Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues

A deep understanding of women’s roles in contemporary society is key not only to advancing gender equality but also to deepening the dialogue between the United States and China at a time of increased tension.

Since the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, both countries have made progress on women's rights, although the progress is often slow and uneven. Convened by Ambassador Melanne Verveer (Georgetown University) and Dr. Liu Meng (Zhejiang Normal University), the U.S.-China Research Group on Women and Society, organized under the auspices of the Georgetown University Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues, gathers 12 top scholars and practitioners from U.S. and Chinese universities, research institutions, think tanks, and advocacy groups for structured dialogue around the issues women face in today’s global community. The goal of the dialogue is to identify issues of common concern and to develop and pursue a shared research agenda that can inform better policy and advance practical cooperation in bilateral and multilateral contexts.