WUNRN
CHINA - EARLY DEATH OF ONLY
CHILD DRIVES PARENTS TO DESPAIR
Editor: Hou Jianjun - August 27, 2012
Based on the 2000 census data, about 10 million of the 218 million
single/only children in
Most of these bereaved families tend to segregate themselves from society and
gather together. One of the major problems they face is a lack of
post-retirement living assistance. For example, government-managed nursing
homes have to be signed off by the children of those wanting to live there.
"What I was frightened of was not dying, but getting old," said one
father who had lost his only child.
According to family planning regulations released in December 2001, local
governments are required to offer needed help to parents who have lost their
single children and are unable to conceive or adopt a second one. However, the
regulations do not specify in detail what 'needed help' consists of, making it
hard for these families to receive assistance.
Such measures as financial support, life care and spiritual consolation should
be provided to help the bereaved families, according to Shi Bainian, professor
at the China Youth University of Political Sciences and secretary-general of
the China Social Work Education Association.
"The standard of compensation to these families should be increased,"
said Shi. "Social pension should be developed. In addition, public
understanding is crucial."
"Helping these families is the government's duty. Some unreasonable
regulations, such as requiring family members to sign off before emergency
rescue hospital procedures, should be modified," said Miao Xia, former
inspector of the National Planning Commission and former president of the China
Population Welfare Foundation.
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A middle-aged couple was quite sad after losing their only child. An expert predicts that about 10 million Chinese parents will lose their only child in the future. [fjsen.com] |
(Source: chinanews.com/Translated by womenofchina.cn)