Promoting Gender Equality, Decent Work

The UN Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 was one of the milestones in the history of the global women's movement. The conference formulated principles, policies and goals aimed at improving women's status and realizing gender equality. As a UN official, I attended the conference. I witnessed how feminists, gender experts, government representatives and NGO representatives made great efforts to advance women's rights.

The ILO organized training on gender equality after the conference finished. The training was intended to improve officials' awareness and understanding of gender equality.

Since 2001, several projects to promote work-related gender equality have been organized by the Chinese Government, the Beijing Bureau, under ILO, the All-China Women's Federation and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.

The projects were intended to prevent work-related gender discrimination, encourage women to start businesses, help women receive an equal salary with men for work of equal value, protect women's reproductive rights, protect women against sexual harassment in the workplace, and help women find decent work (which offers a fair income, security in the workplace, better prospects for personal development and social integration, and freedom for people to express their concerns).

Ten years ago, ILO established the '3+1' mechanism to promote gender equality in China. In '3+1,' the '3' refers to the three parties in the ILO — workers, employers and the government. The government refers to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The workers refer to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions. The employers refer to China Enterprise Confederation. The '1' refers to the All-China Women's Federation.

There are still many barriers to full gender equality in China. We are also confronted by many new problems about gender inequality.

However, I believe that many young people will join our ranks, and they will help us promote gender equality. We will explore new ideas and methods of promoting gender equality, and of protecting women's rights. 

(Women of China)