CGTN: PENG LIYUAN CALLS FOR WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SCIENCE EDUCATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- The 2025 UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education was awarded recently in Beijing, marking the 10th anniversary of the global prize and underscored the vital role of science and technology education in equipping young women for leadership in an artificial intelligence-driven future.

Projects from Kenya and Lebanon have been honoured with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Prize for Girls' and Women's Education for their contributions to advancing access to quality education for girls and young women.

They join a growing list of impactful initiatives celebrated by UNESCO, including the Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS) programme and the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) in Zambia. These initiatives have improved conditions for hundreds of thousands of girls in rural communities, offering safer, more inclusive schools and equipping graduates with skills in leadership and community service.

The event, attended by wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping and UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, Peng Liyuan, and UNESCO director-general, Audrey Azoulay, presented the awards to the two programmes.

“We must place greater emphasis on women's science education. We must strive to ensure that women can embrace the technological revolution and create fulfilled lives," said Peng, who also called for women to be equipped with knowledge, technological skills and innovative capacity.

Meanwhile, Azoulay thanked China for its long-standing support for UNESCO and its global efforts to empower women and girls.

A white paper released by China’s State Council Information Office stated that over 200,000 women from more than 180 countries and regions have benefited from China-supported training and development initiatives.

According to China Global Television Network (CGTN) in a statement, China's achievements in promoting women's all-round development, particularly in education, reinforce Peng's message.

China’s progress in narrowing gender gaps in education was also highlighted. By 2024, women accounted 50.76 per cent of higher education enrolment in China, up 14.15 percentage points from 1995, according to official data. Girls now make up nearly half of all students from kindergarten to high school.

Beyond statistics, the country has also launched a series of programmes to encourage girls' participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including the “Exploring the Future” programme, which has introduced over 8,000 girls to university laboratories and real-world scientific research.

-- BERNAMA