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CHINA - REPORT - WIDENING GAP IN WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT IN WEST VS. EAST

All-China Women's Federation

http://www.womenofchina.cn/html/womenofchina/report/154650-1.htm

The cover of Report on Development in Western China (2013) (Blue Book of WesternChina) [ssapchina.com]

Editor: Hou Jianjun - July 22, 2013

There is still a widening gap in women's development between China's western and eastern regions, according to the newly released Report on Development in Western China (2013) (Blue Book of Western China).

According to the report, the rate of women's premarital medical check-up is declining in western China, the gap in women's overall health conditions between western and eastern China is widening and enrollment rates of girls in schools still need to be increased.

The report also shows that women in western China face great gender discrimination in job-seeking and the re-employment rate for urban laid-off women workers is still low, while rural women find it even harder to find jobs. In addition, more needs to be done to protect the rights and interests of women workers.

In terms of women's participation in social decision-making and management in western China, the report shows that existing policies and rules have no specific stipulations about post allocations, pushing many women cadres out of leadership positions.

The Report on Development in Western China (2013) is a research report published by the Social Science Academic Press (China) and written by experts and scholars who are studying the economic development of China's western regions. It is organized by the Centre for Studies of China Western Economic Development of Northwest University, one of the country's key research institutes of humanities and social science.

(Source: Chinanews/Translated by womenofchina.cn)