“Her Vision, Our Future”: EU Delegation to China Highlights Women’s Leadership in Climate Action and Politics
On 16 March, the Delegation of the European Union to China hosted the event “Her Vision, Our Future: Women Pioneering Change” in Beijing, bringing together policymakers, diplomats, academics, civil society representatives and members of the international community to reflect on women’s leadership in climate action and political decision-making.
Held in the context of International Women’s Day, the event gathered around one hundred participants and featured two thematic sessions exploring how women’s leadership is shaping responses to some of today’s most pressing global challenges — from the green transition to democratic governance.
Opening the event, Ambassador Jorge Toledo, Head of the European Union Delegation to China, emphasised that gender equality remains both a democratic imperative and a practical necessity for effective policymaking. “Gender equality is not a secondary issue,” he said. “It is a question of how societies organise power, participation and opportunity. When women are present where decisions are made, policies become more responsive, institutions gain legitimacy, and societies become stronger.” Ambassador Toledo also welcomed the strong Chinese presence among the participants, noting that it reflected growing interest in these questions within China itself. “Your presence here today tells us that this topic resonates,” he said. “It tells us that the conversation about women’s leadership — about participation, voice and opportunity — matters.”
The Head of the Beijing UN Women Office, Chuqiao Wang, also offered a plenary framing intervention.
Women leading the green transition
The first session of the forum, “Women Leading the Green Transition: How Gender Inclusion Can Strengthen Climate Action,” focused on the role women play in shaping climate policies and advancing sustainable development.
Speakers from international organisations, academia and the private sector discussed how gender-inclusive approaches can strengthen environmental governance, from renewable energy policy to climate finance and local sustainability initiatives. The discussion highlighted the importance of ensuring that women are not only beneficiaries of climate policy but also active agents in designing and implementing solutions.
Participants also pointed to the potential for deeper EU–China cooperation in the green transition, with Ambassador Toledo noting that “green is the colour of our cooperation.” The discussion underscored that climate action and gender equality are closely interconnected. When women participate fully in environmental governance — whether at community level or in national policymaking — climate strategies tend to become more inclusive, socially resilient and responsive to real-world needs.
Women in politics: power, institutions and leadership
The second session, “Women in Politics: Can a society be truly developed if women are not part of the decision-making process?”, brought together an exceptional group of political leaders, diplomats and scholars from Europe and Asia.
Participants included Věra Jourová, Former Vice-President of the European Commission; Pilar Llop, former president of the Spanish Senate and Minister of Justice;Lilianne Ploumen, former Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation; Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland; Anna Koukkides-Procopiou, former Minister of Justice and Public Order of Cyprus; Braema Mathi, former Nominated Member of Parliament in Singapore; Dr. Ratchada Jayagupta, Thailand’s Representative to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) for Women’s Rights; as well as Marta Betanzos, Ambassador of Spain to China; Dr. Patricia Flor, Ambassador of Germany; and Jennifer May, Ambassador of Canada to China. The discussion explored both the personal journeys of women leaders and the broader institutional conditions that shape women’s participation in politics.
Speakers shared first-hand experiences of navigating political systems that have historically been dominated by men, highlighting both progress achieved and barriers that remain. These include structural challenges such as unequal access to political networks, stereotypes about leadership, media scrutiny and the continuing difficulty of reconciling political careers with family responsibilities.
At the same time, participants emphasised that meaningful progress requires institutional reforms — including party reforms, legal frameworks and policy measures that create more inclusive pathways to leadership.
The debate also addressed new dynamics reshaping political leadership, including the role of digital platforms and social media. While these tools can open new avenues for women to communicate directly with voters and build political influence outside traditional structures, speakers also highlighted the growing challenge of online harassment faced by women in public life.
Several participants further underlined the role of civil society mobilisation and international cooperation in advancing women’s political participation. The discussion touched on initiatives such as feminist foreign policy, cross-regional dialogue and the importance of sharing experiences across political systems.
Taken together, the two panels highlighted that advancing women’s leadership requires action at multiple levels: from individual mentorship and role models to institutional reforms and broader cultural change.
Leadership, representation and the future
In his remarks, Ambassador Toledo reflected on the broader significance of women’s participation in political life. “A society may grow richer. It may build faster trains, taller buildings and larger companies. But if women are absent from the places where priorities are set and power is exercised, something fundamental is missing.” He also noted that gender equality remains an unfinished project worldwide. “No country has yet achieved full equality between women and men. Progress has been real — but uneven, and sometimes fragile. What matters is continuing the effort.”
Participants throughout the event stressed that women’s leadership is not simply a matter of fairness or representation. It is also a question of governance quality. When women participate in decision-making, institutions often become more responsive to social realities and more attentive to long-term priorities such as education, healthcare, social resilience and sustainable development.
The event concluded with closing remarks by Ambassador Koula Sophianou, Ambassador of Cyprus to China, representing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
In closing the forum, participants emphasised that advancing women’s leadership is essential for building more inclusive, resilient and forward-looking societies. As Ambassador Toledo concluded: “If women’s visions are excluded, our future will be narrower, poorer and less resilient. But when women are fully part of shaping our societies, our future becomes more just, more intelligent and more durable.”