Internal working platform of Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

In recent years, Yunnan Women's Federation has actively served and integrated into the national development strategy, Comply with the country's overall diplomatic strategic deployment and the requirements of Yunnan's economic and social development, closely focus on the new positioning of building a radiation center in South Asia and Southeast Asia, highlight the peripheral diplomatic concept of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness", and grasp the national initiative of the "Belt and Road" construction Taking advantage of Yunnan's location advantages and combining with the reality of the Women's Federation, it has given full play to the positive role of women's non-governmental exchanges in the new era.

Recently, the chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Women's Federation and Hongmei talked about women's non-governmental diplomacy in Yunnan Work was interviewed by reporters from China Women's Daily and China Women's Network, and answered relevant questions.

Reporter: When did Yunnan Women's Federation start its non-governmental diplomatic activities for women? year? In what context was it carried out?

He Hongmei: In the 1990s, the Women's Federation of Yunnan Province began to People-to-people exchange activities were carried out, and at that time it was mainly to implement projects of UN Women and UNICEF, and women and children projects assisted by foreign governments and non-governmental organizations.

The true sense of women's diplomacy began in 2013. At that time, with the approval of the relevant departments of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government, the Organization and Liaison Department of the Women's Federation of Yunnan Province added the brand of the External Liaison Department, increased the staffing, and clarified the functions and responsibilities, namely:

Responsible for guiding the foreign affairs work of the women's federation system in the province, and carrying out friendly exchanges and cooperation with foreign women and children organizations; responsible for cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao Friendship work between women's organizations, women figures and overseas Chinese women in the Special Administrative Region and Taiwan; undertake the organization and reception of the women's federation's visiting delegation; strive for and implement international cooperation projects, and serve the women and children in Yunnan.

Reporter: In the past 30 years, which countries and regions has Yunnan Women's Federation mainly cooperated with? , What forms have been adopted to carry out women's non-governmental diplomatic activities?

He Hongmei: Yunnan is surrounded by South Asian and Southeast Asian countries, our women People-to-people diplomacy activities are mainly carried out in these countries. In addition, we also actively communicate and cooperate with women's organizations in various countries and regions around the world, learning from and learning from other countries' good practices and practices in promoting women's participation in politics, social gender equality, protection of women's rights and interests, women's entrepreneurship and employment, and small guaranteed loans. experience.

Since 2000, the Women's Federation of Yunnan Province has 12 counties (cities, districts) implemented the International Labor Organization's "Mekong Subregion Prevention of Trafficking in Women and Children Project", benefiting a total of 393,000 people. The 10 good methods such as the establishment of the "Women's Home" were explored and summarized by the project, which not only provided experience in preventing trafficking in women and children, but also provided a decision-making basis for Yunnan Province to formulate work opinions on preventing trafficking in women and children.

Subsequently, we implemented the United Nations Development Program's "Promoting Women's Participation Cultural Industry" Mary Kay Project, UNESCAP "Enhancing Gender Issues Ability to Achieve Millennium Development Goals" project, Goldman Sachs' "Women's Dream" training project, foreign aid training project, undertook the All-China Women's Federation's "Elimination of Poverty and Women's Economic Empowerment" "Right" Lancang-Mekong Countries Women Cadres Seminar Project. The implementation of these projects has not only promoted the development of women and children in Yunnan, enhanced the ability of women in Yunnan to start a business and employed them, but also promoted the development of women and children in neighboring countries.

Implementing international projects is only a small Part of it is that we go out and make friends with women in neighboring countries to expand our influence.

On September 17, 2014, approved by the Shan State Provincial Government of Myanmar, We established the "Ruili Women's Development Center Myanmar Muse Project Office" in Muse, Myanmar, which is the first Chinese NGO organization registered in Myanmar. After the establishment of the Myanmar Muse Office, we carried out a series of activities such as rural hygiene and health and medical skills training with project assistance as the starting point, strengthened contact, communication, and mutual assistance with Myanmar folks, and actively promoted the development of border areas between China and Myanmar. Women and children enjoy a healthy standard of living and equal opportunities for development.

In November 2015, the Women’s Delegation of Yunnan Province and Lao Cai Province of Vietnam The Women's Federation signed the "Minutes of the Women's Federation of Yunnan Province of China - Women's Federation of Lao Cai Province of Vietnam Bilateral Women's Work Exchange and Cooperation Meeting Minutes" to establish a cooperation mechanism for women's mutual visits. In 2018, the "Kunming Women's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Demonstration Center", a social organization incubated by the Yunnan Women's Federation, established a sub-center in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to strengthen ties with Thai women's organizations and promote women's entrepreneurship and employment in the two places.

While going out to expand our influence, we also take the approach of inviting in Improve mutual cooperation. Invited representatives of the Women's Federation of Lao Cai Province, Vietnam to participate in the "Exhibition of Chinese and Vietnamese Women's Excellent Talents", representatives of the Women's Federation of Phongsaly Province in Laos and women entrepreneurs participated in the "Friendly Exchange Activities between Women's Organizations on the China-Laos Border", and jointly hosted the Sino-Vietnamese Women's Culture with the Women's Federation of Lao Cai Province Exchange activities; Women's Federation of Luang Prabang Province of Laos and Xishuangbanna Women's Federation have conducted in-depth exchanges on issues such as the protection of women's rights and development, and how women can play a role in natural resource protection. Our exchange activities with women's organizations in the Muse area of Myanmar have long been normalized, and we carry out multiple training sessions, exchange visits, and social gatherings every year.

We have also held the 8th China-South Asia Business Forum for Women Enterprises Business Cooperation Conference and the 10th China-South Asia Business Forum Women Entrepreneurs Roundtable Meeting, etc.

Reporter: What is the significance of Yunnan Women's Federation's non-governmental diplomatic activities for women? What are the promotion effects on Yunnan's politics, economy, culture and diplomacy?

He Hongmei: In accordance with the requirements of the "All-China Women's Federation Charter" and The spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech at the UN Women's Summit, the Women's Federation of Yunnan Province conscientiously fulfills the responsibility of women's foreign affairs work, takes the initiative to actively develop friendly exchanges with women and women's organizations around the world, especially exchanges with women's organizations in neighboring countries of Yunnan , deepen understanding, enhance friendship, promote cooperation, strengthen the public opinion foundation of women in countries along the “Belt and Road”, form a consensus to actively participate in the construction of the “Belt and Road”, and contribute to promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, maintaining world peace, and promoting common development. due efforts and contributions.

The effect on Yunnan is mainly reflected in the following four aspects: Women and women's organizations communicate, expand coverage, convey the voices of Yunnan women, and tell the stories of Yunnan women. Through friendly exchanges and cooperation with women's organizations in neighboring countries, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, the influence of women in Yunnan has been enhanced, and women's organizations and associations in various countries have been promoted to form a consensus on the construction of the "Belt and Road" and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The construction of the radiation center in South Asia and Southeast Asia has contributed to the strength of "her". Through exchanges and cooperation with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan women's organizations, Yuntai women's organizations have been promoted to learn, exchange and pragmatic cooperation, and have promoted "Hong Kong, Macao sisters share the same fate with the motherland" and "1992 Consensus" deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Through the implementation of international projects, the comprehensive capabilities of grass-roots women's federation organizations in Yunnan have been improved, a group of women's federation cadres who are familiar with international project operations have been trained, and the ability and quality of women's federation cadres have been improved.