Empowering Women’s High-Quality Development through Scientific and Technological Innovation

On October 13, President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Global Women’s Summit

10月13日，国家主席习近平在北京国家会议中心出席全球妇女峰会开幕式并发表题为《弘扬北京世妇会精神 加速妇女全面发展新进程》的主旨讲话。习近平主席强调，“共同培育推动妇女事业高质量发展的强劲动能”，“把握新一轮科技革命和产业变革机遇，以科技创新赋能妇女事业高质量发展，支持妇女在绿色发展中发挥更大作用”。这既是站在全球妇女发展高度对中国妇女发展实践的科学总结，又是应对当前世界所面临的复杂挑战与防范全球妇女事业倒退风险的迫切需要，更是把握新一轮科技革命和产业变革机遇、最大可能释放妇女创业就业潜能的时代要求。

Scientific and technological innovation injects strong momentum into the development of Chinese women’s undertakings.

科技创新为中国妇女事业发展注入强劲动能

At present, the new round of technological revolution, represented by digital technology, is profoundly reshaping the landscape of social and economic development, while also injecting new and powerful momentum into gender equality and the development of women’s undertakings on a global scale. China has established a systematic policy support system and achieved substantial progress in promoting women’s participation in scientific and technological innovation and industrial transformation.

当前，以数字技术为代表的新一轮科技革命，正深刻重塑着社会经济发展的格局，也为全球范围内的性别平等与妇女事业发展注入新的强劲动能。我国在推动妇女参与科技创新和产业变革方面已构建起系统化的政策支持体系并取得实质性进展。

Chinese women scale new heights at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. In June 2021, thirteen departments, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, jointly issued the “Several Measures on Supporting Female Scientific and Technological Talents to Play a Greater Role in Scientific and Technological Innovation,” creating a favorable environment for the growth and development of female scientific and technological talents. In 2024, the number of female scientific and technical personnel in China reached 40 million, accounting for over 45% of the total number of scientific and technical workers; the number of women among the national research and experimental development personnel had reached 2.846 million, an increase of 1.692 million compared to 2012, with the gender structure in the field of science and technology continuously optimizing; the age limit for female researchers applying for the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars project was relaxed from 45 to 48 years old. High-level forums such as the Zhongguancun Forum, the Pujiang Innovation Forum, and the World Artificial Intelligence Conference have established special activities for women in science and technology. Public welfare projects and various exchange platforms, such as “Science Has Her – Girls Love Science,” “Spring Bud Science and Technology Girls,” “Exploring the Future Science and Technology Female Talent Cultivation Plan,” and “Female Scientist Growth Plan,” are continuously being established. Female scientific and technological workers in China are constantly injecting “her power” into accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening. Tu Youyou, China’s first female Nobel laureate in science; Fu Qiaomei, a post-80s scientist [1]1 “Post-80s” refers to the generation born in the 1980s. long engaged in paleogenetic research; Jiang Jie, former chief designer of the Long March 3A series carrier rockets; and Huang Hui, Dean of the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Shenzhen University—these outstanding representatives of Chinese women in the field of science and technology exemplify a pioneering and striving image of women.

中国女性在科技创新前沿勇攀高峰。2021年6月，科技部等十三部门联合印发《关于支持女性科技人才在科技创新中发挥更大作用的若干措施》，为女性科技人才成长与发展创造良好环境。2024年，我国女性科技人员已达4000万，占科技工作者总人数比例超过45%；全国研究与试验发展人员中女性已达284.6万人，较2012年增长169.2万人，科技领域性别结构持续优化；女性科研人员申请国家杰出青年科学基金项目的年龄限制由45周岁放宽到48周岁。中关村论坛、浦江创新论坛、世界人工智能大会等高级别论坛设立科技女性专题活动，“科学有她——女生爱科学”“春蕾科技女孩”“探知未来科技女性培养计划”“女性科学家成长计划”等公益项目及各类交流平台不断搭建。我国女性科技工作者不断为加快实现高水平科技自立自强注入“她力量”。中国首位获得诺贝尔奖的女科学家屠呦呦、长期从事古遗传学研究的“80后”科学家付巧妹、长征三号甲系列运载火箭原总设计师姜杰、深圳大学计算机与软件学院院长黄惠等，以她们为优秀代表的中国女性在科技领域展现出奋勇争先的巾帼形象。

Artificial intelligence has become an “accelerator” for promoting women’s development, and digital technology is systematically broadening the pathways for women’s participation in economic construction. The “Action Outline for Improving the Digital Literacy and Skills of the Whole Population” and the “Digital Rural Development Action Plan (2022–2025)” explicitly propose measures such as conducting digital skills training for women and cultivating e-commerce brands for women. The digital economy has spawned numerous emerging industries, such as big data analysis, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, e-sports, data annotation, and digital marketing. By providing various flexible skills training and leveraging data analysis tools, it helps women seize the opportunities of the times and enter emerging industries. Currently, female entrepreneurs account for more than half of internet entrepreneurs, and women account for about one-third of the digital trade and live-streaming industries. In 2024, over 14,000 women obtained vocational skill level certificates as AI trainers. Special projects such as data annotation positions, “Beautiful Workshop” live-streaming training, and the “Mother’s Flavor” Women’s Common Prosperity Market [2]2 “Common Prosperity Market” (共富市集) is a term used in official discourse for local markets or fairs organized with the aim of promoting shared prosperity, often featuring products from women, rural areas, or small businesses. create broad space for women’s participation in economic activities, promoting women’s active integration into the wave of the digital economy and continuously unleashing the “gender dividend” of the digital economy.

人工智能成为推动妇女发展的“加速器”，数字技术正在系统性地拓宽妇女参与经济建设的路径。《提升全民数字素养与技能行动纲要》和《数字乡村发展行动计划（2022—2025年）》明确提出开展妇女数字技能培训、培育巾帼电商品牌等措施。数字经济催生了众多新兴行业，如大数据分析、云计算、物联网、电子竞技、数据标注、数字营销等，通过提供各类灵活的技能培训、借助数据分析工具，助力女性把握时代机遇、进入新兴行业。目前互联网女性创业者占一半以上，在数字贸易、直播行业的女性约占1/3，2024年超1.4万名女性获得人工智能训练师职业技能等级证书。数据标注岗位、“美丽工坊”直播培训、“妈妈的味道”巾帼共富市集等特色项目为妇女参与经济活动创造广阔空间，推动妇女主动融入数字经济浪潮，持续释放数字经济的“性别红利”。

Seize the opportunities of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, and give play to the main role of women.

把握新一轮科技革命和产业变革机遇，发挥妇女主体作用

At present, new-generation information technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and quantum information are advancing by leaps and bounds. “Women and technology” has become an important concern for global women’s undertakings. China actively uses its own development to provide opportunities and guarantees for the development of global women’s undertakings. At the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, China proposed the “Global AI Governance Initiative,” emphasizing the avoidance of gender discrimination in the development of AI. At the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, China proposed and promoted the adoption of a resolution on “Strengthening International Cooperation on AI Capacity Building,” emphasizing ensuring that all people fully enjoy the benefits of AI, improving digital inclusion, achieving gender equality, and empowering women and girls. In July 2025, China announced the establishment of the Global Digital Empowerment for Women’s Development Exchange and Cooperation Center, committed to bridging the gender digital divide, promoting innovative practices in international co-governance of digital technology, and assisting in the training and cooperation of global female digital talents. In terms of international cooperation, China actively promotes the joint organization of training courses with international organizations and institutions such as the United Nations, such as the “Training Course on E-commerce and Digital Economy Capacity Building for Female Entrepreneurs from Developing Countries,” the “Training Course on Women’s Capacity Building for Asian Countries,” and the “Training Course on Women’s Capacity Building for Francophone African Countries,” and provides opportunities for trainees to visit digital technology application scenarios in China, such as smart city platforms, converged media centers, and live-streaming bases.

当前，人工智能、大数据、云计算、量子信息等新一代信息技术突飞猛进，“妇女与科技”已经成为全球妇女事业的重要关切。中国积极以自身发展为全球妇女事业发展提供机遇和保障。中国在第三届“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛上提出《全球人工智能治理倡议》，强调避免人工智能发展中的性别歧视。在第78届联合国大会上提出并推动通过“加强人工智能能力建设国际合作”决议，强调确保所有人充分享受人工智能的惠益，提高数字包容性，实现性别平等并增强妇女和女童的权能。2025年7月，中国宣布成立全球数字赋能妇女发展交流合作中心，致力于消弭性别数字鸿沟、推动数字技术国际共治的创新实践，助力全球女性数字人才培养与合作。国际合作方面，中国积极推动与联合国等国际组织和国际机构共同举办研修班，如“发展中国家女性企业家电子商务和数字经济能力提升研修班”“亚洲国家妇女能力建设研修班”“非洲法语国家妇女能力建设研修班”等，并为学员提供机会，走访中国的智慧城市平台、融媒体中心和直播基地等数字技术应用场景。

In areas such as education and training, entrepreneurship support, agricultural production, and medical health, the international community is also actively promoting women’s participation through technological applications, especially digital technology. For example, the African Union, UN Women, and the International Telecommunication Union jointly launched the “African Girls Can Code” initiative to help them enter the field of AI careers and integrate gender equality and coding education into national education systems. In the future, it is necessary to further consolidate digital infrastructure, bridge the gender gap, incorporate women’s digital literacy and skills into the national education system, achieve institutionalized and systematic education and training, and provide specialized digital skills training for women with special needs. Build a gender-inclusive science and technology industry ecosystem, especially a digital industry ecosystem, such as developing more digital occupations and positions suitable for women, promoting the digital empowerment of service industries such as housekeeping, elderly care, childcare, and psychological counseling, and tapping into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities “at the doorstep.” Strengthen the protection of women’s labor rights and interests and family support policies in the digital economy field, and improve the policy guarantee system and social support network.

在教育培训、创业支持、农业生产、医疗健康等领域，国际社会也正在通过科技应用尤其是数字技术积极推动女性参与。例如，非盟、联合国妇女署与国际电信联盟联合发起“非洲女孩能编程”倡议，帮助她们进入人工智能职业领域，并将性别平等和编程教育纳入国家教育体系。未来应进一步夯实数字基础设施，消弭性别鸿沟，将妇女数字素养和技能纳入国民教育体系，实现教育培训制度化、体系化，为特殊需求的妇女提供专门化数字技能培训。构建性别包容的科技产业生态，尤其是数字产业生态，例如开发更多适合女性的数字化职业和岗位，推动家政、养老、托幼、心理疏导等服务业的数字化赋能，挖掘“家门口”的就业创业岗位。强化数字经济领域妇女劳动权益保障和家庭支持政策，完善政策保障体系与社会支持网络。

Facing the opportunities of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, such as digital technology and artificial intelligence, China is committed to creating an open, fair, and just environment for scientific and technological development, promoting women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in and leadership of digital change, promoting the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against women from the source of digital and intelligent technology, contributing Chinese strength and Chinese wisdom to the development of global women’s undertakings, and making scientific and technological innovation a powerful driving force for the high-quality development of women’s undertakings.

面对数字技术和人工智能等新一轮科技革命和产业变革机遇，中国致力于打造开放、公平、公正的科技发展环境，促进妇女充分、平等、有意义地参与和领导数字变革，从数智技术源头上推动消除对妇女的偏见、歧视，为全球妇女事业发展贡献中国力量和中国智慧，使科技创新进一步成为推动妇女事业高质量发展的强劲动能。

(Author: Wang Xiaoli, Researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance], and Professor of the Teaching and Research Department of Society and Ecology.)

（作者：王晓莉，系中央党校〔国家行政学院〕习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员、社会和生态文明教研部教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧