China looks to ‘update and strengthen’ women’s rights law
- Proposed revision includes outlawing superstitious practices, and banning employers from asking female applicants about marital or pregnancy status
- Schools and companies would also be required to set up a mechanism to prevent and punish sexual harassment against women
China may outlaw the use of superstitious and “mind-control” practices on women and ban employers from asking female applicants about their marital or pregnancy status under proposed changes to its women’s rights law.
A draft revision of the Law on the Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests, which has been in place for three decades, was reviewed on Monday at an ongoing meeting of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the top legislative body.
“New problems have arisen as our society and economy develop, while some of our prevalent old issues over the protection of women’s rights and interests have yet to be totally resolved,” He Yiting, an official from the NPC’s Social Development Affairs Committee, was quoted by state media as saying.
“This means the law urgently needs to be updated and strengthened.”
The draft includes revisions to 48 clauses and 24 new additions, with one removed, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
