During the 47th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, Beijing Women's Federation, Beijing NGO Association for International Exchanges (Beijing NGO), and the Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation (Beijing-IPCF) jointly hosted a side meeting on “Protecting Women's Rights and Promoting High Quality Development”. More than 100 people from the United States, the Netherlands, Mauritius, Nepal, Greece, Sri Lanka, Japan, and other national social organizations, members of the Beijing NGO attended the meeting online and offline. Prof. CHEN Hongwei, Executive Member of the Beijing Women Professors’ Association, Dean of the School of Foreign Studies at USTB, and Distinguished Teacher of Beijing attended the conference and gave a full English speech.

This meeting is a concrete measure for social organizations in Beijing to actively participate in issue setting and promote multilateral common governance in important areas under the framework of the UN Human Rights Council. Experts, scholars, and representatives of international organizations gathered to share successful cases, speak out for women's rights, and work together to advance gender equality and women's empowerment.

Prof. CHEN Hongwei was invited by Beijing Women's Federation to attend the conference as the representative of the executive members of the Beijing Women Professors’ Association, and gave a full English speech titled "Improving Education Standard for Women to Promote High-Quality Social Development".

Prof. CHEN pointed out that women's education is a yardstick for measuring the progress of civilized society and is the foundation and premise for human development. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the government has attached great importance to women's education, takeing it as an important task in protecting women's rights and interests, promote their all-round development, and granting women and men equal rights to education from the aspects of law, system, and resources. She said that in the past decades, good education has improved the knowledge level of Chinese women, thus realizing the value of women in the family and society. Excellent education has given many Chinese intellectual women an opportunity to serve their country and realize their personal dreams. Prof. TU Youyou, Nobel Prize winner and recipient of "Medal of the Republic", Academician LI Lanjuan, who fought in the front line against COVID-19, and Academician CHEN Wei, recipient of the national honorary title of "People's Hero" who fought in Africa to battle Ebola, are all outstanding representatives of women. The development of women's education in China has made Chairman MAO Zedong’s saying "Women Hold Up Half the Sky" a reality.

At the meeting, Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, CHEN Yanping, Vice-President of the Beijing Women's Federation, and DAI Jianjun, Vice-President of the Beijing NGO made speeches respectively. Michelin, Founder and President of the British BAME Health Organization; LI Hong, Honorary President of the Beijing Association USA; Serin, Chairman of the Association General Chine-Afrique in Mauritius; Sandery, Dutch psychologist and sexologist and other foreign experts gave video speeches. In his speech, LI Ruohong, President of Beijing-IPCF, clarified the important role women played in international connection. Representatives of relevant women's organizations in Beijing presented their research results on specific topics such as family, employment, education, and rule of law, demonstrating China’s acheievement in promoting the protection of women's rights and building a harmonious society.