BAKU, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The first meeting of the Women Council of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was held on Tuesday in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, marking the official launch of this newly established advisory body.
Addressing the event, CICA Secretary-General Kairat Sarybay emphasized that the Women Council reflects a commitment to turning dialogue into action and promoting more inclusive governance through women's participation. He thanked Azerbaijan's chairmanship for initiating its creation.
Bahar Muradova, chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs of Azerbaijan, expressed her confidence that the CICA Women Council will strengthen mutual trust, share best practices, and promote women's rights, contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Shi Xin, Chinese representative to the CICA Women Council, an associate researcher with the Women's Studies Institute of China, introduced in her speech China's philosophy and practices in promoting gender equality and women's all-round development.
She noted that China stands ready to work with all countries to actively promote the implementation of the outcomes of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women held in Beijing in 2025, jointly create a favorable environment for women's growth and development, foster strong momentum for the high-quality development of women's causes, build a sound governance framework that safeguards women's rights and interests, and together write a new chapter in advancing global cooperation on women's issues.
On the same day, the opening ceremony of the international conference themed "Amplifying women's voices across CICA for Sustainable Growth" was held in Baku. Panel discussions focused on such topics as "Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization" and "Women's Leadership in Environmental Protection and Sustainability."
