On April 24, United Nations Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network (hereinafter referred to as EWECCPN) meeting was held in Beijing.
Madam Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of CPAFFC, and H. E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of Tanzania and Alternative Co-chair of UN Every Woman Every Child High Level Steering Group (EWEC HLSG) attended the meeting and delivered speeches respectively.
As member of EWEC HLSG, President Li Xiaolin hosted the meeting and welcomed H. E. Kikwete. President Li pointed out that the health and welfare of every woman, child and adolescent played an important part in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. CPAFFC actively promoted and supported the global health strategy of Every Woman Every Child Initiative proposed by the United Nations, and took the lead to launch the Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network (EWECCPN). Since its establishment, EWECCPN had been widely supported by government departments, academic groups, social organizations and enterprises, forming a comprehensive partnership network crossing different sections, fields and industries to advance the realization of health projects for women and children in China, Africa and other related countries. This meeting aimed to build consensus, share experiences and carry forward cooperation. Mme. Li said that the upcoming Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation presented China’a tangible action for building a community with a shared future for humanity. EWECCPN would also continue to integrate China’s development with that of other countries. By working with partners from all over the world, EWECCPN would focus on the need of recipient countries, exploit new potentials for collaboration so as to achieve win-win cooperation and common development, making contribution to the health of women and children in China, Africa and other countries.
H. E. Kikwete in his speech introduced the difficult challenges faced by African countries in the fields of women and children, including lacking doctors and nurses, lacking medical equipment and malnutrition. He pointed out that a series of measures had been taken by African countries in recent years and positive results had been gained. However, there was still a distance for them to reach the 2030 SDG. African countries still needed further support from international community. China’s Belt and Road Initiative and China-Africa Forum are both important platforms for African countries. Through these framework and initiatives, African countries could get necessary support to build a more extensive and comprehensive partnership to tackle the challenges on the health of mother and children. H. E. Kikwete expressed his gratitude to President Li for holding this meeting. He thanked the commitments and efforts China had made and was willing to work with China, and would report the content of the meeting to the UN EWEC HLSG meeting to be held in September.
Counsellor Huang Hongjiang from Department of International Organization and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), mentioned in his speech that MFA, as the Guidance Unit to EWECCPN, highly appreciated the great efforts and positive achievements made by CPAFFC as the coordinating unit of EWECCPN. MFA would continue to support CPAFFC and EWECCPN to carry out pragmatic projects to benefit women and children in China and in the world.
Vice President Xie Yuan, in the closing remarks, thanked all the parties and wished all the stakeholders continue to support EWECCPN, making it a shared platform combining more resources and promoting more cooperation.
Others present at the meeting were around 18 Chinese organizations including All-China Women's Federation, Tsinghua University, International Health Exchange and Cooperation Center of National Health Commission and Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Health, Education and Research Foundation, as well as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, United Nations Population Fund China Office and other international organizations and UN agencies in China. They shared their experiences and suggestions. All the attendees expressed wish to work closer together to jointly make more contributions to realize the the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health.
Photographed by Ren Xin
