20th CPC National Congress Charts Path Forward for Women, Children's Causes

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on October 16. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a report to the 20th CPC National Congress on behalf of the 19th CPC Central Committee. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei]

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivered a report –– Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects –– on behalf of the 19th CPC Central Committee to the 20th CPC National Congress, in Beijing, on October 16.

Xi's delivery of that report marked the third time the CPC Central Committee had underscored its commitment to the fundamental national policy of gender equality, and to the protection of the lawful rights and interests of women and children, in a report to the Party's National Congress.

Gender Equality Written into Party's National Congress Report for Third Time

Li Ying, a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of China Women's University (CWU) and dean of CWU's School of International Education, listened as the report was presented in the Great Hall of the People. Li underlined the sentence, "We will remain committed to the fundamental national policy of gender equality and protect the lawful rights and interests of women and children," read during the ninth part of the report, Improving the People's Wellbeing and Raising Quality of Life. She jotted down her thoughts about that sentence.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, in 2012, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, has always attached great importance to the development of women's cause, and the CPC Central Committee has led and pushed for historical achievements in the development of women's affairs, says Li, a scholar in the field of women's human rights.

Noting the people-centered philosophy of development was embodied throughout Xi's report, Li stressed that adhering to the fundamental national policy of gender equality is an integral part of the philosophy, and the fundamental national policy and the philosophy should be better integrated to guarantee women's equal opportunities for development while achieving the all-round development of the people.

Jiang Xiuhua, deputy head of and researcher with the Women's Studies Institute of China (WSIC), affiliated with the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), says she was highly motivated by the report. She watched the live broadcast of the congress's opening ceremony with other Party members during a meeting organized by ACWF.

Remaining committed to the fundamental national policy of gender equality, and protecting the lawful rights and interests of women and children, being written into the Party's national congress report for the third time shows the Party consistently attaches great importance to the cause of women, and that it reflects the Party's values, basic positions and political views on gender equality, Jiang says. Further, she adds, remaining committed to the fundamental national policy of gender equality, and protecting the lawful rights and interests of women and children, being written into the Party's national congress report for the third time is an innovative move of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it provides a fundamental political guarantee for women to exercise their democratic rights, in accordance with the law, to participate in economic and social development, and to enjoy the fruits of reform and development on an equal basis.

Fostering Stronger Family Ties, Values and Traditions

The report also contains many contents related to family, women's development and work on women. In the eighth part of the report, Building Cultural Confidence and Strength and Securing New Successes in Developing Socialist Culture, Xi mentioned, "We will continue the civic morality campaign, carry forward traditional Chinese virtues, foster stronger family ties, values, and traditions, and raise the intellectual and moral standards of minors. We will build public commitment to the greater good, public morality, and personal integrity. These efforts will help raise public moral standards and enhance public civility."

Jiang noted it was the first time the CPC Central Committee had stressed the cultivation of strong family ties, values and traditions in a report of the Party's national congress. The fourth, fifth and sixth plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee had previously mentioned the contents.

The report underscored the importance of strengthening family ties, values and traditions, from the perspective of upholding Chinese culture and carrying forward the Chinese spirit, and it highlighted the vital role of family in driving national development and social harmony, Jiang says.

Improving Mechanisms for School-Family-Society Collaboration in Education

In the fifth section of the report, Invigorating China Through Science and Education and Developing a Strong Workforce for the Modernization Drive, it was mentioned, "We will advance comprehensive reform in education, strengthen the creation and management of teaching materials, refine the systems for school management and educational assessments, and improve mechanisms for school-family-society collaboration in education."

Noting family education is an important component of the overall education system, Lan Zhen, a delegate to the congress and Party secretary of Zhangzhou Experimental Primary School, says families and schools cooperating to promote the physical and psychological health of students is an important part of education in the new era.

Lan says it is crucial that full play be given to the roles of parents' schools, and that family school integrated education be strengthened and high-quality development of schools be promoted.

Eliminating Unjustified Restrictions, Discrimination That Undermine Equal Employment

In the ninth section, Improving the People's Wellbeing and Raising Quality of Life, it was mentioned, "We will integrate the urban and rural employment policy systems, remove institutional and policy barriers that impede the flow of labor and talent, and eliminate unjustified restrictions and discrimination that undermine equal employment. In this way, we will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to pursue a career through hard work."

Gender discrimination is a pressing issue among all the types of discrimination in the labor market, Jiang says, adding the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development clearly proposes the elimination of gender discrimination in employment.

Eliminating unjustified restrictions and discrimination that undermine equal employment being written into the report provides a strong institutional guarantee for the promotion of women's employment at the level of national governance, Jiang says. As employment is pivotal to the wellbeing of all people, China should consolidate the responsibilities of relevant government departments, and give full play to the roles of all sectors of society in joining efforts to eliminate gender discrimination in employment, she adds.

Establishing Policy System to Boost Birth Rates

While presenting the ninth section, Improving the People's Wellbeing and Raising Quality of Life, Xi said "We will improve the population development strategy, establish a policy system to boost birth rates, and bring down the costs of pregnancy and childbirth, child rearing, and schooling."

Li notes establishing a policy system to boost birth rates was mentioned in the part of the report dedicated to further advancing the Healthy China Initiative. "My understanding is the country will pay more attention to systematic support for pregnancy, childbirth and child rearing, take into account different factors that affect birth rates, adopt comprehensive measures, and share responsibilities," she says.

Jiang says such special mention shows the great attention the Party, and the country, is paying to population growth, and it represents the notable progress in China's institutional design. Establishing a policy system to boost birth rates from the strategic height of national governance, will help iron out the concerns and worries of women and their families, and will promote the all-round development of women, she adds.

Attaching Importance to Cultivating and Selecting Women Officials

In the 15th section, Exercising Full and Rigorous Self-Governance and Advancing the Great New Project of Party Building in the New Era, the report explains "We will attach importance to cultivating and selecting female officials and give full play to their important role."

Li says that demonstrates the great importance the CPC Central Committee continues to attach to the development of women officials, and that the CPC Central Committee will provide women with a broader platform to participate in decision-making and management.

Intensifying Reform and Development of People's Organizations

In the sixth section, Advancing Whole-Process People's Democracy and Ensuring that the People Run the Country, the report explains "We will intensify reform and development of trade unions, Chinese Communist Youth League organizations, women's federations, and other people's organizations and give full play to their role as bridges connecting the Party with the people."

Jiang says emphasis on the effectiveness of the building and reform of people's organizations charts a course for the reform of women's federations, and the work involving women. Women's federations will continue to improve work style, listen to and give full expression to the voice and will of grassroots women, respect women's pioneering spirit, lead and unite women in following the instructions and guidance of the Party, embarking on a new journey and making greater achievements in the new era.

Sun Fenghua, a delegate to the congress, secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and president of Shandong Women's Federation, says the report maps out a blueprint for China's future development, looks ahead to the bright prospects for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and motivates the people.

The report, she adds, fully demonstrates the great importance the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, attaches to the work on women and the care for women and children. Women's federations, collectively, are a bridge for the Party and Chinese Government to stay close to women, and are crucial for the Party to further consolidate its ruling foundation and seek women's support, Sun adds.

Sun says it is one of her top political priorities to study, publicize and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, and she adds she will follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, accept the responsibilities of guiding, serving and contacting women, explore new approaches to conduct the work of women and women's federations, and contribute to the realization of major objectives and tasks outlined by the 20th CPC National Congress.

(Source: Women's Voice)