Aiming to advance gender equality in China, the United Nations' Theme Group on Gender (UNTGG) launched the China Gender Facility for Research and Advocacy on Thursday.

Nine project proposals, covering a wide geographical area from Beijing, Yunnan and Jiangxi to the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, were granted sponsorship, according to the UNTGG.

Among the issues addressed by the proposals are domestic violence, employment, gender mainstreaming, policy-maker knowledge about gender equality, and aging and disabled women.

According to Christian Voumard, Chairman of UNTGG and UNICEF Representative in China, the China Gender Facility provides funding for innovative and catalytic proposals that seek to promote advocacy and social dialogue on gender equality within the framework provided by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

As the major contributor, the UK's Department of International Development (DFID) will provide a maximum of 50,000 US dollars for each proposal.

"The Facility is an outstanding example of how donor harmonization can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of development assistance," said Adrian Davis, head of DFID China. He highlighted the collective commitment to assist the Government of China in tackling gender based discrimination and promoting women's empowerment.

The Facility aims to promote applied research, the development of advocacy strategies and advocacy interventions on key gender- related themes. Twelve specific areas have been identified as priorities for research and advocacy, including strategic research linked to the revision of Women's law, the collection and use of gender disaggregated data, and sex ratios and girl children.

Source: Xinhua