Women in the People's Republic of China
Encyclopedia
Since 1949, the government of People's Republic of China
has actively promoted the social, economic and political roles of women in society. While advancing progress in promoting equality among men and women
, the efforts met resistance in a traditionally Neo-Confucian
society of male superiority.
was founded to "represent and to protect women’s rights and interests, and to promote equality between men and women." It was a multi-tier GONGO
organization "with local women’s federations and group members at every divisional level of government."
at birth (between male and female births) in mainland China
reached 117:100 in the year 2000, substantially more masculine than the natural baseline, which ranges between 103:100 and 107:100. It had risen from 108:100 in 1981—at the boundary of the natural baseline—to 111:100 in 1990. According to a report by the State Population and Family Planning Commission, there will be 30 million more men than women in 2020, potentially leading to social instability. The correlation between the increase of masculine sex ratio
disparity on birth and the deployment of one child policy would appear to have been caused by the one-child policy.
However, other Asian regions also have higher than average ratios, including Taiwan
(110:100) , which do not have a family planning policy. Many studies have explored the reason for the gender-based birthrate disparity in China as well as other countries. A study in 1990 attributed the high preponderance of reported male births in mainland China to four main causes: diseases which affect females more severely than males; the result of widespread under-reporting of female births; the illegal practice of sex-selective abortion
made possible by the widespread availability of ultrasound
; and finally, acts of child abandonment
and infanticide
.
embarked upon a series of campaigns that purportedly eradicated prostitution
from mainland China
by the early 1960s. However, since the loosening of government controls over society in the early 1980s, prostitution in mainland China not only has become more visible, but also can now be found throughout both urban
and rural
areas. In spite of government efforts, prostitution has now developed to the extent that it comprises an industry
, one that involves a great number of people and produces a considerable economic output
. Prostitution has also become associated with a number of problems, including organized crime
, government corruption and sexually transmitted disease
s.
, or so-called "second wives" (二奶 èrnǎi in Chinese), has reemerged in recent years. There are many villages in southern part of China where predominantly such women live.
This situation has created many social and legal issues
in Jiangsu
province a man had his penis cut off by his wife.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
has actively promoted the social, economic and political roles of women in society. While advancing progress in promoting equality among men and women
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
, the efforts met resistance in a traditionally Neo-Confucian
Neo-Confucianism
Neo-Confucianism is an ethical and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty....
society of male superiority.
All-China Women's Federation
In 1949, All-China Women's FederationAll-China Women's Federation
The All-China Women's Federation is an organization of women established in China in March 1949. It was constructed as a mass organization supported by the Communist Party of China, and based on Marxist theory...
was founded to "represent and to protect women’s rights and interests, and to promote equality between men and women." It was a multi-tier GONGO
GONGO
GONGO stands for Government-Organized Non-Governmental Organization, which may have been set up by governments to look like NGOs in order to qualify for outside aid, or mitigate specific issues related to in-country work or international relations...
organization "with local women’s federations and group members at every divisional level of government."
Progress in promoting equality
"In 1949, when the PRC was founded, employed women accounted for only 7% of the workforce; in 1992, however, the figure was 38%. Women's contribution to family income went from 20% in the 1950s to 40% in the 1990s. In 1982, Chinese working women made up 43% of the total population, higher than the percentages enjoyed by American women (35.3%) or Japanese women (36%)."Gender disparity
Mainland China has a highly masculine sex ratio. The sex ratioHuman sex ratio
In anthropology and demography, the human sex ratio is the sex ratio for Homo sapiens . Like most sexual species, the sex ratio is approximately 1:1. In humans the secondary sex ratio is commonly assumed to be 105 boys to 100 girls, an assumption that is a subject of debate in the scientific...
at birth (between male and female births) in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
reached 117:100 in the year 2000, substantially more masculine than the natural baseline, which ranges between 103:100 and 107:100. It had risen from 108:100 in 1981—at the boundary of the natural baseline—to 111:100 in 1990. According to a report by the State Population and Family Planning Commission, there will be 30 million more men than women in 2020, potentially leading to social instability. The correlation between the increase of masculine sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
disparity on birth and the deployment of one child policy would appear to have been caused by the one-child policy.
However, other Asian regions also have higher than average ratios, including Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(110:100) , which do not have a family planning policy. Many studies have explored the reason for the gender-based birthrate disparity in China as well as other countries. A study in 1990 attributed the high preponderance of reported male births in mainland China to four main causes: diseases which affect females more severely than males; the result of widespread under-reporting of female births; the illegal practice of sex-selective abortion
Sex-selective abortion
Sex-selective abortion is the practice of terminating a pregnancy based upon the predicted sex of the baby. The selective abortion of female fetuses is most common in areas where cultural norms value male children over female children, especially in parts of People's Republic of China, India,...
made possible by the widespread availability of ultrasound
Obstetric ultrasonography
Obstetric sonography is the application of medical ultrasonography to obstetrics, in which sonography is used to visualize the embryo or foetus in its mother's uterus...
; and finally, acts of child abandonment
Child abandonment
Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring with the intent of never again resuming or reasserting them. Causes include many social and cultural factors as well as mental illness. An abandoned child is called a foundling .-Causes:Poverty is often a...
and infanticide
Infanticide
Infanticide or infant homicide is the killing of a human infant. Neonaticide, a killing within 24 hours of a baby's birth, is most commonly done by the mother.In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible...
.
Prostitution
Shortly after taking power in 1949, the Communist Party of ChinaCommunist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
embarked upon a series of campaigns that purportedly eradicated prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
from mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
by the early 1960s. However, since the loosening of government controls over society in the early 1980s, prostitution in mainland China not only has become more visible, but also can now be found throughout both urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
and rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
areas. In spite of government efforts, prostitution has now developed to the extent that it comprises an industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
, one that involves a great number of people and produces a considerable economic output
Output (economics)
Output in economics is the "quantity of goods or services produced in a given time period, by a firm, industry, or country," whether consumed or used for further production.The concept of national output is absolutely essential in the field of macroeconomics...
. Prostitution has also become associated with a number of problems, including organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
, government corruption and sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
s.
Second wives
The phenomenon of de facto polygamyPolygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, or so-called "second wives" (二奶 èrnǎi in Chinese), has reemerged in recent years. There are many villages in southern part of China where predominantly such women live.
This situation has created many social and legal issues
Abuse
It has been reported that there has been an outbreak of domestic violence in China involving Chinese women committing violence against Chinese men. In 2003 10% of violence in families involved male victims. The wives beat their husbands, and some cut off their penises. In WuxiWuxi
Wuxi is an old city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Split in half by Lake Tai, Wuxi borders Changzhou to the west and Suzhou to the east. The northern half looks across to Taizhou across the Yangtze River, while the southern half also borders the province of Zhejiang to the south...
in Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
province a man had his penis cut off by his wife.
See also
- Gender equalityGender equalityGender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
- Gender inequalityGender inequalityGender inequality refers to disparity between individuals due to gender. Gender is constructed both socially through social interactions as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain structure, and hormonal differences. Gender systems are often dichotomous and hierarchical; binary gender...
- UrbanUrban society in the People's Republic of ChinaThere is considerable confusion in both Chinese and foreign sources over definitions of urban places and hence considerable variation in estimates of China's urban population ....
and Rural society in the People's Republic of China - Women in ancient ChinaWomen in ancient ChinaTraditional Chinese society has been male-centered. Sons were preferred to daughters, and women were expected to be subordinate to fathers, husbands, and sons. Far fewer women were educated than men, and many of their readings consist of book such as Nü Xun and Lienü zhuan , which instruct them...
- Women's healthcare in the People's Republic of China
- Feminism in China
- Impact of globalization on women in China
- Globalization and women in ChinaGlobalization and women in ChinaThe study of the impact of globalization on women in China examines the role and status of Chinese women relative to the political and cultural changes that have taken place in the 20th century as a consequence of globalization...
Further reading
- (pdf doc.) Women in the People's Republic of China (Country Briefing Paper) by the Asian Development BankAsian Development BankThe Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
(Pub. Date: 1998)
External links
- 中国妇女网 All-China Women's Federation — Official website.