Girls

(A) Efforts and Progress

1. The government has been committed to the development of girl children and the inclusion of the gender perspective and the girl priority principle in the formulation of laws, policies, and programs of action 

China has been implementing the stipulations on safeguarding children's rights contained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors (amended in 2012), and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Compulsory Education (amended in 2006), and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women. China has been keeping girl children from gender-based discrimination and safeguarding their rights to life, development, protection, and participation.

The China National Program for Child Development (2011-2020) not only spells out the basic principle of giving priority to children but also insists on eliminations of discrimination against girl children. The Program advocates the concept of gender equality to strengthen the social awareness of gender equality. It requires that mechanisms for guaranteeing the interests of girl children and their families be established and that the socio-economic status of rural households with girl children be improved. It further requires that efforts be stepped up to punish the use of B-mode ultrasound to test the gender of fetuses and gender-based artificial termination of pregnancy for non-medical purposes. In addition, the Program for the Development of Chinese Women (2011-2020) also contains a set of objectives for guaranteeing girl children's equal access to educational opportunities, "70 percent of girl children should be enrolled in kindergarten schools for the three pre-school years to ensure that girl children have equal access to pre-school education; 95 percent of school age children receive nine-year compulsory education to ensure that girl children have equal access to nine-year compulsory education and eliminate girl dropouts; and 90 percent of children should be enrolled at senior middle schools to ensure that girl children have equal access to senior middle school education". The 12th Five-year Program of the People's Republic Of China for National Economic and Social Development (2011-2015) includes, for the first time, a section called "giving priority to children's development", stipulating "elimination of discrimination against girl children", "severely cracking down on trafficking of children and abandoning infants . The report delivered at the National People's Congress spelt out the basic state policy of equality between men and women and guaranteeing the lawful rights of women and children.    

2. Policies and measures have been adopted by the government to combat all forms of violence against girls 

Measures have been taken to reverse the trend of alarming sex ratios at birth. The sex ratio at birth in China has been on the decline since 2010; however, it is still higher than the cap of 107 set by the UN . Therefore, the Commission of Population and Family Planning and other eleven government agencies launched a program called "caring for girl children" aimed at establishing comprehensive management mechanisms through inter-governmental collaboration and participation of the whole society. Since 2011, the Commission of Population and Family Planning and five other government agencies have jointly conducted the specialized activity of cracking down on testing the sex of fetuses and sex-based artificial termination of pregnancy for non-medical purposes. Domestic violence and sexual abuse against girl children have received widespread attention in the society. In 2012 the Anti-Domestic Violence Law was included, for the first time, in the legislative agenda of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. In 2013, the Supreme People's Court responded positively to the recommendation of the representatives of the NPC on abolishing the crime of whoring with underage girls. In 2013, the Ministry of Education and the All-China Women's Federation jointly formulated the Suggestions on Preventing Children from Sexual Abuse. In the same year, the Supreme People's Court of China and other departments jointly issued the Suggestions on Punishing Crimes of Sexual Abuse of Underage Children According to Law, the Article 20 states, "where a person induces a young girl into sexual intercourse with him with promises of monetary or material rewards or has sexual intercourse with her while knowing or being supposed to know that she is forced into prostitution, he shall be punished as a rapist".  

The Chinese government has stepped up specialized efforts to combat trafficking of women and children, aiming to establish long term mechanisms for national crackdown on trafficking of women and children. In 2009 the NPC adopted the decision to accede to the Supplementary Protocol of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime on Preventing, Prohibiting, and Punishing Human Trafficking, Including Trafficking of Women and Children. In 2010 the Supreme People's Court issued the Suggestions on Punishing Trafficking of Women and Children According to Law. The government will continue to implement the China's Program of Action Against Trafficking of Women and Children (2013-2020) and earnestly carry out the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.

3. Protection of girls' right to receive education has been strengthened

With regard to safeguarding girl children's right to education, a major achievement is that gender-based differences in compulsory education have been largely eliminated. The Law on Compulsory Education emphasizes on protecting girl children's equal right to education. The government has included girls' education in the objectives for monitoring social development and the system of criteria for review and assessment of popularization of nine-year compulsory education, established a database for compulsory education received by girl children, and has strengthened support for girl children in poverty. In 2012, 91.8 percent of school age children were receiving nine-year compulsory education. In 2013, 99.7 percent of school age girls and boys were enrolled in primary schools . By the end of 2012, the "Spring Bud Project", implemented by the All-China Women's Federation, had funded the establishment of more than 1,200 Spring Bud schools, provided support to more than 2.3 million girl children in poverty, and provided practical technical training for 0.4 million girl children who were past school age . Since 2009, the project "family education for adolescent girls", which focuses on girl children's equal, healthy development, has distributed publicity materials in 20 cities, organized 50,000 classes, and established 156 practical education centers, benefiting a total of 12 million households with girl children.

4. Attention has been paid to the issues faced by various groups of children 

In 2011 the All-China Women's Federation and the Ministry of Education jointly issued the Notice on Implementing the Pilot Service Systems for Caring for Children of Rural Migrant Workers Across the Country. The government also extends efforts toward improving children's nutrition in poverty stricken areas. In 2011, the State Council decided to implement the Plan on Improving the Nutrition for Students Receiving Nine-year Compulsory Education in Rural Areas, which involved an investment of 16 billion yuan to improve nutrition in children in poverty-stricken areas. In 2012, the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the All-China Women's Federation started to implement the project "improving children's nutrition in poverty-stricken areas" on a pilot basis in 100 counties of 10 provinces across eight poverty-stricken regions, through which 100 million yuan earmarked by the public budget was used to provide packaged nutritious food to infants and young children aged from six to 24 months. The project extended to 300 counties in 21 provinces in 2013 . Besides, the Law of the People'S Republic Of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities (amended in 2008) stated, "Governments, the society, and schools shall adopt effective measures to address the practical difficulties faced by children and adolescents with disabilities in receiving education and shall assist them in completing compulsory education ....and, at the same time, give priority to providing children with disabilities with rescue treatments and rehabilitation services".

5. Innovative mechanisms has been established for the work for children and gradual establishment of children's protection and welfare systems 

The mechanisms for cooperation between the government and NGOs have been formed. The All-China Women's Federation and social organizations worked jointly to promote legislation against domestic violence by repeatedly recommending to the NPC and the Legal Affairs Office of the State Council. And the China Law Society has submitted a legislative proposal to promote the introduction of the law against domestic violence. The All-China Women's Federation and public welfare organizations provide media coverage, training, and guidance for advocating gender equality and promoting girl children's development. Many media professionals join in the activities for girls' development and protection. International cooperation has made progress as well. For instance, in 2014 UN-ACT China (2014-2018) was launched, designed to combat human trafficking, including trafficking of women and children. 

Welfare systems are being established by integration of resources. In 2010 the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the UN Children's Fund, and Beijing Normal University jointly kicked off the "demonstrative project for children's welfare in China" (2010-2015) in 120 villages of 12 counties across five provinces and cities, including Henan Province, which covered more than 80,000 children . The project served as an effort to explore the development of systems for children's welfare.

(B) Gaps and Challenges

1. Legislation, decision making, school education, and the mass media lack gender sensitivity to children's issues 

Some of the state laws lack a gender perspective. In certain decision making processes the government does not take into full consideration or assess the differing effects of laws and regulations and policies on boys and girls. Many children's projects undertaken by the government or the society are not gender sensitive. Gender and age-based children's data are generally lacking. Gender inequality and stereotypes against women can also be found in the mass media. Some school curriculum and textbooks have gender bias or even try to enhance traditional gender roles.

2. Girls are still facing the threat of all forms of violence

The sex ratio at birth remains at high levels. The social security mechanisms and other policies that benefit girls and their families need to be further improved. The illegal gender testing of fetuses and gender-based artificial termination of pregnancy for non-medical purposes need to be more severely dealt with. Publicity needs to be strengthened to further improve demographic data collection. Violence against girl children continues to exist. Violence, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse by school teachers, family members, and peers and violent incidents on school campuses pose threats to girl children's safety and health. Domestic and cross-border trafficking of children is still a serious issue harming children's human rights, and trafficking of infants through the Internet has emerged as a new form of human trafficking. The girl children of migrant workers are more prone to the threats of all forms of violence.

3. Girls' life and development is subjected to all forms of restrictions 

Girl children still face, to varying extents, various forms of visible and invisible discrimination due to social and cultural influences. The development of girl children in rural areas, in the West, and among underprivileged groups faces restrictions. Children in poverty-stricken areas do not fare so well in terms of nutrition, access to medical care, and access to education. The popularization rates of preschool education in China, especially in rural areas, are very low. Security systems for orphans, abandoned infants, children with disabilities, and vagrant children need to be established. The issues faced by children of migrant workers need to be more effectively addressed 、 . Girl children's rights to leadership and participation are not fully recognized.

4. Mechanisms for children's work are yet to be further improved 

The mechanisms for cooperation between governments, between governments and NGOs, and between China and international organizations need to be further improved. The scope of cooperation needs to be expanded and coordination and integration of resources need to be strengthened in combating domestic violence, sexual abuse, and trafficking of girl children, reducing the sex ratio at birth, and in building the systems for children's protection and welfare.

(C) Suggestions in Response

1. Legislation, decision making, education, and mass media should enhance gender sensitivity and the awareness of children priority 

State laws and regulations and programs of action have mostly included the perspectives of gender equality and giving priority to children. Most laws and policies provide protection of girl children's rights and interests; however, certain laws still contain stipulations that are not favorable for the protection of children's rights and interests and thus need to be amended. Laws and regulations, policies, and programs of action should have contents that specify reviews of gender equality, giving priority to children, and the awareness of girl children's protection. Relevant laws and regulations should be systematically reviewed to identify contents that are unfavorable for gender equality and girl children's development, and these should be updated or amended. In doing so, successful legislative and judicial cases should be collected and used. With regard to school education, teachers, teaching materials, and the teaching itself should strengthen gender sensitivity, and students and their parents should be taught about gender equality. The media should increase publicity on gender equality across the whole society. In addition, children's participation and leading roles in decision making, education, and the mass media should be strengthened, and the differences in their gender-based needs should be considered. 

2. Efforts should be strengthened to combat various forms of violence against children, especially sexual violence

The government and the media should more vigorously publicize the issue of children's protection. The NPC should abolish the crime of whoring with underage girls as early as possible and adopt legislation against domestic violence. The judicial and public security departments should continue to strengthen efforts to crack down on and punish sexual abuse against girl children. Different constituents should join forces to curb the rising sex ratio at birth. Trafficking of women and children should be punished more severely. Also, the special needs in the protection of rural girl children of migrant workers should be considered.

3. Mechanisms for inter-departmental cooperation and coordination should continue to be built up

Over the years the government and NGOs and international organizations have had a sustained, in-depth, and fruitful cooperation in a variety of areas. In the future, they should strengthen cooperation in fighting domestic violence, sexual abuse, trafficking of women and children, reducing the ratio of sex at birth, and in building up systems for children's protection and warfare. To do so, they should pay attention to coordinating and integrating resources and establishing long term mechanisms.

4. The development of different groups of girl children should be taken into consideration 

Greater efforts should be made to improve nutrition in children in poverty-stricken areas and their medical care and educational conditions. Preschool education in rural areas should be further popularized. Support and security systems for children in poverty, orphans, abandoned infants, children with disabilities, and vagrant children should be established. The children of migrant workers should receive more attention. Girl children should have more opportunities to participate and exercise their roles as leaders.

5. Research on girl children, especially special groups of girl children, should be strengthened 

Research on girl children is fruitful and its translation into policies has been on the rise. However, the research is not as insightful as expected, and studies on girl children as an academic discipline have not been achieved. The government and NGOs should establish Internet platforms for research on girl children to attract more researchers. In addition, the government should continue to strengthen support for the collection and analysis of children's data based on gender, age, geographical locations (rural vs. urban), and characteristics (special vs. non-special groups).

(Women of China)