Guo Jianmei
Encyclopedia
Jianmei Guo is a Chinese lawyer, human rights activist and director of a women's legal aid NGO. In 2005 she was one of 1000 women put forward as nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize
. She is the recipient of the 2010 Simone De Beauvoir Prize
, and of the International Women of Courage Award
in 2011.
Guo was born into a teacher's family, in the impoverished region of Huan County, Henan Province. Seeing the poverty, underdevelopment and violation of women’s rights in the village where she lived was the stimulus for her lifelong dedication to improving the rights of women in China.
When she was 18 Guo attended Law School at Beijing University, graduating in 1983. She subsequently worked at the Ministry of Justice, The All China Federation of Women and The All China Association of Lawyers. She is currently Executive Director of the Women’s Legal Research and Service Centre of the Law School of Beijing University .
In 1995, Guo attended the Fourth International Forum for Women Lawyers and the United Nations international World Conference on Women in Beijing.
Later that same year, she and others founded the Beijing University Law School Women's Legal Research and Services Centre, the first non-profit-making non-governmental organization
specializing in women’s legal aid in China. The Centre has since grown to become an influential force in safeguarding the rights and interests of women. In 2010, Beijing University officially disassociated itself from the Centre. The Women’s Legal Research and Service Centre is no longer affiliated with the University but is “attached” (guakao) to the Law School.
Guo participated in a revision of China's Marriage Law in 2001 and the enactment of the Regulations for Legal Aid in 2003. She has published 8 books, and is editor of three volumes of the popular law readers' "Everyday Life Law", and "A Guide to Women's Legal Aid Cases".
In 2010 Jianmei Guo was awarded the Simone De Beauvoir Prize
, and was announced as China’s first anti-AIDS discrimination ambassador by ILO
, the International Labor Organisation. In 2011 she was awarded the International Women of Courage Award
by the United States Department of State.
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
. She is the recipient of the 2010 Simone De Beauvoir Prize
Simone de Beauvoir Prize
The Simone de Beauvoir Prize is an international human rights prize for women's freedom, awarded since 2008 to individuals or groups fighting for gender equality and opposing breaches of human rights...
, and of the International Women of Courage Award
International Women of Courage Award
The International Women of Courage Award is awarded annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially for better promotion of women's rights. The award was founded by...
in 2011.
Guo was born into a teacher's family, in the impoverished region of Huan County, Henan Province. Seeing the poverty, underdevelopment and violation of women’s rights in the village where she lived was the stimulus for her lifelong dedication to improving the rights of women in China.
When she was 18 Guo attended Law School at Beijing University, graduating in 1983. She subsequently worked at the Ministry of Justice, The All China Federation of Women and The All China Association of Lawyers. She is currently Executive Director of the Women’s Legal Research and Service Centre of the Law School of Beijing University .
In 1995, Guo attended the Fourth International Forum for Women Lawyers and the United Nations international World Conference on Women in Beijing.
Later that same year, she and others founded the Beijing University Law School Women's Legal Research and Services Centre, the first non-profit-making non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
specializing in women’s legal aid in China. The Centre has since grown to become an influential force in safeguarding the rights and interests of women. In 2010, Beijing University officially disassociated itself from the Centre. The Women’s Legal Research and Service Centre is no longer affiliated with the University but is “attached” (guakao) to the Law School.
Guo participated in a revision of China's Marriage Law in 2001 and the enactment of the Regulations for Legal Aid in 2003. She has published 8 books, and is editor of three volumes of the popular law readers' "Everyday Life Law", and "A Guide to Women's Legal Aid Cases".
In 2010 Jianmei Guo was awarded the Simone De Beauvoir Prize
Simone de Beauvoir Prize
The Simone de Beauvoir Prize is an international human rights prize for women's freedom, awarded since 2008 to individuals or groups fighting for gender equality and opposing breaches of human rights...
, and was announced as China’s first anti-AIDS discrimination ambassador by ILO
Ilo
Ilo is a port city in southern Peru, with some 58,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the Moquegua Region and capital of the province of Ilo.-History:...
, the International Labor Organisation. In 2011 she was awarded the International Women of Courage Award
International Women of Courage Award
The International Women of Courage Award is awarded annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially for better promotion of women's rights. The award was founded by...
by the United States Department of State.