Practice and Reflections on
Women’s Right to Receive an Education in China (Outline)
Li Zhong1
Since the end of 1970s, Chinese government has made a couple of laws to protect
women’s right to receive an education. At the same time, China has made Outline of
Women ‘s Development, Outline of Reform and Development of Chinese Education,
and Action Plan on Educational Development in 21st Century and put unprecedented
emphasis on women’s right to receive an education. For that, China took a series of
measures to accelerate the realization of equal protection on women’s right of
education.
First, the government increased the financial input to education,
especially to compulsory education in poverty-stricken area.
Second, the
government took positive measures to assure women’s right to receive an education in
countryside and low developed area. Third, the government launched a movement
of eliminating illiteracy mainly in countryside.
Fourth, the government developed
adult education, professional and technical education. Fifth, the government made
full use of social forces to help girl students.
Currently, the major problems women’s right to receive an education faces are: (1)
The situation of women’s right to receive an education between urban and rural area,
developed and undeveloped area is uneven. (2) Women’s educational level is lower.
(3) The external environment of women’s right to receive an education remains to be
improved.
There are several ways hindering the realization of women’s right to receive an
education. (1) Wrong conceptions; (2) Weak legal protection; (3) Lower educational
payback; (4) Limited government financial input; (5) Family financial difficulties; (6)
Custom of early-marrying.
In order to improve women’s right to receive an education, we may (1) establish
modern conception of social gender; (2) reform relevant legislations; (3) increase
1
Associate professor, Institute of Law of CASS.
1
financial input to poverty-stricken area, especially countryside and undeveloped area;
(4) improve the external environment.
2