Peng Liyuan, the wife of President Xi Jinping, has called on the international community to pay more attention and offer more support for the advancement of girls' and women's education so as to help achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Peng, who is also the special envoy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for the promotion of girls' and women's education, made the remark on Friday while attending via video link an award ceremony for the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education.

During a speech, Peng said that while the COVID-19 pandemic is having a particularly negative impact on girls and women, it is necessary to pool resources and take targeted and effective measures to help provide them with fair and quality education.

She suggested making good use of digital technologies to promote the sharing of quality online education resources in an effort to step up educational support for girls and women in poverty-stricken areas and those from underprivileged households.

To help them enjoy happy lives in the digital era, efforts should be made to improve their ability to utilize new technologies for employment and entrepreneurship, Peng said.

She also called for beefing up health education for girls and women in order to help them and their family members become more health-conscious and able to prevent various kinds of diseases.

Peng expressed congratulations to prizewinners from Brazil and Mozambique, saying that the award has inspired more and more people devote their lives to the education of girls and women since it was established in 2015 by China and UNESCO.

As a result, countless girls and women have mastered knowledge and skills, and obtained the ability and confidence to change their destiny and pursue their dreams, she said.

The growing care and support helps promote global gender equality in education, Peng added.

She said she hoped that the second term of cooperation between China and UNESCO on the award will serve as a new starting point to provide new impetus for girls' and women's education.

Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, said in her speech that the award has played a unique role in helping women and children fulfill their dreams, especially in dealing with challenges from the pandemic.

Azoulay thanked the Chinese government for making continuous investment and launching the second term of cooperation. She also appreciated the strong and firm support from Peng.

The UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education honors outstanding and innovative contributions made by individuals, institutions and organizations to advance girls' and women's learning.

It is the first UNESCO prize of this type and is unique in showcasing successful projects that improve and promote the educational prospects of girls and women and in turn, the quality of their lives.