EQUAL rights for women are key to economic success in both China and Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday in a keynote speech in Beijing.
The First Minister is in China attempting to secure better economic relations with the country. On her first day of the visit, Sturgeon also announced plans to create an additional 21 classrooms across Scotland which will be specifically designed to teach Mandarin to children at primary school age.
The plan is part of the 1+2 languages initiative which aims to give all children the chance to learn two languages in addition to their mother tongue by the year 2020.
During her first visit as First Minister, Sturgeon will meet business leaders in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, with the aim of promoting Scottish produce and economic ties.
Speaking in Beijing before the 20-year anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in the city, Sturgeon highlighted the importance and impact of the historic talks.
She said: “For virtually every nation, fully empowering women is probably the single simplest way in which they can sustainably increase their productive potential. Gender equality can help to transform the global economy.
“Because just as women’s rights are human rights – the great message sent out from Beijing 20 years ago – so women’s innovations are human innovations; women’s wealth creation is human wealth creation; women’s prosperity is human prosperity.”
While praising the talks which took place, Sturgeon said more still needs to be done in China, as well as in Scotland, to pave the way for true equality. However, she added: “There are currently well over two billion working-age women across the world. But there is virtually no country, on any continent, where women have equal economic opportunities to men. Like all societies – certainly including Scotland – there is also more that China can do. To give just one example, women are still significantly under-represented among key decision-makers in business and in government.
“The truth is that virtually all countries are on a journey towards true gender equality, but none have completely achieved it. We all need to learn from each other how best to make progress.”
Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty International’s programme director in Scotland, said she hopes the First Minister will continue to press the issue of equal rights, saying: “The First Minister has made a significant statement of support for equality and human rights in Beijing, and we trust that she will continue a dialogue on these issues throughout her time in China.”
Earlier, the First Minister met 80 Scottish pupils on an exchange programme in China, announcing the plans for more Mandarin to be taught in Scots schools. The new Confucius Classrooms initiative will be implemented with is backed by funding from Hanban, an institution affiliated with the Chinese education ministry which promotes Chinese learning worldwide.
Speaking at the education centre, Sturgeon said: “We want our young people to be better prepared for life and work in a multi-cultural, global marketplace, and Mandarin is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages.
Sturgeon said: “Extending the Confucius Classroom learning programme to primary schools will improve language learning opportunities to more Scottish pupils.”, in addition to the 20,000 who already benefit.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here