[Tuchong]

China's State Council Information Office recently held a news conference, during which Zhan Chengfu, Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs, outlined the ministry's achievements in protecting the basic rights and interests of disadvantaged children. He noted the report to the 20th CPC (Communist Party of China) National Congress (held in October 2022) stressed, "We will remain committed to the fundamental national policy of gender equality and protect the lawful rights and interests of women and children." 

While prioritizing children's interests, Zhan added, civil affairs departments (at all levels across China) in recent years have adopted various measures to protect disadvantaged children's rights and interests. For example, the departments have constantly improved the standards for providing the basic living allowance to orphans and de facto orphans. The departments have also used the public-welfare lottery fund to implement a project, under which many orphans have received free surgeries and/or rehabilitation services. In addition, the departments have implemented a project to provide grants to orphans who have been admitted to vocational schools, colleges or universities. 

To create favorable conditions for children's healthy growth, the Ministry of Civil Affairs has worked with other departments, to help children's welfare institutions improve the quality of their services, and to promote the institutions' innovative transformation, coordinating the organizations' integrated development of child-rearing and children's education, medical care, rehabilitation and mental health, Zhan said. 

To help disadvantaged children improve their sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, Zhan said officials of civil affairs departments should strive to improve services to meet the children's needs, especially pertaining to the protection of the children's rights and interests. He added greater efforts should be made to improve the services of children's welfare institutions, to help disadvantaged children stay mentally healthy, and to promote the children's development, in terms of moral grounding, intellectual and physical ability, aesthetic sensibility and work skills.

(Women of China English Monthly November 2023 issue)