Q: Since the founding of the People's Republic of China
in 1949, the status of women has greatly improved. A saying goes,
"Women can hold up half the sky." Then, what is the proportion of
women deputies in the National People's Congress (NPC) and female
officials in government organs? Are Chinese women's rights in
political participation, employment, education, health care,
marriage and family effectively protected?
A: In recent years, the Chinese Government has made strenuous
efforts to enhance the status of women and has achieved great
results. China has signed and carried out a series of major
international conventions and documents, such as the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Beijing Declaration
and the Platform for Action. As well, by formulating and
implementing the Program for the Development of Chinese Women
(2000-10), the state has integrated the objectives for the
development of women in the national economic and social
development plan, which has effectively protected women's rights in
various aspects.?
First, more and more women have become involved in the
management of state and social affairs. Women make up 20.24 percent
of all deputies of the NPC, the country's top legislature. Among
China's state leaders, seven are women. There are 65 women among
the ministerial-level officials in the institutions and agencies of
the Central Government and mass organizations; and more than 5,000
women hold leading positions at all levels in China's 31 provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central
Government. Women have enhanced their awareness of political
participation, with 73.4 percent of women taking part in elections
of deputies to local people's congresses. The proportion of women
deputies to people's congresses and female representatives in
committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference is kept quite stable, demonstrating that women have
played an active role in politics.
Second, women's right to employment has been further
safeguarded. There are more women than men involved in such
industries as social services, education, culture and health care,
and the proportion of women engaged in finance, insurance,
scientific and technological research as well as government
institutions and social organizations is approaching that of men.
Moreover, more than 100 million rural women, with one or two
agricultural skills and a higher awareness and ability to increase
income through science and technology, are greatly contributing to
the development of the rural economy by playing an active role in
farming and aquaculture as well as in rural enterprises. In urban
areas, women account for 37.9 percent of the total work force,
small and medium-sized businesses set up by women are thriving, and
rules on labor-safety protection for women employees have been
further implemented. As a result, women now constitute nearly half
of the country's work force.
Third, women's health has been greatly improved. Currently there
are more than 1,400 health care institutions for women and
children, providing health services for 86 percent of pregnant and
lying-in women. About 79 percent of women have given birth in
hospitals. The life expectancy of women has reached 73.6 years, 3.8
years more than men.
In China's 350 million families, women have begun to enjoy more
personal and property rights, with an improved status in marriage
and family. In urban areas, 85.8 percent of women under the age of
35 decide on marriage on their own, while in rural areas the
proportion is 75.6 percent. As well, women have begun to play an
increasingly important role in family decision-making. Most
families, especially those in urban areas, are based on gender
equality and democracy.
Women are always considered being able to
hold up "half the sky" in the People's Republic. This picture,
taken in 1952, shows the first group of female pilots in the
country.
