On August 20, the “Her Power, Her Future – Thematic Dialogue on Educational Equity and Global Leadership”, co-hosted by the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union and the Sino-North African International Education Innovation Alliance, was convened in Beijing. Diplomatic envoys to China from Ethiopia, Benin, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Namibia, Senegal and Tunisia, alongside representatives of international organizations, gathered for in-depth deliberations on educational equity, women’s leadership and related topics. Ms. Rita Bissoonauth, Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union, Ms. Chen Lu, Secretary-General of the Sino-North African International Education Innovation Alliance, and Mr. Frank Ajaba, Ambassador of the Republic of Benin to the People’s Republic of China, addressed the opening ceremony.
President He Ying was invited to the event and delivered a keynote speech. She pointed out that as the world accelerates toward an era of digital and intelligent transformation, women’s empowerment faces both unprecedented opportunities and new challenges. It is essential to build a gender-inclusive digital ecosystem, enable women to lead the transformation of higher education in the intelligent era, deeply integrate women’s development with scientific and technological innovation, and create broader prospects for women through digital empowerment. She then shared Shanghai Donghai College’s on-the-ground practices with participants. SDC anchors women’s empowerment in professional competitiveness as its core foundation. Through entrepreneurship mentoring, targeted skills training and student association activities, SDC strengthens female students’ employability and builds a full-chain support system for career advancement, guiding young women to grow from campus learners into competent professionals and nurture their own “her power”. As SDC’s practice shows, women’s empowerment does not need to be confined to grand narratives — it can take root in every classroom, every studio and every university-enterprise partnership, allowing every ordinary woman to find her light and become a light on her own suitable path.
Other keynote speakers at the forum included Ms. Lin Mei, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho to China, and Ms. Mame Sira, spouse of the Senegalese Ambassador to China and President of the Humanitarian Action Association. Focusing on educational equity and women’s leadership development, participants explored pathways for advancing women’s education and measures to strengthen women’s leadership from diverse perspectives, drawing on their academic expertise and practical experience. The discussions offered valuable insights for deepening cooperation in relevant fields. The event also witnessed the official launch of the “Her Power, Her Future” Cooperation Initiative. Marking a significant step for all parties to advance women’s education and deepen China-Africa educational exchanges, the initiative will open up new opportunities for China-Africa cooperation in women’s education.
