Nearly 1,500 Chinese and Beijing-based foreigners gathered in
the Great Hall of the People on Monday, the eve of International
Women's Day, to mark its 95th anniversary.
"Women are a great human resource for social progress and
development," President of the All-China Women's
Federation Gu Xiulian told the reception.
For the past 95 years, Chinese women, together with their
sisters worldwide, have made tremendous contributions to world
peace, national liberation and state development, said Gu, who is
also vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National
People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.
Women have also striven unremittingly for equality and harmony
between the sexes, she said.
Attaching great importance to women's advancement, the
government has made gender equality a basic state policy in
promoting social development, enacted a number of laws and
regulations and established a nationwide mechanism for the
promotion of equality, she said.
Noting that the development of the women's movement requires the
participation of the international community, Gu said China will
hold an event this autumn to commemorate the 10th anniversary of
the Fourth World Conference on Women, which was held in
Beijing.
According to Gu, the event will review progress on equality in
the past decade and the implementation of the Beijing Platform for
Action and the Outcome Documents of the UN General Assembly's
special session on Women.
Through discussion and sharing of experience, participants will
enhance cooperation for the realization of women's advancement,
gender equality and a more harmonious society, she said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2005)
