beginning of the post documenting the fast, Chatterjee wrote: "Our state of health and well-being is a personal choice. Remember, health is not something we can buy; however, it can be a very valuable savings account for the future." More than once, he reiterated the significance of personal health to society. After every tweet related to exercise and health, Siddharth Chatterjee always has a classic closing line: Keep breathing. Keep smiling. This is indeed the credo he has been adhering to and practising.This piece was originally published by Trends Health in Chinese
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Press Release
29 August 2024
Summit of the Future events in China finish with Shenzhen dialogue
This dialogue was the final in a series of UN-hosted events in China ahead of the upcoming Summit of the Future. Attendees included senior government officials from China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, UN representatives, business leaders from the networks the Teochew International Federation and the Teochew International Economic Cooperation Organization, as well as others from multilateral development banks, the private sector, think tanks, foundations, academia and other sectors of society. During his opening remarks, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, H.E. Mr. Li Junhua, said, “Our collective urgent actions today to meet these global challenges will help determine the future of our planet and well-being of generations to come. Today’s dialogue takes place at a critical juncture on the road to the Summit of the Future next month, where the world leaders will chart a path forward to address the pressing issue of our time.” Here, the dialogue sought to bring in perspectives from the private sector in order to leverage their expertise and resources in addressing global challenges such as poverty and climate change while acknowledging China's role as a source of insights and lessons for other nations navigating on their own paths to the SDGs, including through mechanisms such as South-South cooperation. During his remarks at the dialogue, Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, H.E. Mr. Dai Jintao, said, “Shenzhen will take this opportunity to strengthen cooperation with international organizations, including the UN, study global sustainable development best practices, accelerate modernization in harmony with nature, explore replicable and scalable paths for the sustainable development of mega-cities, and contribute to the sustainable development of cities in China and globally.” During the dialogue, keynote speeches and panel discussions raised topics such as the need for increased financing for sustainable development, building a vibrant ecosystem for the environmental, social and governance framework, and the specific role of Chinese enterprises in all of these efforts.During his keynote speech at the dialogue, Vice Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, H.E. Mr. Zhao Fengtao, said, “Through the coordination of public-private partnerships, China will guide the development financing community and the private sector to strengthen cooperation, promote coordination of standardization, and enhance experience sharing.” As highlighted during the dialogue, advances in areas such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy will likely present both threats and opportunities for Chinese enterprises looking to advance sustainable development, requiring better global governance and more robust frameworks.During his closing remarks at the dialogue, UN Resident Coordinator in China, Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, said, “Three key characteristics to answer our development questions are determination, imagination and courage. They are crucial for embracing fundamental changes in our way of thinking and operating, reminding us that the “business as usual” mentality is no longer viable.” With just weeks to go until the talks get underway at UN Headquarters, the Summit of the Future remains a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation, reaffirm existing commitments, including the UN Charter and the SDGs, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system.The UN in China is grateful for the contributions from our key government counterparts to this dialogue, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the International Cooperation Center. The dialogue also received strong support from Yingke Law Firm. ---For further information, please contact: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
22 August 2024
FSTB cohosts with UN in China the UN Pre-Summit of the Future Dialogue and Hong Kong Financial Services Sector Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China Lunch Reception
Hong Kong SAR, 22 August – The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) today co-hosted with the United Nations (UN) in China the UN Pre-Summit of the Future Dialogue and Hong Kong Financial Services Sector Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China Lunch Reception at the Central Government Offices. The Pre-Summit is the first collaboration between the UN in China and the FSTB. This event attracted over 50 representatives from governments, international organisations, the private sector, academia, and institutional investors from Hong Kong, the Mainland, Asia and beyond, underscoring Hong Kong's status as a premier international hub for green and sustainable finance. Participants discussed solutions for future generations by harnessing the power of finance, innovation and technology etc., in anticipation of the UN Summit of the Future to be held in New York on September 22 and 23. Divided into three sessions, about 20 speakers at the Pre-Summit examined the interrelationship between climate change, public health and artificial intelligence; scaling up investment for a sustainable future; and what the UN and Hong Kong-based institutions can do to achieve investment for a sustainable future. The speakers shared their insights on issues such as addressing the climate crisis through energy transition and sustainable agriculture; the role of financial institutions in global green investment; how family offices, philanthropic endeavours and impact investments can support increased Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) financing; as well as the need to accelerate global progress on the SDGs.Guests and speakers at the Dialogue also remarked on today's economic realities by presenting insights and solutions to the world's emerging threats and opportunities and exchanging their experiences and technical expertise. With the September’s Summit of the Future at UN Headquarters in New York just weeks away, the Dialogue in Hong Kong contributes to the ongoing global momentum for this event.Delivering his opening remarks at the Pre-Summit, the UN Resident Coordinator in China, Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, said, "I would like to remind us of three significant words: partnerships, platforms and persistence. We need to forge and consolidate partnerships with as many stakeholders as possible – Member States, international organizations, academia, foundations and private sector - to achieve the impossible. We need to create and provide platforms, to convene stakeholders, and leverage ideas, expertise and resources effectively." Also speaking at the Pre-Summit, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr. Christopher Hui, noted that the theme of today's discussion is very important, which is about "the Future"."Everybody is working very hard to create a better future for our next generation. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is also working on various fronts to shape our future in three key directions, namely, greener and more sustainable future; more inclusive of innovation; and more development opportunities for our youth," he said.On the three key directions, Mr. Hui further elaborated how Hong Kong could contribute to a sustainable future with its strengths in channeling capital to sustainable projects, asset and wealth management, aligning the disclosure of sustainable information with international sustainability reporting standards, offering a dynamic ecosystem for fintech business, and nurturing young fintech talent. The Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), Ms. Salina Yan, and the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr. Joseph Chan, spoke at the Leaders' Dialogue on Scaling up Investment for a Sustainable Future, and the Leaders' Dialogue on the Interrelationship between Climate Change, Public Health and Artificial Intelligence, respectively.In addition to the Pre-Summit, the UN in China and the FSTB collaborated to host the Hong Kong Financial Services Sector Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China Lunch Reception, with a view to enhancing the communication and unity within the sector. Over 100 guests attended the reception. They included those attendees at the Pre-Summit, as well as representatives from the banking, securities, accounting, insurance, fintech, asset and wealth management industries, and members of the Legislative Council and Hong Kong's financial regulators. Mr. Chatterjee shared with the guests of the reception that, as China has developed and increased the income levels of its citizens, the role of the UN in China has shifted from that of a traditional donor to a partner, providing technical expertise and supporting China's global engagement to accelerate global progress on the SDGs, and fulfil the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda - Leaving No One Behind. Mr. Hui said that the country's stride towards building as a great modern nation is providing Hong Kong with bountiful development opportunities. He expressed his deepest gratitude to the Central People's Government's support for the development of Hong Kong's financial services sector."Marching into the future, we will continue to leverage Hong Kong's unique positioning and distinctive functions and actively contribute to our country's high-quality development," he added. ---For further information, please contact: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
12 August 2024
International Youth Day 2024: UN China celebrates youth digital solutions for sustainable development
BEIJING, China – 12 August is the International Youth Day and its global theme for this year is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” The United Nations Theme Group on Youth, in coordination with the UN system in China, hosted a youth dialogue to welcome this important international day and highlight the digital contributions that young people in China have made to advance sustainable development.Opened by Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Representative of UNESCO, the event stressed that the UN always recognizes the pivotal role young people play in creating an inclusive, equitable and sustainable world for all.The dialogue is held during Mr. Felipe Paullier, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs’ visit to China for the upcoming World Youth Development Forum. As the first UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs appointed by the UN Secretary General, he leads the UN Youth Office and helps ensure more young people are included in decision-making spaces at all levels.“Young people are diverse and they bring different perspectives to the challenges facing our world. We have the opportunity to work together with UN system entities and UN country teams around the world to support and elevate the voices of youth, ensuring that they are heard and that their contributions are valued,” he said.According to the event, young people in China, with support from the UN, are using digital technologies to drive change and create solutions, in areas including rural development, food safety, women’s empowerment, youth health and public-private partnerships. “Through the Youth Co:Lab, co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, more Chinese young people are participating in rural revitalization. By developing the digital governance platform with easy access, they are supporting local villagers in living a low-carbon life,” said Dr. Ma Xiaoding, alumni of Youth Co:Lab and Digital Construction and Operations Manager of the Ten Thousand Villages Renovation project in Meilin Village, Zhejiang Province.About 80 participants from the UN systems in China, youth groups and institutions attended the dialogue.For more information on the United Nations International Youth Day 2024, please visit: https://www.un.org/en/observances/youth-day.
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Press Release
26 July 2024
UNAIDS and China sign two strategic agreements to advance the HIV response
The first agreement was signed on 10 July by Wang Hesheng, Vice Minister of the National Health Commission and Administrator of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (NDCPA) and Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, in Beijing. UNAIDS and China have agreed to deepen their collaboration to reach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, within the context of China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The agreement acknowledges China’s commitment to take a leadership role in the global HIV response including mobilizing partners and supporting efforts to end AIDS in middle- and lower-income countries. Mr Wang thanked UNAIDS’ for technical support and guidance around China’s HIV response, particularly in formulating HIV response plans and strategies, monitoring and assessment, as well as UNAIDS’ data collection and analysis.“We expect to continue and further our cooperation with UNAIDS with this MOU,” he said. “The first steps will be to boost communication and coordination, and actively participate in global health governance.”According to the agreement, NDCPA will make an annual contribution of USD$1 million to UNAIDS from 2025 to 2029, totaling USD$5 million, which includes increased core funding. The other agreement signed in Beijing on 13 July with the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) addresses critical global development issues to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes promoting health and ending AIDS globally, especially in other developing countries in Africa and Asia Pacific.Luo Zhaohui, Chairman of the CIDCA recognizes UNAIDS’ leadership in the global HIV response and encouraged UNAIDS to apply for more Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDF) to address the HIV epidemic.“Let’s work together to improve people’s health especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.” he said. "HIV is a new area for CIDCA but UNAIDS has a lot of experience so there is huge prospect to have more cooperation.”As part of this agreement, UNAIDS and CIDCA will fund projects in developing partner countries through policy coordination, community engagement, capacity building and technical insight.Since its founding in 2019, the CIDCA has provided steady financial support to UN agencies and developing member states. As highlighted at the annual Steering Committee of UNSDCF, 13 UN agencies mobilized more than US$ 100 million in South-South funding, predominantly from CIDCA, which assisted 85 partner countries in the areas of COVID response and resilience, social inclusion, agriculture, climate and energy efforts. Earlier this year, UNAIDS received the first GDF to support Iran’s upscaling of rapid HIV testing. UNAIDS is the second UN entity to sign a MOU with the CIDCA.UNAIDS looks forward to deepening cooperation with China especially in South-South Cooperation and China-Africa cooperation in the areas of local drug production as well as supporting partner countries.Ms Byanyima said, “Global South solidarity is the bedrock of the HIV response. It is only by standing together that we can end AIDS by 2030 and I welcome steps towards a deeper partnership building China and African countries.”UNAIDS will also closely work with the African Union, the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Medicine Agency. Ms Byanyima’s week-long mission to China is her first to the country since she became Executive Director of UNAIDS.
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Press Release
26 July 2024
New UNAIDS report shows AIDS pandemic can be ended by 2030, but only if leaders boost resources and protect human rights now
Whilst the end of AIDS is within our grasp, this decade, currently the world is off track. Globally, of the 39.9 millionpeople living with HIV, 9.3 million, nearly a quarter, are not receiving life-saving treatment. As a consequence, a person dies from AIDS-related causes every minute. Leaders pledged to reduce annual new infections to below 370 000 by 2025, but new HIV infections are still more than three times higher than that, at 1.3 million in 2023. And now cuts in resourcing and arising anti-rights push are endangering the progress that has been made. “World leaders pledged to end the AIDSpandemic as a public health threat by 2030, and they can uphold their promise, but only if they ensure that the HIV response has the resources it needs and that the human rights of everyone are protected,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “Leaders can save millions of lives, prevent millions of new HIV infections, and ensure that everyone living with HIVcan live healthy, full lives.”The report finds that if leaders take the bold actions needed now to ensure sufficient and sustainable resourcing and protect everyone’s human rights, the number of people living with HIV, requiring life-long treatment, will settle at around 29 million by 2050 but if they take the wrong path, the number of people who will need life-long support will rise to 46 million (compared to 39.9 million in 2023).The report shows continued (although slower) progress in rolling out medicines to people living with HIV with 30.7 million people now on treatment, more than 3 in 4 people living with HIV. As recently as 2010 treatment coverage stood at just 47%. The expansion of people accessing treatment is a landmark public health achievement that has seen AIDS-related deaths halved since 2010—from 1.3 million to 630 000 in 2023.However, the world is off track to meet the 2025 target of reducing AIDS-related deaths to below 250 000.Although tremendous progress has been made in preventing new HIV infections which have fallen by 39% since 2010 globally, and by 59% in eastern and southern Africa, the report shows that new HIV infections are rising in three regions, the Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe and central Asia and Latin America, and gaps and inequalities persist.“Countries are making enormous progress to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, however there have been many challenges that could slow our efforts,” said Dr Anthony Fauci, Former Scientific Advisor to the US President. “We must do everything we can to be continually vocal and proactive. Failureis not an option here. In fact, it is unthinkable. If we all work together, we shall meet our common goal. I for one will continue to work with all of my strength to make sure that we do indeed end the AIDS epidemic and I implore all of you to commit to the same.”Gender inequality is exacerbating the risks faced by girls and women and driving the pandemic. HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women is still extraordinarily high in parts of eastern and southern Africa and western and central Africa.Because stigma and discrimination against marginalized communities create barriers to vital prevention and treatment services, key populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs, represent an increased proportion at (55%) of new infections globally compared to 2010 (45%).The report demonstrates that HIV prevention and treatment services will only reach people if human rights are upheld, if unfair laws against women and against marginalized communities are scrapped, and if discrimination and violence are tackled head on.UNAIDS calculations show that whilst 20% of HIV resources should be dedicated towards HIV prevention for populations most affected by HIV, just 2.6% of total HIV spending went towards interventions for key populations in 2023.Around the world funding is shrinking, holding back progress and even leading to rising epidemics in certain regions. In 2023, total resources available for HIV (US$ 19.8 billion) dropped by 5% from 2022 and were US$ 9.5 billion short of the amount needed by 2025 (US$ 29.3 billion). Domestic funding in low- and middle-income countries—which make up 59% of total resources for HIV—is being constrained by the debt crisis and fell for the fourth consecutive year, with a 6% decline from 2022 to 2023.Increased resource mobilization is needed, especially in Asia and the Pacific—where the numbers of people living with HIV are projected to almost double by 2050—and in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa, regions with growing epidemics, but where funding for HIV has decreased significantly. Around half of the total resources needed by 2025, and 93% of the current HIV funding gap, are outside of sub- Saharan Africa.The Urgency of Now: AIDS at a Crossroads, shows that decisions taken this year will determine if global targets are met, AIDS is ended as a public health threat by 2030, and a sustainable HIV response is built.“The fraying of solidarity between and within countries is putting progress in danger, but the path that ends AIDS is a path that has been proven, and is a path that leaders have promised to take. Whether leaders fulfill their pledge to end AIDS is a political and financial choice. The time to choose the right path is now,” said Ms Byanyima.ContactUNAIDS Munich | Sophie Barton Knott | tel. +41 79 514 6896 | bartonknotts@unaids.org UNAIDS Geneva |Michael Hollingdale | tel. +41 79 500 2119 | hollingdalem@unaids.org
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