📋 Tender Overview
ChinaapplaudstheUAEsinitiativetofocustodaysmeetingonwomenseconomicinclusionandparticipation.WomenseconomicempowermentisanimportantpartoftheBeijingDeclarationandPlatformforActionanessentialrequirementfortheimplementationofthe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentandfundamentalguaranteeforthesteadyandsustainedadvancementofthewomenpeaceandsecurityagenda.WomenseconomicempowermentrequiresnotonlypoliticalcommitmentbutalsoconcreteactionsInwartornSouthSudantheburdenofsupportingfamilyfallsdisproportionatelyonwomen.IntheWauregionofWesternBahrelGhazaltraditionalweavingskillsformakinghandicraftshavebeenpassed downfromgenerationtogenerationbutmanylocalwomenarehamperedbythelackofsewingequipment.LastmonththeChineseEmbassyinSouthSudandonated100sewingmachinestothelocalcommunity.NowbetterequippedwomeninWauaresewingtirelesslyhopingthattheirhardworkwillbringfoodtothetablepayfortheirchildrenstuitionandearnabrightfutureforthecountry.In2017NiyibahoBerthildeawomanfromRwandareceivetraininginChinaonjuncaotechnologyamethodofcircularproductioninvolvingplantsanimalsandmushrooms.AfterreturningtoRwandashestartedherownjuncaobusinessandcreatedmorethan30jobs.Inadditionshealsoorganizedjuncaotrainingcoursesforthefarmersmanyofthemwomenincludingsinglemothershelpingliftmorepeopleofthelocalcommunityoutofpoverty.InKenyaayoungwomannamedConciliaOwireisoneofthefirstfemalelocomotivedriversoftheMombasa-NairobiStandardGaugeRailwaywithasafesolodrivingrecordofmorethan140000kilometersunderherbelt.ConciliaenjoyscelebritystatusamongtheKenyans.ShebearswitnesstohowthisChina-buildrailwayhasgivenyoungpeoplelikehernotonlyjobsbutalsoopportunitiestolearnskillsandsheisproudofdoingherpartinmodernizingKenyastransportationsector.ThestoriesofConciliaNiyibahoandwomeninWauhaveshownusthewisdomandpotentialofwomenaswellasthetransformativeimpactofeconomicempowermentonwomentheirfamiliesaswellastheircommunities.Theyhavealsodemonstratedtheenormousprospectsofwomensparticipationinthepeaceanddevelopmentofallcountries.AtthesametimewemustrecognizethattheongoingCOVID-19pandemicandincreasedregionalturbulencethreatentosetbackexistingcommitmentandinvestmentindevelopmentissues.Thegainsofwomenseconomicempowermentareatriskofbeingreversed.Andwomeninconflictareasarefacinggreaterchallenges.Theinternationalcommunityshouldstepupeffortsandactincoordinationinordertoinjectnewimpetusintotheglobalcauseofwomensdevelopment.Firstweshouldinvestmoreindevelopment.Theinternationalcommunityshouldactivelyassistthereconstructionofconflictareasespeciallyimportantinfrastructurethatarevitalfornationaleconomyandpeopleslivelihoodssuchasroadsbridgeswaterandelectricitysoastobolsterthephysicalfoundationforwomensdevelopment.Moreearmarkedinvestmentisneededinwomensandgirlshealtheducationandtrainingwithaviewtoenablingwomenseconomicparticipationincreasetheiremploymentandliftingthemoutofpoverty.WeshouldalsohelpwomencopewiththechallengesoftheCOVID-19pandemicincreasetheaccessibilityandaffordabilityofvaccinesinconflictzonesandsafeguardwomensrightstolifeandhealth.Secondweneedtobuildpartnerships.WomenseconomicempowermentshouldbeincorporatedintotheoverallframeworkofinternationaldevelopmentcooperationthroughenhancedNorth-SouthSouth-Southandtriangularcooperation.Weshouldpromotetheflowoftalentsfundsandtechnologytodevelopingcountriesandtoareascontributingtowomensdevelopment.Theprivatesectorshouldplayabiggerroleinordertocreatemoreopportunitiesforwomenseconomicparticipation.TheInternationalMonetaryFundandotherrelevantorganizationsshouldwhereappropriateinjectliquidityintodevelopingcountriesincludingpost-conflictstatesandencouragemembercountriestovoluntarilychannelashareoftheirallocatedSDRstovulnerablecountriesinordertohelpstabilizetheeconomiesoftherecipientsandimprovethelivelihoodsofprioritygroupssuchaswomen.InSeptemberlastyearduringtheGeneralDebateofthe76thSessionoftheUNGeneralAssemblyPresidentXiJinpingproposedaGlobalDevelopmentInitiativewhichaimstoacceleratetheimplementationofthe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentandachievestrongergreenerandhealthierglobaldevelopment.Weareconfidentthatthisinitiativewillbeamajorboosttotheachievementofgenderequalityandwomenseconomicempowerment.ThirdweshouldmaximizetheroleoftheUnitedNations.DevelopmentshouldremainapriorityareaoftheUN.Wemustbridgethedevelopmentgapfacedbywomeninconflictzonesandmakewomen-relatedgoalsandtargetsanearlyharvestofthe2030Agenda.UNDPUNWomenandotheragenciesshouldfocusonsupportingwomenseconomicempowermentinvestmoreinlong-standingareassuchaspovertyeradicationforwomenandmakeadifferenceinaddressingnewchallengessuchasthegenderdigitaldivide.TheSecurityCouncilwhendiscussingWPSissuesshouldbalancethefourareasofpreventionprotectionparticipationaswellasreliefandrecoveryandaddresstheunder-investmentinreconstructionandrecovery.JustthensomecolleaguesmentionedthecurrentsituationofUkrainianwomen.WesupporttheUNinacceleratingandcoordinatinghumanitarianoperationstoeffectivelyensurethesecurityoflifeandpropertyofciviliansinUkraineincludingwomenandchildrenandmeettheirbasicneeds.
