The past five years have witnessed remarkable improvements in
Chinese women’s lives with great progress made to women’s causes,
according to Gu
Xiulian, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the
National People’s Congress and vice president of the All China
Women’s Federation.
While addressing a press conference sponsored by the State
Council Information Office in Beijing on August 14, Gu elaborated
on woman’s progress made in five aspects.
First, more women are now participating at a higher level of
state and social affairs administration with seven women now
serving in posts as leading state and Party officials, and 14 women
serving as ministers and vice ministers under the State Council,
China’s cabinet. At the local level, there are all together 5,056
women officials. About 73.4 percent of women participate in the
election of deputies to the people’s congress at both national and
local levels.
Second, women’s right to employment has been further guaranteed.
Through education, more rural women have enhanced their sense and
capacity of applying science and technology to increase their
income. There are more than 100 million rural Chinese women who
have a command of one to two new farming technologies and therefore
have formed a significant force in promoting the agricultural
economy and harnessing an ecological environment. In towns and
cities, women workers account for 37.9 percent of the working
population.
Third, the general educational degree of women has obviously
been improved. There are 3.97 million women students in institutes
of high education, an increase of 2.67 million compared with the
number five years ago, accounting for 43.95 percent of the total
number of students, an increase of 6 percent compared with five
years ago. Women students in secondary vocational schools have
accounted for 56.6 percent. The number of women taking part in
adult education has increased 37.6 percent.
Fourth, the health condition of women has also been improved.
There are 3,069 health care institutes for women and children in
the country, covering 86 percent of pregnant women. The rate of
women hospitalized for childbirth has reached 78.8 percent, an
increase of 12 percent compared with the figure five year ago. The
average life expectancy of women is 73.6 years old.
Fifth, women have further realized their rights of person, as
well as their rights and interests in marriage and family. China
has 350 million households. Thanks to the legal marriage based on
love and of?their own will, and to the equality between men
and women, harmonious family relations have become the main
stream.
(China.org.cn August 14, 2003)