United Nations Photo: VCG

A side meeting of the fourth round of United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group, was held on Monday in Geneva, which was on the theme of placing development at the agenda center - safeguarding economic, social and cultural rights.

The meeting was jointly organized by China's permanent mission to the UN office at Geneva, YouChange China Social Entrepreneur Foundation, and the China Association for NGO Cooperation. 

Gongqiuzeren from China Ethnic Minorities' Association for External Exchanges shared the achievements of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region in recent years, in safeguarding the right to education, as well as the experience of inheriting the excellent traditional Tibetan culture in modern education, during the meeting.

Currently, there are over 3,000 schools of various levels and types in the region. The policy of free preschool education has been implemented since 2012, making the region the first place in the country to achieve 15 years of free basic education, according to Gongqiuzeren.

Liang Xiaohui, chief researcher of the social responsibility office of China National Textile and Apparel Council analysed the recent progress made by the Chinese government in implementing its human rights obligations in policy legislation and international economic and trade cooperation.

Zhao Weili from the Chinese Medical Association, shared the expert group's research in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in August 2023. Zhao said that there was no evidence found or heard during the investigation regarding the alleged "forced medical treatment" and forced sterilization of Uygur and other ethnic minority groups.

Xinjiang's healthcare industry has made significant progress, thanks to the efforts of the local authorities, medical institutions, and healthcare professionals in implementing policies that benefit the public and achieve the goals of a healthy China and universal health coverage promoted by the World Health Organization.

Wang Feifei, project director of the international cooperation department of the China Family Planning Association, said that the Chinese government has set long-term goals, such as the "Healthy China 2030" plan and the "Medium- and Long-term Youth Development Plan," to guide social organizations in promoting the health and development of young people. 

These efforts have yielded positive results and demonstrate China's ongoing commitment to advancing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people as part of its national population development strategy. 

Global Times