BEIJING, China, Oct 14 — President Xi Jinping announced on Monday a slew of measures, including China’s donation of an additional $10 million to UN Women over the next five years, to support the global women’s cause, as leaders and representatives from across the world gathered in Beijing to renew their collective pledge to promote women’s development.Addressing the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, Xi said that China will earmark a quota of $100 million in China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund for implementing development cooperation projects for women and girls in collaboration with international organizations.In addition, China will launch 1,000 “small and beautiful” livelihood programs with Chinese assistance that take women and girls as priority beneficiaries, he said.China hosted the two-day meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, which adopted the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a milestone document in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.Over the past three decades, guided by the spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women, the cause of women has been thriving around the world, with equality between men and women now a universal consensus of the international community.President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, pose for a group photo with the heads of foreign delegations and their spouses attending the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing on Monday. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILYComplex challenges However, women’s all-round development still faces complex challenges such as war and conflict and extreme poverty, as well as violence and discrimination.“Looking ahead, we should rededicate ourselves to the purpose of the Beijing World Conference on Women,” Xi said, as he outlined a four-point proposal aimed at building greater consensus, broadening the paths forward, and taking more concrete actions to accelerate women’s all-round development.He called for joint efforts to foster an enabling environment for women’s growth, stressing that such development can only be achieved under the prerequisite of peace and tranquility.Citing statistics, Xi said that more than 600 million women and girls worldwide are still mired in war and conflict, while around 10 percent live in extreme poverty. “We need to enhance the protection of women and girls in regions struck by war, conflict, poverty or natural disaster, and support the vital role of women in preventing conflict and rebuilding their homes,” he said.Xi also called for efforts to address global imbalances in women’s development so that all women can share the benefits of economic globalization.“Modernization of the world should involve and benefit women,” he said, highlighting the importance of promoting high-quality development for women through scientific and technological innovation.President Xi Jinping (center), his wife Peng Liyuan (left), President of Iceland Halla Tomasdottir (right) and others walk into the China National Convention Center in Beijing on Monday for the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women. LIU WEIBING/XINHUAProtecting women rights He further proposed jointly establishing a governance pattern to protect women’s rights and interests and writing a new chapter in promoting global women’s cooperation.China will set up a center dedicated to promoting global women’s capacity-building, through which it will work with relevant countries and international organizations to cultivate more outstanding female professionals, Xi announced.Participants from various countries and international organizations welcomed the measures and proposals put forward by China, saying that the meeting comes at a pivotal moment and is expected to serve as a new turning point for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide.Icelandic President Halla Tomasdottir lauded China’s achievements in lifting millions out of poverty and advancing gender equality and green energy, saying they demonstrate that “change is possible”.In a world marked by uncertainty, conflict and accelerating climate breakdown, Tomasdottir said it is necessary to draw strength from the legacy of the Beijing World Conference on Women. “Gender balance is not a luxury, but the foundation for peace, the driver of innovation and the key to a livable world,” she said.Participants have a chat on Monday before the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILYCommitment to gender equity Monica Mutsvangwa, Zimbabwe’s minister of women affairs, community, small and medium enterprises development, said Xi’s participation in the meeting underscored his firm commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.“I come to China every year. China is not leaving anyone or any place behind in its development, and that is something we all admire,” she said, adding that Zimbabwe hopes to learn from China’s experience in supporting women in small and medium-sized enterprises.Roland Reiland, Luxembourg’s ambassador to China, described the measures announced by Xi as “very important” and expressed hope that other countries would follow suit.“We still have a long way to go in advancing the cause of women and ensuring their fulfillment of rights,” Reiland said, emphasizing the need to step up efforts to achieve one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.For more visit China DailyFor subscriptions on news from China Daily, or inquiries, please contact China Daily Africa Ltd on +254 20 6920900 or write to enquiries@chinadailyafrica.com