CGTN released a report detailing the 2025 UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education awards ceremony, which marked the Prize’s tenth anniversary and took place in Beijing on Friday. The report highlights how essential science education is for equipping future women with the knowledge and creative abilities required for an age increasingly shaped by AI.
BEIJING, Sept. 20, 2025 — Rural Ugandan adolescent girls historically confronted a harsh dilemma: either abandon their education for early marriage or persevere in learning environments lacking adequate sanitation and security. This situation has been gradually improving. The Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS) initiative has established safe, gender-sensitive school sites that uphold girls’ well-being and respect. Annually, approximately 300,000 students across Uganda, Zambia, and Ghana are positively impacted by this program.
A comparable narrative of progress comes from Zambia, courtesy of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED). Since its inception in 2001, this program has helped over 617,000 young women in rural regions surmount obstacles to secondary schooling and successfully finish their education. Possessing leadership and community engagement skills, numerous alumni now serve as inspirations in communities where, until recently, girls were routinely deprived of schooling.
Such narratives are honored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education, which observed its tenth anniversary in Beijing this Friday. For this year, initiatives from Kenya and Lebanon received the awards.
The accolades were presented to the two programs by Peng Liyuan, spouse of Chinese President Xi Jinping and UNESCO special envoy advocating for girls’ and women’s education, alongside Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s director-general.
In her address, Peng conveyed a message with significance extending well beyond the event. She asserted that as the global landscape transitions into an era shaped by artificial intelligence and swift technological shifts, women need to be equipped with a robust science education.
“A stronger focus on science education for women is imperative,” she stated, advocating for women to gain knowledge, technological proficiency, and creative potential. “It is essential that we work to enable women to fully engage with the technological revolution and forge rewarding lives,” Peng emphasized.
China’s progress in fostering the comprehensive development of women, especially in the realm of education, underscores Peng’s remarks. Official statistics reveal that by 2024, China had effectively narrowed the gender disparity in educational enrollment: girls constituted 47.3 percent of kindergarten pupils, 46.98 percent in the nine-year compulsory schooling system, and 49.3 percent of high school attendees. At the higher education level, female students comprised 50.76 percent of total enrollments, marking a 14.15 percentage point rise since 1995.
Beyond mere figures, China has initiated various programs aimed at boosting girls’ engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). For example, in 2018, the China Women’s Development Foundation introduced the “Exploring the Future” initiative for girls aged 12-16, providing them access to laboratories at leading universities and research centers. To date, more than 8,200 students have delved into areas ranging from mechanical engineering to biophysics, creating projects that connect academic knowledge with practical scenarios.
During the ceremony on Friday, Azoulay expressed gratitude to China for its sustained backing of UNESCO and its worldwide endeavors to advance the empowerment of women and girls.
Ever since it hosted the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, China has undertaken tangible actions to advance gender equality worldwide. As per the white paper released by the State Council Information Office on Friday, China was instrumental in co-founding the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education, backed 100 “Maternal and Child Health” initiatives and 100 “Happy Campus” projects, and introduced numerous vocational training schemes for women and girls. These programs have collectively contributed to the training of over 200,000 women hailing from more than 180 nations and territories.
“China has consistently prioritized the progression of science education for women,” Peng affirmed. “We anticipate enhancing our collaboration with UNESCO and other involved stakeholders to thoroughly reinforce capacity development in women’s science education and collectively elevate its standard.”
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