Authorities might have to ask themselves if they are serious about the latest national plan to protect human rights after reports emerged about a Shaanxi woman who was forced to abort a seven-month-old fetus.
Shaanxi-based hsw.cn reported on Tuesday that county officials forced Feng Jianmei , 22, from Ankang to abort her fetus early this month after she and her husband failed to pay fines for having a second child. Photos of the fetus next to the distressed mother in bed were posted online by a relative, triggering national outrage over how the woman was treated.
The revelation came one day after the State Council's Information Office made public the council's human rights action plan for 2012-15 via official media outlets including Xinhua and People's Daily.
The plan, the second of its kind the mainland has drafted since 2009, has been greeted with praise by state media, and China.com.cn hailed it as an indication that human rights had emerged as a major theme in social development and nation-building. 'It signalled that human rights development in China has entered a new stage where rights will be improved in an all-round and steady fashion with a plan,' it said.
A signed commentary in Beijing Daily on Friday said the action plan stressed the need to improve social justice and harmony and ensure every member of society led a better life and one with greater dignity.
'The action plan is a further sign of the country's growing confidence over the issue of human rights. The improvement of human rights is about taking good care of our businesses on our own terms in order to serve the interests of our own people.'
News site Rednet.cn based in Hunan said on Tuesday that China was well qualified to become a role model in the world because of its heightened concerns over rights issues and its pragmatic approach towards their protection.
