Mary Kay unveils outcome of SDG Pilot Village Project in China (2017-2021)

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- Recognising that improving the lives of rural women is key to fighting poverty and achieving sustainable development, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) China and Mary Kay launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Pilot Village Project in Waipula, Yunnan Province, China in 2017.

The launch was in collaboration with the China Women’s Development Foundation, the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges, the Women’s Federation of Yunnan Province and Yongren County Government.

The joint project was entitled SDG Pilot Village Project: Women-focused Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development (2017-2021).

According to a statement, the project addressed the structural barriers to women’s labour market participation, including through the provision of social protection and the creation of green entrepreneurial opportunities through ecotourism, coupled with efforts to enhance women’s leadership in community decision-making forums.

The outcomes of Phase 1 of the project provided compelling evidence of the transformational effect that a gender-responsive approach can make to localising the SDGs and in the design of policy and programmatic responses for a post-COVID-19 green and inclusive recovery.

Women from the Yi ethnic group became the drivers of economic growth and poverty reduction through targeted gender-specific interventions that advanced an inclusive local economy and the preservation of their cultural heritage.

The pilot highlighted the potential of multi-stakeholder partnerships, including the private sector, in advancing the SDGs while maximising the development impact of women’s entrepreneurship.

UNDP China, together with Mary Kay China and local public sector partners, worked with women entrepreneurs to ensure they were equipped with the tools and education necessary to become economic actors.

UNDP China and project partners will soon move to Phase 2 (2022-2024) which aims to accelerate entrepreneurship; promote diversity and inclusion; and, advance green development.

-- BERNAMA