Global Gender Equality Campaign launched at Tsinghua University in China

Date: Sunday, 12 April 2015

Beijing, China – UN Women China launched HeForShe campaign at Tsinghua University today with Chinese celebrities declaring their commitment to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.

HeForShe in Chinese

HeForShe is a solidarity movement designed to engage men and boys around the world to join the gender equality conversation. It calls on men to support women’s rights, and the need to give girls and women more opportunities to develop their potential, empowering them to participate more fully in economic and social development and thereby raising their quality of life. Several Chinese male celebrities and notable figures attended the event to show their support for women’s rights, including Chinese popular TV star and Associate Professor at Central Drama Academy Zhang Xiaolong, National first-level drama actor, well-known film and TV star Wei Zi, China's youngest Olympic champion for shooting Yang Ling, National first-level drama actor and well-known TV star Li Guangfu, and Proya Chief Executive Officer Fang Yuyou.

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

In addition, many honored guests attended the event, including Vice Provost Professor Dr. Zhang Yi of Tsinghua University; Mme. Mu Hong, Director-General, International Liaison Department of the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF); Roberta Clarke, Regional Director of UN Women Asia-Pacific; and Julie Broussard, UN Women China Programme Manager. James Chau, distinguished CCTV journalist, famous broadcaster and writer, moderated the event.

The event began with speeches from representatives of UN Women, Tsinghua University, and the All-China Women’s Federation.

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who was not able to attend the event in person, commended Tsinghua University for supporting gender equality and congratulated it on its 104th anniversary. She further elaborated in her statement, “We are working towards a world in which men and women are truly equals – and we will work on that goal side by side. To achieve that, we to have to do things differently. This has to be a partnership in which men also shoulder responsibility for change. Right now, our research tells us that unless things change, it will take another 81 years for women to have the same economic opportunities as men, and another 50 years to have the same political opportunities.”

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

Professor Zhang Yi of Tsinghua University, stated: “Tsinghua supports the HeForShe campaign because one of the founding principles of the People’s Republic of China is the equality of women and men. Gender equality is a prerequisite for a harmonious society, which educational institutions should have responsibility to promote.”

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

In her speech, Mme. Mu Hong of ACWF noted: “Gender equality is our common goal. It needs everyone’s efforts to participate in and contribute to - men, women, boys and girls. This is particularly critical important to have understanding and support by men and boys.”

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

UN Women Regional Director Roberta Clarke delivered a speech at the event, in which she noted that there are many ways in which men can decide to make a difference. Men can stand up against sexual harassment of women – on campus, in the workplace, on public transportation, and online. Men can stand up against videogames and entertainment that provide men and boys with opportunities for virtual violence against women. Increasingly, internet forums and social media sites are hosts to aggressive comments directed at women. Men can take responsibility for calling out such abuses to stop violence against women, refuse to be a by-stander, to denounce violence and reject impunity.

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

At the end of the event, the male celebrities all stood on stage and made pledges to support women’s rights. Popular TV star Zhang Xiaolong stated: “Gender equality is not only a women’s issue, it is a human rights issue that requires my participation.

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

Famous and well-known film and TV star Wei Zi stressed: “Care for women starts from daily life. Care for women’s right is care for the human race. There can be no human race without women.”

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

Yang Ling, an Olympic champion for shooting, pledged: “I commit to take action against all forms of violence and discrimination faced by women and girls.”

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

Famous a well-known TV star, Li Guangfu made this suggestion to all men: “Speak up and stop it when you see sexual harassment.”

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

Proya CEO Fang Yuyou emphasized: “Businesses win when they give women equal opportunities for employment. Society wins when it gives women equal opportunities for everything.”

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

Moderator James Chau wrapped it all up at the end when he observed: “The message from today is clear. Men are part of the problem, so they have to be part of the solution. Without gender equality, there will be no solution to the world’s problems.”

To see latest number of HeForShe supporters in China visit: https://www.heforshe.org/zh

Photo: UN Women China/Yan Haoran, Li Yang. More photos from the launch event visit UN Women Flickr

To join this worldwide movement and make a commitment to make a change, pledge support to www.heforshe.org/zh and click “I Agree” to show your solidarity. To learn more about the program and track its progress, visit www.heforshe.org/zh or http://asiapacific.unwomen.org

CLICK HERE FOR EVENT INFORMATION | China Sina weibo

For media inquiries, please contact:

Montira Narkvichien,
UN Women Regional Communications Specialist,
Tel: +66 81 668 8900
E-mail: [ Click to reveal ]

Jing Xu,
UN Women China,
Tel: +86 18911552608
Email: [ Click to reveal ]

About UN Women

UN Women is the United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, the organization was established in 2010 to accelerate progress on women’s rights worldwide. UN Women’s efforts are based on the fundamental belief that every woman has the right to live a life free from violence, poverty, and discrimination, and that gender equality is a prerequisite to achieving global development.

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新闻通稿

2015年4月12日，

中国北京 – “他为她”中国项目启动仪式在清华大学举行。联合国妇女署和中国知名人士一起，承诺推动性别平等。

“他为她” 是一项邀请全球男性加入到性别平等对话中的团结运动。它呼吁男性支持女性权利，给予妇女和女童更多的机会来发展她们的潜能，使她们投入到更多的经济与社会发展活动中，从而提高她们的生活质量。众多中国知名男士参加了本次活动，表明他们对女性权利的支持，其中包括中央戏剧学院副教授、中国知名影星张晓龙，国家一级演员、知名影星巍子，中国最年轻的奥运射击冠军杨凌，国家一级演员、知名影星李光复，和珀莱雅化妆品有限公司执行总经理方玉友。

HeForShe in Chinese

“他为她” 是一项邀请全球男性加入到性别平等对话中的团结运动。它呼吁男性支持女性权利，给予妇女和女童更多的机会来发展她们的潜能，使她们投入到更多的经济与社会发展活动中，从而提高她们的生活质量。众多中国知名男士参加了本次活动，表明他们对女性权利的支持，其中包括中央戏剧学院副教授、中国知名影星张晓龙，国家一级演员、知名影星巍子，中国最年轻的奥运射击冠军杨凌，国家一级演员、知名影星李光复，和珀莱雅化妆品有限公司执行总经理方玉友。