Region:Asia PacificCurrent UN Women Plan Period Afghanisthan:2018-2022
World Bank Income Classification:Low IncomeThe World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. For this purpose it uses gross national income (GNI) per capita data in U.S. dollars, converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which is applied to smooth exchange rate fluctuations.Least Developed Country:YesSince 1971, the United Nations has recognized LDCs as a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process, for structural, historical and also geographical reasons. Three criteria are used: per capita income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.Gender Inequality Index:0.575GII is a composite metric of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men, and vice-versa.Gender Development Index:0.723GDI measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health, education, and command over economic resources.
Population:209,497,025Source of population data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 RevisionMale:19,976,265 (9.5%)Female:189,520,760 (90.5%)
China’s international financing, investments and business engagements, including through connectivity initiatives, programmes and projects, contribute to SDG attainment in partner countries.
There has been some progress in achieving this outcome.
FOCAC Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024)
For the first time, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024) and the Dakar Declaration of the Eight Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation include commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment, with both sides agreeing to “strengthen China-Africa cooperation for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment on the respect of different custom and culture, especially in the areas of employment, leadership, decent work, entrepreneurship, education and life-learning, agriculture, health-care, prevention and response to gender-based violence, and access to finance”. With support from the UN Resident Coordinator, this was achieved through UN Women’s technical guidance, lobbying, and consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), the African Union, selected African Member States (including the Republic of Senegal, FOCAC co-Chair, and the African Union) and sister UN Women offices in Africa. This is a significant normative achievement that will allow targeted initiatives to develop under FOCAC that will address the critical, cross-cutting inequities affecting women and girls on the continent.
Inter-agency partnership to promote UN standards and responsible business conduct (RBC) in China’s overseas engagements.
An inter-agency partnership has been forged by UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, and UN Women, to promote UN standards and business practices that are relevant to responsive business conduct (RBC) and implementing SDGs in Chinese partners’ overseas engagements. As a start, technical solutions and practical experiences were disseminated to around 20 key stakeholders (primarily industry associations and businesses) through a seminar on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): “Social Integration in RCEP Countries: Sustainable Labour Management” organized by UNDP in cooperation with ILO, UNICEF and UN Women in August 2021. As a result of this partnership, in 2022 UN Women will work with sister agencies to produce a guidebook on promoting responsible business conduct of the Chinese private sector for the contributions to the SDGs, mainstreaming Women’s Economic Principles focusing on Chinese companies involved in foreign investment and business operations overseas.
Policy advocacy in the 13 Ministry Policy to “Support Female Technology Talent to play a bigger role in Technology and Innovation”
In June 2021, China launched a 13 Ministry Policy to “Support Female Technology Talent to play a bigger role in Technology and Innovation”. In a December 2021 dialogue jointly organized by UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, ILO, the RCO, and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, Chinese policymakers, representatives of Chinese female scientists, and UAE female scientists shared perspectives on the challenges met by women scientists in China and the UAE, initiatives that were undertaken by UAE to encourage and support more women’s participation in STEM, and the potential opportunities that the newly promulgated Chinese policy could bring to women scientists in China.
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References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).