Women in this northern city are demanding more out of life.

Gone are the days when they were satisfied with basic necessities and enough money to get by on. They are eager for the chance to participate in higher education and social and political affairs, a study shows.

The survey, conducted by the Women's Federation of Harbin, shows that along with an overall improvement of living standards, more and more women in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, have also begun to pay more attention to intellectual needs.

The study solicited opinions from nearly 800 women from all walks of life. Public servants, private businesswomen, and intellectuals, laid-off workers at the State-owned enterprises were all involved, ranging in age from 26 to 55.

Married women with children account for the majority.

Nearly half of the respondents hope to have a monthly income of more than 1,000 yuan (US$120), of whom 8 percent want more -- higher than 2,000 yuan (US$240).

Their increasing incomes have altered the style in which they consume, as well.

More than half of the surveyed said they have shifted their attention to nutrition and quality of food now over price factors.

And nearly all of them expressed hopes of buying a larger house or a car in the next three to five years if their financial situation permits.

But the ever-increasing incomes still cannot match their high expectations on their intellectual side, says the study.

More than 60 percent consider their current education level as "insufficient" and nearly 70 percent of them said they feel a sense of crisis or worry that they could lose their present jobs.

Among them, 40 percent traced the source of the fear to lack of knowledge while the rest put it down to old age and inferior professional capabilities.

Nearly all of them say they have failed to catch up with the times because of their ignorance of computers and the Internet.

The study also shows that 60 percent of them have a keen interest in news and want to understand more about policies or regulations that have to do with their everyday lives.

And more and more women have developed interests in participation in local political affairs.

More than half of them believe that deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) could exert positive influence on their lives and intend to become one of them.

But 70 percent said they had never consulted or sought help from any deputies or members of the two bodies.

And statistics revealed that the percentage of female NPC deputies is declining, only 18 percent this year.

A series of suggestions involving gender equality are also proposed.

Local government can allot special funds for women to strengthen their vocational training and promote their re-education and ultimately lay the foundation for a lifelong education, according to the suggestions.

(China Daily December 21, 2004)