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People with disabilities and volunteers roam together in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang, on April 3, 2023. Photos: VCG

China consistently promotes high-quality development to advance Chinese-style modernization and is committed to promoting barrier-free and age-friendly construction and continually advancing international cooperation in this field, Ambassador Chen Xu, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, said at a side event of the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday. 

The Permanent Mission of China to the UN Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, along with the permanent missions of Mexico, Turkey, Greece, and Bangladesh, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the organization Universal Rights Group jointly held a side event themed promoting accessibility and barrier-free construction through high-quality development at the UN Headquarters in Geneva. 

Over 100 participants, including permanent representatives and senior diplomats from more than 70 countries, representatives from the OHCHR, and non-governmental organizations, attended the event.

While delivering a speech at the event, Ambassador Chen noted that since barrier-free environment construction was first proposed at a UN meeting 50 years ago, its scope has continuously expanded, benefiting not only people with disabilities but also the elderly, women, children, and other groups. 

China has consistently promoted high-quality development to advance Chinese-style modernization, implements the law of barrier-free environment construction, and creates projects such as "Beautiful Workshops" to promote employment for disabled women and establishes rehabilitation universities, said the ambassador. 

Chen said that China is also committed to promoting barrier-free and age-friendly construction by developing new productive forces and continually advancing international cooperation in this field.

Ambassadors from Mexico, Turkey and other countries also delivered speeches at the side event and some expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation with barrier-free construction with China. 

During the event, Chinese experts in the field of accessibility also shared China's experiences in environmental construction, judicial protection, and development research. 

Qiu Jinghui, deputy director of the Public Interest Litigation Department of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, said that Chinese procuratorial organs supervise and collaborate with administrative bodies to fulfill their duties according to law, contributing legal support to enable specific groups such as persons with disabilities and the elderly to enjoy a better life.

Xue Feng, chief architect of the China Construction Engineering Design and Research Co. Ltd, said that China adheres to the principle of leaving no one behind and makes unremitting efforts to build an all-age-friendly barrier-free environment, willing to exchange and learn with the international community. 

The side event was held during the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, coinciding with the eve of the Council's adoption of China's report for the fourth round of the Universal Periodic Review. China has always attached great importance to the development of human rights in China and actively participated in global human rights governance, receiving widespread acclaim from the international community.

Global Times