BEIJING, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, called for promoting digital and health education for girls and women in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peng, also a special envoy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the advancement of girls’ and women’s education, made the remarks via video link at the 2021 UNESCO prize for girls’ and women’s education on Friday.
Since the establishment of the prize through cooperation between China and UNESCO in 2015, this award has continued to exert its positive influence and inspire more people to devote themselves to the cause of girls’ and women’s education, Peng said.
Hailing the positive influence of the prize, Peng said tens of thousands of girls and women have mastered knowledge and skills, and gained the ability and confidence to change their destiny and pursue dreams.
“More and more people care about and support girls’ and women’s education, bringing together powerful forces to promote gender equality in global education,” Peng said.
Noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a seriously negative impact on the education of girls and women, Peng called for precise and effective measures to provide them with fair, quality education.
Peng called for comprehensively promoting the digital education of girls and women, making full use of digital technology, sharing high-quality online education resources, increasing educational support for girls and women from poor areas and families, and improving their ability to use new technologies for employment and entrepreneurship.
She also called for continuing to strengthen girls’ and women’s health education, help them and their families to improve health awareness and prevent various diseases, and comprehensively improve the physical and mental health of girls and women.
The prize is the only prize given by UNESCO in the field of promoting girls’ and women’s education. Director-general for UNESCO Audrey Azoulay said at the ceremony that it has played a unique role in helping women and children realize their dreams, especially in responding to the challenges of the pandemic.