THE RECENT arrests of the journalist Gao Yu and Tong Yi, secretary of the dissident Wei Jingsheng, show how willing the Chinese government is to impose the same repression upon women the regime exercises over men.
Amnesty International has recently reported that around 200 women have been arrested for participating in pro-Tibetan independence demonstrations since 1992.
Formally women in China have the same political, cultural, educational and social rights as men. The prominent role of women in the revolution enabled them to make important gains. Hence in 1949 when "New china was formed the law stipulated equality in all spheres.
In February 1994 the Chinese government published the "National report on the People's Republic of China's implementation of the Nairobi strategy to enhance the status of women". In June it published a white paper on the "Situation of Women in China".
Both documents talk of the positive achievements gained for women in China.
Improved status
It is certainly true that the status proved since the revolution. Yet according to scholars at the Shanghai Social Sciences Academy cases of discrimination and abuse of women are on the increase. Incidences of domestic violence are rising.
Both documents either evade or gloss over the negative aspects of the situation of women.
The one-child policy is being rigorously enforced. Abuse and the killing of girts are everyday facts of life.
The male-female balance is being seriously upset. In the 30-44 age group there are 7.4 million unmarried men and only half a million men. This phenomenon will continue to worsen.
According to an international conference on women and education at the end of 1992 2.1 million girls are not in school. Most working women have received only primary education. The while paper reports a 32 per cent illiteracy rate among women.
Although there are 7 million women members of the Chinese Communist Party, comprising 14 per cent of the total membership. not one of the 20 members of the Since the reforms began in 1978 unemployment has been a central problem for Chinese women. According to the Labour Bureau in China over 70 per cent of the 20 million "redundant" workers in state and collective enterprises.
The Shenzehen Labour Bureau reports that 80 per cent of the unemployed above the age of 24 are women. Sit Chaolin, the deputy president of the National Labour Federation, commented that according to many of our sample surveys, women constitute about 60 cent years... they not only suffer from phycological pressure but also find it very difficult to make a Yet the report made no mention or are scale womens unempoy ment.
Wang Jun, the head of the women workers section of the tederation pointed out that the surveys legal rights in foreign owned enterprises —low pay, sexual harassment and poor conditions are frequent.
A 1995 survey of joint enterprises in Shanghai found that over mal the enterprises are not sonere to the 44-hour working week, overtime was the norm and that in some businesses 137 hours of overtime a month were demanded of the workers.
The official trade union follows the government right down the by the party. All attempt of workers to organise independently have been met with repression.
Only free trades unions can effectively fight for workers. The furthering of the cause of women will depend upon women fighting for their rights with their own strength. • This article is taken from the Hong Kong Fourth Internationalist magazine October Review
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No 90, September 23 1995. Page 9.