Women deputies from all sections of society attended the opening of the Tenth National Women's Congress on October 28, 2008. The numbers of Chinese women participating in state affairs is steadily growing.

With the implementation of the basic state policy of equality between men and women, the gap between the genders has been reduced immeasurably. Chinese women are making considerable progress in self-development. The number of female students in colleges and universities and the number of female students reading for Master's and Doctor's degrees have all grown significantly. On average, women receive 7.3 years of education. Women account for 45.4 percent of China's workforce and there are nearly 700,000 female model workers working in various sectors and providing inspiration to countless others. Women's federations at different levels actively seek to eliminate gender crimination, promote gender equality and safeguard the right of women to work.

But there are still many difficulties and problems in the situation of Chinese women and also in the work of levels of women's federation. The feudalistic and patriarchal prejudice of preferring boys to girls is deeply rooted in some people's outlook, especially in rural areas; the phenomena of undervaluing women and infringing women's and children's rights are daily occurrences in certain places; mechanisms to guarantee equal rights for women need to be improved; women's participation in economic and social development needs to be enhanced; many women are still not able to fulfill their hopes and dreams in China. The government and women's federations at all levels must pay more attention to these problems. Huang said her federation remained convinced it could resolve these issues as it move towards constructing a well-off society.

The Congress set out five year development targets that aim to push forward the equality agenda, boost women's involvement in social and economic development and their participation in state affairs.

(China.org.cn by Ma Yujia, October 29, 2008)