Peng Liyuan, UNESCO special envoy for girls' and women's education, emphasized the transformative role of technology in advancing gender equality during a Beijing exhibition showcasing China's digital empowerment initiatives. The event, attended by UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, highlighted progress in bridging the gender gap across education, entrepreneurship, and STEM fields.
Trailblazers in Science and Technology
Tsinghua University's Professor Wang Xiaoyun, recently honored with the 2025 L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award, exemplifies China's growing cohort of 40 million female science professionals. Her groundbreaking work in cryptography has inspired a new generation of women to enter cybersecurity – a field critical to national digital infrastructure projects.
Digital Revolution in Rural Economies
China's rural e-commerce training programs have enabled women to lead 50% of internet-based startups nationwide. These initiatives align with national poverty reduction and rural revitalization strategies, creating new economic pathways through digital literacy campaigns and smart agriculture technologies.
Education and Workforce Transformation
With women constituting over half of higher education students and 43% of the workforce, their influence spans emerging sectors from AI development to sports management. Peng noted: 'The digital intelligence era demands we harness technology to unlock women's full potential – this is key to sustainable global development.'
