Planned Budget (Total)
Other resources (non-core)
Country Indexes
outcome XM-DAC-41146-CHN_D_2.3
Relative poverty and multi-dimensional poverty are reduced, and more coordinated development leads to reduction in gaps between rural and urban areas and among regions, as more people in China, including left-behind groups, benefit from sustainable, innovation-driven and shared high-quality economic development, with enhanced access to economic opportunities arising through innovation, entrepreneurship and rural revitalization, enjoying decent work, sustainable livelihoods, and the right to develop equally for both women and men. (UNSDCF Outcome 1)
In 2024, with support from UN Women China, more people in China, including left-behind groups, benefit from sustainable, innovation-driven and shared high-quality economic development, with enhanced access to economic opportunities, as well as to decent work, sustainable livelihoods, and the right to develop equally for both women and men. Through UN Women’s EU-funded Women In Motion Project, 106 factories in the textile, ICT and automobile sectors are implementing gender-responsive workplace mechanisms, expected to benefit over 225,000 workers. Moreover, 2096 women workers have enhanced their skills through Train the Trainers and cascade trainings. Among them, 204 participants, including 179 women (47% are migrant workers), have been trained as seed trainers and are now passing on their industrial and soft skills to over 10,000 women workers. Additionally, the establishment of 4 informal networks has supported peer learning for female workers and enabled employers to exchange best practices, demonstrating tangible outcomes of capacity-development efforts. UN Women, in collaboration with national and subnational counterparts, including the China Enterprise Confederation and the China Electronics Standardisation Association, provided technical assistance to the factories and employers to adopt gender responsive policies and practices, including the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), and provides tailored skills training for employers and workers. To support the implementation of CEDAW’s concluding observation on the 9th periodic report of China and VNR Report on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda, UN Women China has catalysed multi-sectoral commitment to advance gender-responsive workplace policies and standards by fostering engagement among over 40 representatives from government, academia, civil society, and private sector. Building on evidence from project baseline research, a series of policy discussions highlighting women workers’ challenges such as gender stereotypes and workplace discrimination has delivered actionable recommendations for shaping gender-responsive workplace policies and standards for women’s career development. As part of our awareness and advocacy efforts leveraging the support of ILO and UNIDO, the project has reached over 560,000 people through online campaigns that provided platforms for women, especially young voices, to advocate for gender equality and inclusive workplace. These campaigns include Her Place Her Home and the Beijing+30 Youth Blog My Dream Inclusive Workplace. Under the IFAD-led joint “ Hunan Rural Revitalization Demonstration Project ”, notable progress has been made toward supporting rural women’s economic empowerment in 10 counties in Hunan. A total of 56,842 rural people in ten pilot counties in Hunan Province, including 29,324 rural women have benefitted from financial and technical support for agri-business development, inclusive public services on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and climate-smart infrastructure. Among the beneficiaries, ethnic minorities account for 31.2%. Additionally, 26 women-led business start-ups received support to promote their entrepreneurship and develop their businesses. In Qinghai, UN Women’s “ Women-led Rural Community Renewable Energy Transition and Governance Project ” project enhances rural women’s access to energy and income security by providing technical support and renewable energy pilots. 2 women-led agricultural cooperatives and 1 Tibetan community (women accounting for 51%) were equipped with solar energy, generating an estimated 100,000 CNY in economic benefits and decreasing women’s unpaid care work in households by over 3,600 hours annually, together with an estimated 3 tons of CO2 emission reduction annually In 2024, the WEPs signatory network grew by 8%, surpassing 420 members and positioning China as one of the top five WEPs networks globally. Additionally, UN Women China supported 30 Chinese signatories in the 2024 APAC Regional WEPs Awards, celebrating companies that excel in promoting gender-sensitive business cultures and practices. Among them, two signatories received regional recognition for their excellence in transparency and reporting on gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE).
outcome XM-DAC-41146-CHN_D_5.1
China’s international financing, investments and business engagements, including through connectivity initiatives, programmes and projects, contribute to SDG attainment in partner countries
China made notable progress toward enhancing international development cooperation, investments, and business engagement to contribute to SDG attainment in partner countries. This is evident in the following actions: making “strengthening international exchanges and mutual learning for global women’s development” as a go-forward priority in China’s Beijing+30 National Review Report ; the emphasis on GEWE thirty times in the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) , for which UN Women provided technical inputs ; and the launch of the Exchange and Training Base of Global Women's Development Cooperation by CIDCA and ACWF to operationalize China’s continued efforts to “support women’s international development cooperation” to “safeguard the rights and interests of women and improve their livelihoods”. UN Women contributed to this progress by investing in evidence-based research to inform interventions, supporting strategic convenings to build multi-stakeholder buy-in and momentum, and developing strategic partnerships that enable UN Women to provide technical assistance and normative support, aligned with the CSW68 recommendations and other global commitments. To help build the ecosystem’s buy-in toward financing, investments, and business engagements for GEWE, the office positioned itself as an important convener that can influence key stakeholders from government and regulators, financial institutions, academia, etc. This includes collaborating with the Chinese International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and the Center for China and Globalization to advocate for sustainable financing and development cooperation for GEWE during International Women’s Day. UN Women also engaged over 50 representatives from 47 financial institutions and government agencies in learning salons with IIGF, enhancing their knowledge of innovative gender-responsive tools and practices, achieving 100% satisfaction and 88% reported gain of valuable insights and practical guidance in post-learning surveys. At the Ringing the Bell for Gender Equality ceremony of Shenzhen Stock Exchange, UN Women advocated for private-sector buy-in to join the WEPs and advance gender equality. To mobilize other key partners in advancing gender-responsive financing and normative commitments, the office forged new partnerships with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation (CAITEC) under the Ministry of Commerce and the International Institute for Green Finance (IIGF) under the Central University for Finance and Economics , enabling UN Women to influence policy research, data generation, and capacity development for embedding GEWE into China’s South-South Cooperation and sustainable finance efforts. UN Women serves as a strategic advisor to IIGF within the China Green Finance Committee (GFC) on advancing sustainable finance for GEWE through policy/regulatory advocacy and industry-led initiatives . Significant progress was also made to formalize a cooperation framework with the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), which will be an important step forward to integrate GEWE into China’s international development cooperation agenda. UN Women contributed to knowledge and capacity building on gender finance through the development of evidence-based research. Building on a 2023 joint study with IIGF, the office published a landscape summary of key stakeholders, gaps, and opportunities in gender finance, serving as a resource for regulatory and organizational improvements in China. UN Women also partnered with UNICEF, UNDP, and ILO to launch the Responsible Business Practices handbook and provide RBP training to over 75 participants from major Chinese companies with businesses abroad, equipping them with gender-sensitive tools and standards to align with SDG 5 and GEWE principles. To promote gender mainstreaming in business practices and with the goal of engaging government and regulators on normative support to strengthen ESG disclosure, UN Women collected crucial evidence from over 30 financial institutions on how they integrate gender into their ESG frameworks and business practices; this research will be critical in building the office’s technical assistance and policy advocacy efforts. As a result of these efforts two new transformative programmes were launched through incremental non-core funding, further engaging targeted government entities, multilateral development banks and other financial institutions in China, to further enhance their knowledge and capacity in gender-sensitive financing and the adaptation of gender responsive financing tools, guidance, and practices.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-CHN_O_1
Assuring an accountable organization through principled performance: UN-Women China office is an accountable and trustworthy development organization that manages its financial and other resources with integrity and in line with its programmatic ambitions and fiduciary obligations.
In 2024, UN Women China office further enhanced its management and oversight of financial and other resources, focusing on accountability, efficiency, and transparency. Internal controls and streamlined business administration were further strengthened through the maintenance and implementation of Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs). The office strictly adhered to monthly checklist requirements and closely tracked performance indicators in the Quarterly Business Report (QBR). With quality assurance in place, the office achieved its key performance indicator targets for 2024. Despite ongoing challenges from the corporate business transition in UN Women’s enterprise resource planning system, the office ensured business operations and project delivery through dedicated commitment and strong team unity. The office implemented a total planned budget of $3.18 million from regular and other resources, achieving a delivery rate of 94% and a budget utilization rate of 99%. In line with corporate requirements, we standardized flexible working arrangements to continue promoting staff care and well-being. Additionally, the office achieved a 100% compliance rate in the Business Continuity and Crisis Management Application (BCCMA), Security and Safety Compliance Survey Certification (SSCSC), and Security Risk Management (SRM) in China. Risk analysis and mitigation effectiveness were reviewed, updated, and timely submitted in the Risk Register. Furthermore, all staff participated in mandatory anti-fraud and risk training provided by the Regional Office on 1 Nov 2024, increasing awareness of fraud red flags and risk indicators, and enhancing understanding of internal controls for corporate compliance. Strong logistics coordination and administrative support were provided during UN Women Executive Director's official visit to China, and we also ensured full compliance with security requirements from both UN Women and UNDSS.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-CHN_O_2
Advancing Partnership & Resources: UN Women China office effectively leverages and expands its partnership, communications and advocacy capabilities to increase support for and financing the gender equality agenda, while securing sustainable resourcing for the delivery of its own mandate.
UN Women China significantly strengthened its partnerships, communications, and advocacy efforts to deliver on its normative, UN coordination, and operational mandates. The office more than doubled its partnerships from 12 to over 25. Notably, it fostered 11 financial partnerships and received $1.95m in 2024. This includes a partnership with Citibank to launch of an innovative financing modality that will provide more sustainable funding to the office. To advance normative support, the office engaged diverse partners to ensure inclusive participation in intergovernmental processes and major events/convenings (e.g. CSW68, IWD, 16 Days, etc.). Notably, the office signed two MoUs with the Chinese government and an academic institution, enabling it to further influence policy research and normative change for embedding GEWE into China’s South-South Cooperation and sustainable finance efforts. The office also partnered with the China Association for NGO Cooperation to host a briefing and CSO consultation, resulting in the successful participation of 11 Chinese CSOs in the APAC Ministerial Conference on Beijing+30. To advance UN coordination, the office partnered with UNICEF, UNDP, and ILO to engage Chinese companies with oversea businesses to ensure their business conduct contributes to global SDG attainment. To advance operational support, the office deepened partnerships with over 10 national/subnational partners to increase their GEWE awareness and to help implement local programmes. The office provided $330,068 to support six CSOs and signed over 30 new companies onto the Women’s Empowerment Principles (+8% increase). Lastly, the office expanded its online footprint by growing the number of followers on Weibo to over 612,000 (+3%) , WeChat to over 50,670 (+13%), and Twitter/X to over 370 (+48%), garnering over 18.3million views in 2024. The office expanded its communications and advocacy capabilities by advancing its omnichannel, new partnerships to reach more audiences, enhanced media monitoring efforts, and more human-interest stories and knowledge-sharing. For example, on IWD2024, UN Women partnered with CIDCA and the Center for China and Globalization to co-convene a high-level policy symposium on innovative ways to bridge the financial gender gap and achieve the SDGs. As a result, the symposium engaged over 30 organizations and attracted over 60,000 online views. The broader IWD online campaign – in partnership with the China National Academy of Paintings to create culturally-resonant art and with the participation of 17 UN agencies, 8 programme partners, and 2 UN Women National Goodwill Ambassadors – garnered over 9 million views and sparked over 16,500 social media discussions. To strengthen the media’s understanding of GEWE, the office supported the participation of two senior journalists (Ms. Tian Wei, TV Anchor from CGTN and Ms. Ge Huichao, Body On-and-On) in the APAC Ministerial Conference on Beijing+30 to share China’s practices and opportunities for joint actions leading up to Beijing+30.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-CHN_O_3
Business Transformation: UN Women China strategically plans for and transforms its business model to deliver impact at scale, through agile and ethical leadership
In 2024, despite the ongoing challenges under the new ERP system, including instability and inconsistent financial reporting, UN Women in China successfully navigated these constraints. The team ensured a smooth transition, maintained business continuity, and delivered projects effectively through diligence, unity, mutual support, and knowledge sharing among colleagues. The office maintained and monitored the implementation of internal SOPs to streamline and simplify business administration, aligning with corporate requirements. In 2024, three SOPs under the partnership portfolio were further developed to strengthen partnership outreach management. Additionally, the SOP on duty travel was updated to reflect the new ERP workflow requirements. We monitored programme delivery and ensured timely and high-quality reporting and submission in result management system (RMS) and the donors, adhering to the reporting requirements. In 2024, four quality donor reports to five donors were produced and submitted, incl. Women-Led Rural Community Renewable Energy Transition and Governance Project; Solidarity in efforts to end Violence against Women in China Project; Multi-country study on Women-led MSMES; and Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment: Enhancing Women Workers Employment and Career Development Opportunities in Guangdong Province in China. The office continued to place special emphasis on nurturing an empowered workforce, creating a safe space for leadership, voice and agency, and supporting duty of care and staff wellbeing for a better work-life balance. We reformed staff meeting arrangement in a consultative and participatory approach, to achieve efficiency and effectiveness, and formalized youth-led discussion in staff meetings to empower young people and promoted peer learning and knowledge sharing through various channels, incl. brown bag sessions, coordinating with HQ and regional office to provide training to our staff for an enhanced capacity in managing daily work. In 2024, Business Operations Strategy (BOS) of UN China endorsed three gender specific actions incl. promoting Gender Parity, Gender Responsive Procurement (GRP) sourcing and prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), under the leadership of UN Women in China and with support of the Operations Management Team (OMT), which greatly strengthened joint business operations across UN system in China to promote GEWE.Showing 1 - 5 of 7