United Nations (UN) Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka speaks during a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York, March 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

China has created opportunities for women and girls in terms of employment and education, says Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 26  -- UN undersecretary-general and executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has lauded China's achievements in promoting women's rights, and encouraged the country to do even more.

China has created opportunities for women and girls in terms of employment and education, said Mlambo-Ngcuka in an exclusive written interview prior to a high-level UN meeting on the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

Since 2012, China has lifted approximately 41 million women out of poverty by creating opportunities for income generation and jobs, she said.

Major progress has been made in education parity for girls and young women, with 99.9 percent of primary-school-age girls enrolled in schools, and women accounting for over half of the higher education receivers, while taking up 52.5 percent of the regular undergraduate and associate bachelor students, she said.

"Women account for 40 percent of the labor force, and we see them actively taking part in innovative industries, with 55 percent of new Internet businesses being founded by women."