Beijing yesterday unveiled its blueprint for the improvement of the lives of women and children over the next five years.

Goals include enhancing women's roles in managing social and political affairs and increasing their decision-making power.

Zhai Hongxiang, deputy mayor of Beijing responsible for women and children's affairs, said "the proportion of female high-level employees will increase steadily in the future."

Statistics show that the number of bureau-level female staff working in Beijing rose from around 15.68 percent in 2000 to 20 percent in 2005.

Other development indicators include women's contribution to and benefit from economic growth, as well as the state of the education, healthcare and legal systems and environmental conditions.

Authorities promised indicators would be measured and assessed in a scientific way.

"The statistical monitoring system will cover figures regarding women's employment rate, education level, life expectancy and working staff number in each industry," said Wang Hong, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Statistics Bureau.

Wang said timely and accurate statistics would serve as important proof of progress, or lack thereof.

Tough challenges still remain in this field, said Rong Hua, deputy director of the city's working committee for women and children's progress.

"Obvious barriers include unbalanced opportunities for women from urban and rural areas, lack of education and job training, insufficient work safety measures and social insurance," said Rong.

For children, health tops the agenda in the blueprint.

A major target is to decrease the birth defect rate and enhance healthcare for children of migrant workers. The blueprint urged authorities to treat children as a priority at all times.

(China Daily July 5, 2006)