The 1st National Women's Congress

The First National Women's Congress

March 24, 1949 is a date worth remembering for all Chinese women. On that day, the First National Women's Congress of China was convened. The All-China Women's Democratic Federation — the first national women's organization in China — was thus established.

The First National Women's Congress was held in Huairen Hall of Beiping (now Beijing) on March 24-April 3, 1949, and was attended by more than 500 deputies. The congress was held a few months before the thorough victory of the Chinese people's liberation. 

Deputies passed the report "Current Orientation of Chinese Women's Movement and Its Tasks," which summarized experiences of the women's movement during the period of new democratic revolution and pointed out its general tasks. The tasks were as follows:  "carrying through the struggle against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism to the end and establishing the united people's democratic republic;" and "launching and mobilizing urban and rural women to take part in various productive undertakings beneficial to economic construction." The congress approved the "Constitution of the All-China Women's Democratic Federation" (ACWDF) and announced its formal establishment. He Xiangning was elected Honorary President and Cai Chang was elected President.

(Women of China)