The "2 NPAs" refer to the National Program for Women's Development (2011-2020) and the National Program for Child Development (2011-2020).

Prior to the 2 NPAs, China had issued the National Program for Women's Development (1995-2000) and the National Program of Action for Child Development in China in the 1990s, and the National Program for Women's Development (2001-2010) and the National Program for Children's Development (2001-2010).

China National Program for Women's Development (2011-2020)

Equality between men and women is a fundamental State policy in China. The level of gender equality is an important indicator of social civilization and progress. Women account for half of the Chinese population, constituting an important force in China's economic and social development. Safeguarding women's lawful rights and interests while promoting their development, and advancing women's development while protecting their rights and interests, is an intrinsic driving force, and important channel towards women's liberation. Protecting the rights and interests of women, promoting women's development, and pushing forward gender equality are vital to the country's economic and social development as well as to the civilization and progress of the Chinese nation.

In 2001, the State Council promulgated the National Program for Women's Development in China (2001-2010) (hereinafter referred to as The Program). The Program major objectives, strategies and measures were set down according to six priority areas of development, namely: women and the economy; women's participation in decision-making and management; women's education; women and health; women and the law; women and the environment.

Over the past ten years, China has incorporated women's development into its overall national economic and social development plan. To vigorously implement The Program, the legal system safeguarding women's lawful rights and interests has been constantly improved, and the government has strengthened its managerial responsibility, expanded funding, and enhanced social advocacy. By 2010, most major targets set out in The Program were achieved with significant progress in women's development and gender equality. Women enjoyed more social security benefits and the situation of impoverished women improved. The level of women's political participation raised, and their awareness of participation in social affairs enhanced. Women's educational level became steadily higher, and the education gap between the sexes narrower. Women enjoyed a better health and greater average life expectancy. Legislation and law enforcement relative to women's rights and interests were consistently strengthened, and women's rights and interests better guaranteed. Equality between men and women, as a fundamental State policy, became more popularized in China, and the social environment for women's development further improved. The period from 2001 to 2010 was one of the most outstanding historical periods of women's development in China.

Restricted and affected as they are, however, by the level of productive forces and that of social civilization at the primary stage of socialism, women's development still faces many problems and challenges. Sex discrimination in employment still exists, in terms of income and access to resources. Women's participation in decision-making and management is still low, and the gender gap in education exists. Women's health care needs are yet to be better met, the social environment for women's development to be optimized, and further improvements are called for in levels of social security available to women. The interests-related demands of women of different social strata have become increasingly diversified, and urban-rural imbalances in women's development are yet to be fully addressed.

In the coming ten years, as economic globalization grows and international competition becomes more and more intense, the international community will in the process of promoting human development pay more attention to women's development and gender equality. The period from now till 2020 is crucial to the drive to comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society in China. As economic and social development rapidly advances, rare opportunities and new challenges for women's development coexist. There is still a long way to go in promoting women's comprehensive development and realizing equality between men and women.

The National Program on the Development of Chinese Women (2011-2020) has been formulated on the basis of the basic principles prescribed in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the stipulations of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women and other related laws, the purposes of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women and other international conventions and documents, the general objectives and requirements of economic and social development, and the actual situation concerning women's development and gender equality in China.

I. Guidelines and Basic Principles

1. Guidelines

Hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics; be guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of the "Three Represents"; thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development; carry out the fundamental State policy of equality between men and women; safeguard women's lawful rights and interests; improve the environment for women's development; enhance women's social status; encourage women to exercise democratic rights on an equal footing and according to law, and to equally participate in economic and social development so as to equally benefit from the achievements of reform and development.

2. Basic Principles

(1) The principle of comprehensive development. Based on the basic needs of women's survival and development, focus on addressing practical problems bearing on the immediate interests of women, with a view to achieving women's comprehensive development in political, economic, cultural, social and other spheres.
(2) The principle of equal development. Improve and implement the laws, regulations and policies promoting equality between men and women, pay more attention to social equity, construct a civilized and advanced gender culture, create a favorable social environment, narrow the gap in social status between men and women, and promote the harmonious development of men and women.
(3) The principle of coordinated development. Intensify support for women's development in rural poverty-stricken and ethnic minority areas; narrow the gaps between urban and rural women in per capita income, life quality, culture and education, medical and health services, and social security through improving the rules and regulations, increasing financial input and optimizing project layouts.
(4) The principle of women's participation. Ensure women's rights to participate in economic and social development according to law, respect women as a major social force, and instruct and support women in achieving individual progress and development while promoting socialist construction in economic, political, cultural, social and ecological civilization fields.

II. General Objectives

Incorporate gender awareness in the legal system and public policies, promote women's comprehensive development, enhance harmonious development between men and women, and promote the synchronizing of women's development with economic and social development. Ensure women's equal access to basic medical and health care services to significantly improve women's life quality and health; ensure women's equal rights and access to education to continuously raise their educational level; ensure women's equal access to economic resources and equal participation in economic development to manifestly enhance their economic status; ensure women's equal participation in the administration and management of State and social affairs to increase their level of political participation; ensure women's equal access to social security to notably improve their level of social welfare; ensure women's equal participation in the decision-making and management of environmental affairs to improve the environment for their development; and ensure the improvement of the legal system on the protection of women's rights and interests to steadfastly safeguard their lawful rights and interests.

III. Areas for Development, Major Objectives and Strategies and Measures

1. Health of Women
2. Education of Women
3. Women and the Economy
4. Women in Decision Making and Management
5. Women and the Social Security
6. Women and the Environment
7. Women and the Law 

China National Program for Child Development (2011-2020)

Childhood is a critical period of human development. Providing the opportunities and conditions necessary for children's survival, development, protection and participation, best meeting the needs of children's growth, and bringing children's potential into play lays a sound foundation for children's development and future life.

Children are the future of humankind and as such, an important resource for society's sustainable development. Children's development is an important part of a country's socio-economic development as well as of its civilization and progress. Promoting children's development is of strategic importance to improving the comprehensive quality of the Chinese nation and building China into a human resources-powerful country.

In 2001 the State Council promulgated the National Program for Child Development in China (2001-2010) (hereinafter referred to as The Program). The Program proposed major objectives, strategies and measures in the four aspects of children's health, education, legal protection, and the environment. Over the past ten years, the State has improved to the legal system for protecting children's rights, enhanced government responsibilities, and continuously improved children-related work along legal and scientific lines. It has thus enabled remarkable improvements in the environment and conditions necessary for children's survival, protection and development. Children's rights have been further protected and major achievements made in children's development. By the end of 2010, major objectives of the Program were accomplished. Children's health and nutrition steadily improved. Infant mortality rate dropped from 32.2 per thousand in the 2000 to 13.1 per thousand in 2010, and the mortality rate of children under 5 dropped from 39.7 per thousand in 2000 to 16.4 per thousand in 2010. Maternal mortality rate dropped from 53.0 per 100 thousand in 2000 to 30.0 per 100 thousand As part of the national immunization plan child immunization and vaccination, rate reached by 2010 well above 90 percent. There was also a marked rise in popularization of children's education. The gross enrollment rate of preschool education rose from 35.0 percent in 2000 to 56.6 percent in 2010. Over the same ten-year period, the net enrollment rate of primary school-age children reached 99.7 percent, and the gross enrolment rates of junior middle school was 100.1 percent, and that of senior middle school 82.5 percent. Orphans, children of poverty-stricken families, disabled children, street children, HIV/AIDS-affected children and other disadvantaged children, also received more care and help.

Owing to certain socio-economic and cultural factors, however, children's development and protection of their rights still face problems and challenges. The awareness of putting children first needs to be intensified in society and the mechanism for children's work to be improved. Regional and urban-rural disparities in children's development remain, and the level of children's development in poverty-stricken areas as a whole is still low. Birth defects were on the rise, and the sex ratio at birth remains relatively high. Public resources for preschool education are insufficient and the popularization rate of preschool education is low. There is an imbalance in development of nine-year compulsory education, evident in gaps among different schools and regions, and between rural and urban areas. Assistance to children in poverty-stricken families, orphans, foundlings, disabled children and street children urgently needs to systematised. Children-related problems stemming from migration are yet to be resolved effectively, and negative factors affecting children's healthy development still exist in the social and cultural environment. Solving the main problems of children's growth, promoting children's all-round development and rights protection, therefore, remain a major task in the coming years.

The next decade is a crucial period for comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society in China, and there are unprecedented opportunities for child development. Adhering to and applying the Scientific Outlook on Development will create a more favorable social environment for children's healthy growth. Formulating and implementing a new program on the development of Chinese children will lay a more solid foundation for all-round individual development and for improving the comprehensive quality of the Chinese nation.

The National Program on the Development of Chinese Children (2011-2020) is formulated in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, such as the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors, the purposes of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the general objectives and requirements of China's national economic and social development, and the actual situation of children's development in China.

I. Guidelines and Basic Principles

1. Guidelines

Hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of the "Three Represents," thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, adhere to the principle of "Putting children First," and safeguard children's rights to survival, development, protection, and participation. Narrow gaps among different regions and between rural and urban areas in children's development, improve children's welfare and overall quality, and promote the healthy growth of children in all aspects.

2. Basic Principles

1. Protection of children according to law. Safeguard children's legal rights according to law and promote children's healthy growth in all aspects throughout their physical and mental development process.
2. Principle of "Putting children First." Give priority to children's interests and needs in legislation, policy planning and public resources allocation.
3. Principle of children's maximum interests. Give full consideration to children's physical and mental development characteristics and interests when dealing with affairs concerning children, to ensure their maximum interests.
4. Development of children on an equal footing. Create a fair social environment, and ensure equal rights and opportunities for all children without discrimination, on grounds of registered permanent residence, region, sex, ethnicity, belief, educational status, physical condition or family property.
5. Principle of participation. Encourage and support children's participation in family, cultural and social life, create a favorable social environment for children's participation, smooth the channels through which children can express their views, and attach importance to children's opinions.

II. General Objectives

Improve the basic medical and health care system that covers rural and urban children, and improve children's health in body and mind. Promote equalization of fundamental public education service and ensure higher-quality education for all children. Expand welfare coverage for children and establish and improve a moderately universal welfare system for children. Enhance the socialized service level and create a children-friendly social environment. Improve the legal system and protection mechanism to protect children's legal rights and interests according to law.

III. Areas for Development, Major Objectives and Strategies and Measures

1. Health of Children
2. Education of Children
3. Welfare of Children
4. Children and the Social Environment
5. Legal Protection of Children