As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary in 2025, a new documentary series sheds light on China's contributions to global development goals through grassroots initiatives. The latest installment of CGTN's The UN at 80: China's Perspective focuses on educational empowerment in mountainous regions, featuring Huaping High School for Girls in Yunnan province.
The special report spotlights educator Zhang Guimei's three-decade mission that enabled over 1,000 underprivileged girls to access higher education. Through archival footage and interviews with Fourth World Conference on Women Secretary-General Gertrude Mongella, the documentary connects local efforts to broader UN sustainability objectives.
This year's anniversary programming comes as China reports a 98% female literacy rate among young adults – a 40% increase since the 1995 Beijing Declaration. Analysts note the timing aligns with renewed global focus on SDG4 (Quality Education) ahead of the 2030 Agenda midpoint review.
For investors and policymakers, the series underscores rural education's role in workforce development. Over 75% of Huaping graduates now work in technology and healthcare sectors critical to Yunnan's economic transformation.
