Discussion keeps going.
International cooperation goes beyond strategy.
It's about improving lives on the ground.
In the second episode of our UN80 series, Roundtable's He Yang speaks with Zhu Yijing from the UN Population Fund, or UNFPA, about China's role in global development. and how collaborative action is advancing health, gender equality, and opportunities for generations to come.
We're live from Beijing.
This is Roundtable.
I'm Steve.
Thank you so much for being with us today.
And for the program, I'm joined by Yushun and Fei-Fei.
First up.
International cooperation is more than just high-level strategy.
It's about creating tangible improvements in people's everyday lives.
In this second episode of our UN 80th anniversary series, Roundtable's Heo Young delves into this very topic with Zhu Yijing, a specialist from the UN Population Fund.
Their conversation explores China's evolving role in global development, moving beyond simple aid to meaningful partnership.
They'll discuss how this collaborative action is driving real-world progress in critical areas like public health, gender equality and the creation of opportunities that will empower generations to come.
Please enjoy their chat.
Yixing, welcome to Roundtable.
Thank you so much.
Nice to be here.
And thank you so much for joining us via video link.
And you're in the US right now.
So thank you for tolerating the time difference and staying up late for us.
Of course, happy to.
Let's start from the top.
People might have heard of the United Nations Population Fund, but not fully grasp its mission.
Yixing, could you introduce and explain what role it plays within the broader UN system?
Yeah, happy to.
So UNFPA is actually the UN's Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency.
We have the three goals every pregnancy wanted, every child birth safe and every young person's potential fulfilled.
From strengthening midwifery and expanding voluntary family planning to preventing gender-based violence and using data for smarter decisions, UNPA turns global commitments into real life.
Also would you mind explaining explaining to us sort of on a side note why UNFPA is actually UN Population Fund, but the acronym is a little different.
Yeah, actually it applies to other UN agencies as well.
Like you know, for example, UNICEF.
Like you know, acronym is UNICEF, but actually it's called United Nations Child Fund.
So we have like, you know, we change our name from history.
So I think in the beginning we don't call United Nation Population Fund.
So that's why the acronym doesn't like, you know, aligns to the UNFPA.
The UNFPA used to stand for United Nations Fund for Population Activities.
But in 1987, it changed its name to United Nations of Population Fund.
But the acronym still stays the same.
So that's...
A useful little piece of trivia for everybody to know.
What inspired you to join this organization in the first place?
Well, that's kind of like a long story.
So I grew up in Beijing and spent years in academic research labs.
Well, I love the science, but my perspective shifted when I began to volunteering at a prenatal clinic.
So each week I assisted a genetic counselor and I never forget like there was a one anxious, expected mother who said if only I had known earlier.
So that moment really stayed with me.
So I realized that cutting edge science, if it doesn't reach the people who need it, it's just a cold paper in your journal.
So that's actually the gap UMPH closes.
I joined UNPA because my background in health, communication and digital strategy allows me to bridge that gap between evidence and real life.
I wanted my work to move from the lab bench to the person, and at UNPA, that's exactly what we do.
I can see why that work can feel very meaningful, and it's encouraging to hear how your personal values align with the mission.
Now, working in such an international environment must come with a lot of eye opening moments.
Could you share one of those Eureka or aha moments?
Yeah, for me it's seeing how support becomes care that people can feel, especially in humanitarian settings.
In a crisis, a donation isn't just a number.
It becomes an emergency birth kit allowing a mother to deliver safely, even under shelling.
It becomes a dignity keys helps a girl attend school during her period.
So for example, I remember a time like the girl couldn't join the school because she has her period.
For me it's really hard to imagine that because we all live in, like you know, we all have this life.
Like you know, we have like enough supplies, we can go to anywhere we want.
We can go to school, we can go to travel.
You know, this girl like in the crisis zone, like she couldn't, because she doesn't have any supplies to help her during her period.
So we deliver these kids to this girl so that she can go to the schools that she doesn't need to, like you know, drop off from the school, so that she can, you know, take the classes and play with her friends.
So this is really like, you know, a touching moment for me.
Yeah, for those of us who take this for granted, when actually, in a way, you can say it's almost like a privilege to have the ST towels as women when we need it for that period every month.
And even in China today we see that ST towels aren't really made available for every woman because sometimes the price can be too high for certain groups of society, when buying a full package of ST towels can still be something that has a price barrier.
And in China, we've gone a long way in this area.
For those who live in big cities.
We just assume that oh, this is what you need every month, and then everybody is able to get it, when in fact there's still a gap when it comes to affordability.
And it's so important to talk about these issues that in previous generations maybe there's some kind of shame that's shrouded around the subject.
But what you do and what your organization does helps to shed light and normalize.
That's the first step to change, in my humble opinion.
What do you think is one of the most rewarding aspects of working at UNFPA, especially as a young professional, in a global organization?
Yeah, so working at UNMPA allowed me to realize humanitarian work isn't just about moving supplies.
It's about protecting life and restoring dignity.
As a young professional, I've come to see that global change is written through company, small actions, a single gift, a line of code, a short email.
When they add up, they create impact on the front lines of women's health.
Helping one woman deliver safely means hope for a family and a quiet, powerful defense of reproductive health right.
That's a powerful effect that gives this word its weight and meaning.
What are some of the other parts of the work, which you can maybe go into a little bit more depth?
You mentioned protecting reproductive rights.
Could you help us understand a little bit more behind these big words?
So my work is really involved in fundraising for maternal health and newborn care.
So we especially, like you know, doing these Gaza crisis, We found ways for these mothers and their babies, so that these mothers can deliver safely.
And we deliver the emergency birth keys to the mothers and we help to train midwives so that they can get professional hands-on to help them to deliver babies.
So I remember there was a vivid example of A woman, a girl actually, so she's 16.
So she lost her first baby at the age of 16 because she doesn't have the transportation for her to go to the hospital on time when she was about to deliver.
So she lost her first children.
So the second time, on her second pregnancy, she stayed outside of the hospital.
I mean, she stayed outside of the clinic overnight, just because she doesn't want to, like you know, to miss, you know, the delivery time.
So uh, like you know, these kind of like examples told us, like you know, how important to train midwives to help this woman get the emergency birth keys so that they can deliver safely.
Yeah, when you're involved in improving maternal health or ensuring gender rights, even the smallest wins feel very, very personal.
Let's turn to what you've learned along the way.
As a young professional at UNFPA, what have been some of the most significant learning experiences for you along the way?
So working at UNMPA has trained me into, you know, has taught me two significant lessons.
One is structured thinking and one is empathy.
Why I'm saying that?
Because I've learned to navigate a complex donor landscape, connecting partners with different needs and translating data into action.
So I realized that code numbers become warm solutions.
They guide where to train midwives, which services to scale and how to allocate resources effectively.
For what I mean empathy, it really means to cross cultures.
It is very vital.
So different communities have different understanding of reproductive health, and listening deeply is a key to building trust.
So these experiences has reshaped my view of development.
It's not a stack of projects but a system to build, to protect dignity, to foster resilience and to keep running under pressure.
So every step has taught me more about the human depth.
It's interesting how much of development work is about listening first before possibly offering solutions.
UNFPA's work touches on some of the most vital issues of our time.
What are some of the most pressing issues the organization is addressing today, especially in terms of global population health, gender equality and reproductive rights?
UNFPA is pushing on four core fronts.
Firstly, it's ending preventable maternal deaths.
So childbirth is a moment of joy, not a life or death gamble.
Secondly is to expand access to voluntarily family planning so individuals can decide when and how to grow up their families.
Third is preventing and responding to gender-based violence, especially in a humanitarian crisis, when women and girls are the most vulnerable populations.
The last point is a strengthening population data system so governments can make informed, targeted decisions.
I have learned these are not just abstract goals.
They translate into clinics, with lights on midwives being trained and get paid and emergency birth case being delivered.
When rights and services meet, lives are safe and the global health landscape begins to shift.
Could you give us some examples when it comes to these big issues?
One on the list global population health.
What do you mean by that?
Population health is really about how to collect data on population, like doing the population survey to determine what the geographical issues that could be like.
You know what kind of like diversity about the area is about, so people, the policy makers, can make data-driven decisions on these areas.
So that can be more effective to guide the policy driven work.
How do you translate what's being talked about in conference rooms, in coming up with the design of policy to, let's say, what you mentioned earlier on, with all those really moving examples of delivering the health kit, the emergency kit to, let's say, a woman that's waiting to have surgery done?
There seems to be miles in between, but how do you connect A to B?
Could you give us a little bit more of painting the picture?
Yeah, for example, like you know uh, we are to build, like you know, a clinic or like a hospital to safeguard the people who lives in the society or the community.
You know different um diversity of the population, or like how many people are in these areas.
We need to allocate how many resources to this area.
So it all depends on the population data.
Oh, that's interesting.
So the data point, however small it might appear to be, it's actually potentially got a huge impact onto the consequences of policy and how it's being delivered eventually.
That's quite the picture you painted for us.
But I also realized that there could be potentially many leakage points in between.
And what do you see from your experience?
Ah, that's a loophole.
I wish that can be closed.
I would say...
There's a lot of challenges in our services that we deliver.
For example, how to transport our emergency birth keys to the field, to the crisis zones like, for example, in gaza.
Like uh, we couldn't enter the border because of the uh, certain like policies or like regulations locally.
So um, this is something, like you know, we really sometimes have challenges about.
So, you know, as a UN organization, we sometimes use other UN agencies' resources to help us to close that kind of gaps.
So yeah, this is kind of like, you know, a joint effort, so I would say.
And when it comes to gender equality, I suppose for any woman who's sort of awakened to the reality we live in probably has a lot to say.
And I wonder for you, as a young working professional in this organization, Hands-on tackling this big issue?
Do you have some perspectives that have changed ever since you started working in this area?
And maybe there's something of urgency that you would like to share with us.
So one of the areas that we are actively working on is to promote the workplace gender equality.
So that's what we call the alliance for our private partners.
So this is something that uh really changes my mind about.
Like you know how to promote the gender equality, and to promote not only for women, but also for men as well.
For example, like you know, a woman can take maternal leave, But also, like you know, men can also take parental leave as well.
So this is something like, you know, really changes my mind.
Sometimes we need to think on both sides, not only for, like you know, one side, but also from other side as well.
That's such a brilliant point.
We need two genders to work together, help each other out and realize each other's predicament for any real change to happen.
That's a really promising observation you've shared with us.
As the UN marks 80 years, it's facing reform and funding challenges.
What do you think still sets it apart in terms of global governance?
And do you believe it can maintain its influence in the future?
Well, as we all know, the UN is a vital platform for consensus and coordinated actions.
It brings countries together, sets global norms and these rapid responses in crisis, from public health emergencies to humanitarian settings.
So I've been in a room for complex negotiations and have seen how what looks like a deadlock is often laying the groundwork for gradual progress.
A subtle shift in agreements terms can unlock more resources for a country's refugees or set a new course for a region's sustainable development.
So, looking ahead, I think, like you know, UN can grow its impact by embracing data-driven governance and local empowerment.
That means using real-time data to identify gaps, whether in climate resilience, refugee support or public services, and letting community knowledge guide program design.
By linking public-private partners, fostering a South-South cooperation and using mutual tools like AEI and blockchain, I believe UN can break down barriers and deliver help faster and smarter.
I believe this is about building a resistant system that adapts to future challenges.
Yeah, the real test is whether the UN can keep evolving to match the urgency of the moment.
Now let's bring the lens back to China.
When You look at your area of work, what do you consider China's most significant contributions within the UNFPA framework so far?
As a Chinese professional at UNFPA, I see China's contributions having, like you know, both and human warmth.
For example, in maternal health, China has built a three tier care network and full cycle services, from community education to emergency referrals, reducing maternity and improving birth technique.
For example, in other sentences, like in sexual and reproductive health rights.
China has broken taboos around sex education, integrating it into schools, community hubs and online platforms, making knowledge more accessible.
Another example is in population data.
China's dynamic system offers deep insights into family needs, Guiding policies like the two boards or two child or three child support frameworks.
So I believe, through the South-South Corporation, China is sharing its expertise, helping build resilient supply chains and training midwives and counselors across borders.
Looking forward.
I believe China can also lead in areas such as exporting integrated elder care models and digital health platforms, using AI and mobile tools to expand access to underserved areas.
We're, like you know, kind of like we can think about, like you know, leveraging belt and road experiences to ensure continuity of care during crisis.
So I believe, like you know, sharing this model and adapting them globally, China is evolving from a contributor to a co-builder to the global reproductive health ecosystem.
Yes, you mentioned many important areas.
Is there one aspect that really speaks loudly to you as a Chinese national?
You see, this is major change, very much welcome change that maybe you did not see when you were growing up.
Yeah, for example, like the sexual and reproductive health problem I grew up, We don't have enough sex education or, like you know, this kind of like topic to discuss in school.
So I feel like, you know, this is kind of like a booth in school.
Like you know, people like avoiding to discussing it where people are showing about this kind of topic.
So I believe nowadays China is doing better on these kind of topics.
They are really integrated into the community hubs and online platforms.
So more people can have access to it.
That's a great point.
Do you see maybe one area?
On the other hand, you would like to see some immediate change.
Well, for example, like in other countries, in other developed countries.
So I feel, like you know, the virtual health platform is more popular in a sense compared to China, like you know.
Maybe, like you know, the virtual consolation is not as, like you know, popular as, for example, in the US.
So I would think, like China can use more about, like you know, AI or digital health platforms In the future to build on all these kinds of like consultations, for leverage is, like you know, expertise in any eyes to help to, to make the diagnosis or, like you know, to make the treatment or yeah, this kind of, like you know, improvements.
When you say virtual diagnosis or treatment, do you mean...
Okay, the first thing that comes to my mind is during COVID.
I remember reading about what happened in the US.
A lot of counseling were moved online and people couldn't get out of their apartments to go see their shrink, and therefore the session is conducted online.
Is this what you mean?
Yeah, that's exactly what I mean in different settings, in psychological support settings or in genetic counseling settings.
I believe it's, like you know, more common to have it virtually in other countries.
So I feel, like you know, China can really, like you know, take advantage of about, like the AI or, like you know, the platforms that China has been really advanced in.
So do people not worry about their privacy, about having this physical distance can create some problems, even when we want to leverage the latest technology.
Do people not worry about those things in the international settings that you just mentioned?
That's a really good point.
Other countries are really looking to, for example, European countries.
They really have a lot of regulations about protecting patients' privacy.
I think also in the US we have the HIPAA, which is private, to protect a patient's privacy and confidence.
This is something that we talk about policy making as well.
This is something we really need to look into it to make it into policy, to make it into law enforcement or like regulations, so that it can be, like you know, monitored by the governments, so that you know there's no, like you know, information leaking or privacy going to be, like you know, sold by other, like you know, third party, or something like that.
Okay, what advice would you give to young people who are considering a career in international development or with the United Nations, and how can they prepare themselves for such a dynamic and impactful field?
Well firstly, I truly hope more young Chinese professionals join the UN and bring their perspective to global development.
My advice would be to aim for like a T-shaped profile, to develop deep expertise in one area like data analytics, public health communication, like I do, while also maintaining a broad understanding of the global development issues.
I would also suggest to get field exposure whenever you can.
Even short-term assignments or internships can also help.
And remain culturally humble and curious.
I also believe, most importantly, don't see getting into the unit as a finish line.
See it as a starting point.
The real reward comes from using your skills to make a tangible difference, whether it's improving resource allocation with data or spotlighting a woman's health through communication.
That feeling that the world just got a little bit better today because of my work is the most precious reward this field can bring.
That's such valuable advice.
Global development really needs young minds that are curious, resilient, and ready to collaborate.
Thank you Zhu Yixing for sharing such meaningful insights.
I appreciate your time on all the wisdom you bring to the table today.
Thank you so much for having me.
Thanks again to He Yang and Xu Yixing, a specialist from the UN Population Fund.
Really interesting conversation and a great opportunity for us to get some insight into What's behind the UNFPA.
Fei-Fei, any thoughts or takeaways from that conversation?
Yeah, this is actually my first time hearing about the organization existence under the big umbrella of UN.
I think UN has been around for 80 years and sometimes we take it for granted that it's here and it will be here forever.
But we just didn't realize that the level of professionals and work and involved and how...
The UN formula has really formed our consensus and also formed our global views today.
A lot of the global consensus were actually built on the framework of the United Nations.
And one.
I think one thing that she mentioned is that, like every step, she has taught her more about the human stories behind all of these data and numbers.
And I think that really reminded us that the heart of the global development is about humanity and about human and also people from all around the globe.
Behind every piece of data actually lies a real life and dignity.
And that is something I think I get from the conversation.
I can imagine working for the UNFPA is oftentimes a very emotional job, an emotionally difficult job.
Because of the stories that you see, the humanity that you would see all the time.
And I agree with you, Yushin.
When we live in one of the biggest cities around the world, we're oftentimes spoiled.
We take things for granted and we talk about reports all the time and we talk about people as if they're statistics or if they're numbers or things like this, and we're kind of desensitized to it.
So having an organization like this under the UN, the UNFPA, and hearing a conversation like the one we just heard reminds us that there are real stories out there and they all deserve attention.
That's for sure.
And it sounds like there's a lot of different, almost like an octopus, in the sense that there's a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of this, a little bit of that with the UNFPA as well.
Really meaningful work.
And thank you once again to He Yang and Zhu Yixing for that chat.
