International Dialogue: Tech Innovation Brings Women New Opportunities and Boosts Their Economic Independence

BEIJING, May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news from China.org.cn on Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation: 2025 HER Power, HER Stories Dialogue events held in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, China.

On May 22, the main Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation: 2025 HER Power, HER Stories Dialogue events began in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province.

Featuring the theme "Technological Progress Bringing New Opportunities for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment," ways that digital transformation and technological innovation can boost women's economic independence, reduce their labor burdens, and elevate their decision-making power in their families and communities were explored at the dialogue. Chinese experience was also contributed to global efforts to promote gender-sensitive rural transformation in the digital era, in addition to strategies China has used in poverty reduction and balanced regional development being showcased.

The fourth iteration of the annual Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation event series, this year's held special significance – it coincided with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women – the most important of the four conferences on women held between 1975 and 1995 – and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a visionary agenda for the empowerment of women.

Drawing on insights contained in the 2024 Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation: HER Power, HER Stories report – a collaborative effort that delineates various challenges encountered in empowering rural women through science and technology and indicates that China has created an effective institutional environment that facilitates women's active participation in agricultural development and that this is a primary factor that enables technology to empower Chinese women – the event featured a rich mix of dialogue sessions, case study exhibitions, visual storytelling, field visits, and thematic panels designed to highlight the latest trends and practices with regard to how women, both in China and globally, are using technology to drive development and also fostered knowledge exchange and cooperation pertaining to gender-equitable rural innovation among developing countries.

Co-hosted by a coalition of Chinese and international organizations, including the China Internet Information Center (CIIC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representation in China, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) China Office, the World Food Programme (WFP) China Office, the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP-CSAM), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China, and the People's Government of Fenghuang County, the event was also supported by the Ant Foundation and the China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD).

Around 100 participants – including rural women, scholars, government officials, representatives of international organizations, NGOs, and businesses, and members of the media – engaged either in person or online.

"When we invest in women's access to science and technology in rural communities, the benefits ripple across entire societies," Siddharth Chatterjee, UN resident coordinator in China, stated in a pre-recorded video message that was played during the event's opening ceremony. "China's rural e-commerce villages, women-led agritech cooperatives, and digital literacy campaigns offer models the world can follow."

Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of the China International Communications Group (CICG) and director general of the CIIC, echoed the sentiment, remarking: "When digital technology meets women's creativity, it transcends geographical and gender boundaries. China's experiences in driving equity through innovation offer valuable lessons for the world."

"As a documenter and communicator of global development, the CICG tells the world how China is turning 'her power' into a core engine of rural vitalization through digital infrastructure, tech training, and policy innovation using over 30 languages and various AI technologies as part of its efforts to power international communications," he noted.

"We look forward to sharing ways the dividends of technology can assist with the overcoming of gender barriers and help transform rural women from 'subjects of development' into 'agents of development' with all nations," Gao added.

"Fenghuang places great importance on advancing women's development," stated Ou Wanhai, deputy mayor of the People's Government of Fenghuang County, in his welcome speech. "As a county with a population predominantly belonging to the Miao ethnic group, we have supported rural women in achieving entrepreneurship and employment in key sectors such as agriculture and cultural tourism through policy support, capacity building, and guidance pertaining to the development of various industries. This has led to the emergence of numerous women-led enterprises that reflect the unique characteristics of Miao culture. We see this dialogue as an opportunity to join hands with all of you here and contribute Fenghuang's strength toward driving meaningful progress in gender equality and women's development."

The main Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation events ran from May 22 to 23. On the afternoon of May 23, two thematic panels were held – "Case Studies and Best Practices" and "From Practice to Policy: The Way Forward for GEWE of Rural Women."

Following the dialogue session, representatives from the co-hosting organizations provided in-depth summaries and professional insights on the outcomes of the event and reached important consensus on ways to empower rural women through technology and promote gender equality.

"The women we've met here in Fenghuang are not just beneficiaries; they are agents of change," Carlos Aldeco, FAO representative in China and DPRK, commented. "These stories are not just local successes; they are blueprints for how technology can dismantle gender barriers in agriculture worldwide. As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration in 2025 and are embracing the International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026 (a designation designed to highlight the crucial role of women in agriculture and address the challenges they face, promoting their empowerment and full participation in food security and sustainable agriculture), let us reaffirm our commitment to putting gender equality and women's empowerment at the heart of agricultural transformation towards better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life."

"Providing rural women with the resources they need is pivotal in driving their transformational growth, leading to inclusive rural revitalization," said Nii Quaye-Kumah, IFAD representative in China and head of the Asia and the Pacific Regional Centre for South-South and Triangular Cooperation. "The IFAD-supported rural cooperatives in Fenghuang County that we visited these past few days empower both female entrepreneurs and women farmers. They are a powerful testament to the IFAD's commitment to investing in enhancing rural women's capacity for entrepreneurship and technological innovation. Our two new projects, the Hunan Specialized Forestry Industry Development Project (HuSFID) and the Gansu Rural Revitalization Development Project (G2RDP), will continue to ensure that women are actively included in the green agricultural development process."

"The cases discussed during the dialogue on rural vitalization – HER Power, HER Stories – are indeed inspiring and as investment in connectivity infrastructure, affordable technologies, and digital literacy skills are needed to reduce gendered barriers in the adoption of new agricultural technologies and practices," commented Marco Silvestri, deputy head and programme officer of ESCAP-CSAM. "ESCAP, through CSAM, is committed to supporting its member States in the empowerment of women and promotion of new technologies and skills for the development of sustainable agriculture systems, sharing knowledge, best practices, and policies. By embracing digital innovations, we can build a future where women are leaders in shaping the modern agricultural landscape of the region."

"The China Internet Information Center will, as always, continue to work hand in hand with United Nations agencies to spread the stories of women's progress and development in China and around the world even further through knowledge-sharing partnerships," stated Zheng Wenhua, deputy head of the CIIC.

Participants also conducted field visits to a site associated with the Digital Mulan Homestay Manager Digital Literacy Training Project and some of the locations involved with the IFAD Hunan Rural Revitalization Demonstration Project.

Jointly launched by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Department of Market Management, the Ant Foundation, and the CFRD, the Digital Mulan Homestay Manager Digital Literacy Training Project was created in order to provide vocational skill instruction and digital literacy training to rural women. As of the end of 2024, more than 6,600 women living in 16 of China's provincial-level administrative areas have received guesthouse management training through the program, and many of them have gradually become industry experts.

The IFAD Hunan Rural Revitalization Demonstration Project is a US$173 million initiative directly benefiting 328,000 people across 10 counties, 50% of whom are women, 30% of whom are youth, and 30% of whom are part of ethnic minority groups. The project is designed to promote inclusive rural development, climate-resilient infrastructure construction, the development of rural business service systems, and vocational training for people who live in rural areas. The IFAD has invested more than US$510 million in four projects in Hunan province alone since 1999.

International Dialogue: Tech Innovation Brings Women New Opportunities and Boosts Their Economic Independence

http://p.china.org.cn/2025-05/25/content_117893644.htm

SOURCE China.org.cn