Violence and discrimination against women
28 March 2008, 10:24AM
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Violence and discrimination against women remains severe in China, according to our most recent reports.
Women and girls are disadvantaged economically and socially, which is evident in the employment, healthcare and education sectors. For example, in 2006 only 43 per cent of girls in rural areas completed education beyond lower middle school, compared with 61 per cent of boys.
Human trafficking remains pervasive despite strengthened laws and government efforts to combat it. It’s estimated 90 per cent of the women and children who are victims of trafficking are used for sexual exploitation.
Authorities continue to enforce China’s strict family planning policies. When self-trained lawyer Chen Guangcheng lobbied on behalf of a group of village women forced to have abortions and sterilisations he wound up in jail.
The prize winning legal adviser was helping villagers in the Shandong province with a lawsuit against local authorities. He is now serving four years and three months on charges of "damaging public property and gathering people to block traffic".
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