中国妇女的状况
The Situation Of Chinese Women
中华人民共和国国务院新闻办公室
Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
一九九四年六月·北京
June 1994, Beijing
目 录
Contents
前言
Foreword
一、 中国妇女的历史性解放
Chapter I. Historic Liberation of Chinese Women
二、 平等的法律地位
Chapter II. Equal Legal Status
三、 在经济领域中的平等权利与重要作用
Chapter III. Equal Rights and Important Role in Economic Sphere
四、 广泛参与国家和社会事务的管理
Chapter IV. Extensive Participation in Administration of State and Social Affairs
五、 在社会生活领域中充分发展
Chapter V. Full Advance in Society
六、 婚姻家庭领域中的平等地位
Chapter VI. Equal Status in Marriage and Family Life
七、 中国妇女权益的组织保障
Chapter VII. Organizational Guarantees of the Rights and Interests of Chinese Women
八、 积极参与国际妇女活动
Chapter VIII. Active Participation in International Women's Activities
前 言
Foreword
1992年3月,联合国决定第四次世界妇女大会于1995年在中国首都北京召开,这使中国妇女的状况倍受世界关注。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
In March 1992, the United Nations decided to hold in 1995 the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, the capital of China. This has aroused greater world attention on the status of Chinese women.
在几千年的封建社会和百余年的半殖民地半封建社会中,中国妇女曾经有过长期受压迫、受屈辱、受摧残的悲惨历史。从本世纪上半叶起,广大妇女在中国共产党的领导下,为了民族和自身的解放,经过几十年不屈不挠的英勇奋斗,直到中华人民共和国成立,占全世界妇女四分之一的中国妇女终于获得了历史性的解放。
In the feudal society which lasted several millennia and the subsequent century of semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, Chinese women experienced a bitter history of prolonged oppression, degradation and abasement. From the first half of this century, masses of women plunged into an undaunted and heroic struggle lasting several decades under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. This was a quest for national liberation and their own emancipation. It was not until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 that Chinese women, who make up one-fourth of their sex in the world, finally won their historic freedom.
新中国宣告了中国妇女在政治、经济、文化、社会和家庭生活等各方面均享有与男子平等的权利,她们和全体中国公民一样成为国家与社会的主人。中国的各种法律保障妇女与男子具有同等的权利和地位,具有同等的人格和尊严。中国政府运用法律的、行政的和教育的手段消除对妇女的各种歧视,保护妇女的特殊权益。今天,中国妇女已享有中国社会几千年来从未达到、许多发达国家历时数百年方才得到承认的平等权利。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
New China proclaimed that Chinese women enjoy equal rights with men in all aspects of political, economic, cultural, social and family life and that they have become, like all Chinese citizens, masters of the state and society. Chinese laws guarantee that women and men enjoy the same rights and status and have equal personal dignity. The Chinese government employs legal, administrative and educational means to eliminate all kinds of discrimination against women and protect their special rights and interests. Today, as an important token of civilization and progress, Chinese women enjoy the equal rights which had remained unattainable in Chinese society over millennia and which only became accepted in many developed countries after some centuries.
在社会主义制度下,中国妇女曾被禁锢的聪明才智极大地释放出来。她们以主人翁的姿态积极地投身于中国的建设和发展,成为创造物质文明和精神文明的伟大力量。她们是中国改革开放和现代化建设的生力军,在工农业生产、科学、文化、教育、卫生等各项事业中作出了极其重要的贡献。在中国,“半边天”成为全社会对妇女作用最形象的赞誉。
Under the socialist system, the once-stifled wisdom and talents of Chinese women have been released to a great extent. Women are actively plunging into China's social development as masters of society, becoming a great force in both economic construction and cultural and ideological advances. They are a vital force in China's reform and opening to the outside world and the modernization drive. Women have made extremely important contributions in various undertakings, including industrial and agricultural production, science, culture, education and health care. In China, the expression "women hold up half the sky" has become the most vivid expression the entire society uses to praise the role played by women.
在推动社会发展的同时,中国妇女的精神面貌发生了重大变化,她们自尊、自信、自立、自强,在参政能力、文化水平、科学知识、生产技能等各方面都有了长足的进步。
While women's impetus for social development has been forming, great changes have taken place in their mental outlook. They have gained a sense of self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-strengthening and have taken long strides forward in their ability to participate in government and political affairs, in their cultural accomplishment, level of scientific knowledge and production skills.
中国妇女有着热爱和平的光荣传统。她们从未忘记侵略战争带来的深重灾难,坚决支持中国政府的和平外交政策。无论世界上发生什么样的冲突,她们总是站在正义与被侵略者一边,反对暴力与侵略。中国妇女是维护世界和平的重要力量。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Chinese women have a glorious peace-loving tradition. They have never forgotten the calamities caused by aggressive wars and rendered resolute support for the peaceful foreign policies adopted by the Chinese government. No matter what clashes might break out in the world, they always stand on the side of justice and the victims of aggression and oppose violence and aggression. Chinese women are an important force in safeguarding world peace.
建国四十五年来,特别是改革开放十五年来,中国妇女在“平等、发展、和平”的方向上取得了历史性的伟大进步。这是世界妇女进步事业的重要组成部分,也是中国人权进步的重要组成部分。
Over the past 45 years, especially in the 15 years since the introduction of reform and opening to the outside world, Chinese women have achieved truly historic advances toward the goal of "equality, development and peace". This great forward march is an important component of the progressive cause of women worldwide; it is also an important part of the progress China has made in human rights.
中国是一个发展中国家,受社会发展水平的制约和旧观念的影响,中国妇女的状况还有不尽如人意的地方,在现实生活中,妇女的参政、就业、受教育以及婚姻家庭中平等权利的完全实现,还存在着各种困难和阻力,轻视、歧视甚至侵害妇女的现象还时有发生,妇女的整体素质也有待于进一步提高。因此,中国妇女解放和发展的道路远没有完结。中国政府正在致力于发展经济,加强法制,消除一切歧视或轻视妇女的落后观念,促进中国法律赋予的男女平等权利在社会生活中全面实现,争取本世纪在中国实现《内罗毕战略》的各项发展目标。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
China is a developing country. Owing to the constraints of social development and the influence of old concepts, the condition of Chinese women is still not wholly satisfactory. There exist various difficulties and resistance which have prevented the full realization of equal rights to women with respect to their participation in political and government affairs, employment, access to education, as well as marriage and family. Instances of looking down upon and discrimination against women and even infringement of their rights still occur from time to time. On the other hand, the overall competence of women remains to be further enhanced. All these account for the fact that the road toward emancipation and progress for Chinese women has not reached its end. The Chinese government is making every effort to develop the economy, strengthen the legal system, eradicate all backward ideas of discriminating against and looking down on women and promote equal rights for men and women in all spheres of social life as stipulated in Chinese law. This will speed the realization of the various development goals of the Nairobi Strategies in China before the end of this century.
中国政府、中国妇女和全体中国人民热情地欢迎第四次世界妇女大会在北京召开,正在全力以赴地为会议做好各项准备工作。为使国际社会更好地了解东道国的妇女情况,现将中国妇女的状况公诸于世界。
The Chinese government, Chinese women and Chinese people as a whole warmly welcome the convocation of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. They are going all out to make comprehensive preparations for the congress. To enable the international community to acquire a better understanding of the condition of women in the host country, we have prepared this report for release to the world.
一、中国妇女的历史性解放
Chapter I Historic Liberation of Chinese Women
在半殖民地半封建的旧中国,妇女长期被压在社会的最底层。20世纪上半叶,中国共产党领导中国人民在这块古老的土地上进行了一场伟大而深刻的民族民主革命,伴随着这场革命掀起了大规模的群众性妇女解放运动,使中国妇女获得了举世瞩目的历史性解放。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
In semi-colonial and semi-feudal old China, women were for a long time kept at the bottom of society. It was not until the first half of this century that the Chinese Communist Party led the Chinese people to wage a great and profound national democratic revolution on this ancient land. At the same time, a large-scale women's emancipation movement was launched, resulting in the historic liberation of Chinese women which won worldwide attention.
延续了几千年的封建宗法制度对中国妇女的压迫和摧残特别深重。妇女在政治、经济、文化、社会、家庭等方面,都处于与男子不平等的地位。这突出表现在:
The impact of the several millennia of oppression and devastation imposed by the feudal patriarchal system on Chinese women was exceptionally grave. In political, economic, cultural, social and family life, women were considered inferior to men. This was profoundly manifested in the following ways:
政治上无权,完全被排斥在社会政治生活之外。经济上依附,没有财产所有权和继承权,没有独立的经济来源。社会上无地位,被要求在家从父、出嫁从夫、夫死从子,没有独立的人格和身份,被剥夺了接受文化教育和参加社会活动的权利。婚姻上不自主,必须听从“父母之命,媒妁之言”,丈夫死了不得再嫁。身心上受摧残,不仅受到一夫多妻制的压迫和娼妓制度的迫害,而且绝大多数人从小被迫缠足,数百年来,“小脚女人”竟成了中国妇女的一个代称。
Possessing no political rights, women were completely excluded from social and political life. Economically dependent, women were robbed of property and inheritance rights and possessed no independent source of income. Having no social status, women were forced to obey their fathers before marriage, their husbands after marriage and their sons if they became widowed. They had no personal dignity or independent status, and were deprived of the right to receive an education and take part in social activities. They enjoyed no freedom in marriage but had to obey the dictates of their parents and heed the words of matchmakers, and were not allowed to remarry if their spouse died. They were subjected to physical and mental torture, being harassed by systems of polygamy and prostitution, the overwhelming majority of them forced to bind their feet from childhood. For centuries, "women with bound feet" was a synonym for the female gender in China.
1840年鸦片战争以后,西方列强的相继入侵更加重了中国妇女的苦难。在1937年开始的日本全面侵华战争中,有3000多万男女老幼惨遭杀害,其中妇女儿童占多数。仅在日军占领南京后的一个月内,就发生日军强奸中国妇女的事件2万多起。帝国主义、封建势力和官僚资本主义相勾结对中国人民进行残酷的压迫和剥削,把中国推向了亡国灭族的边缘,也把中国妇女推向了前所未有的苦难深渊。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The successive invasions by the Western powers after the Opium War in 1840 aggravated the plight of Chinese women. In the full-scale war of aggression launched by Japan against China from 1937 on, most of the over 30 million Chinese who were brutally killed were women and children. Within a month after the Japanese troops occupied Nanjing, they committed over 20,000 rapes. The cruel oppression and exploitation of the Chinese people by imperialist and feudalist forces as well as bureaucratic capitalism pushed China to the brink of national subjugation and annihilation. It also plunged Chinese women into an abyss of misery never witnessed before.
为挽救民族的危亡和谋求自身的解放,中国妇女与全国人民一道,进行了长达一百多年的不屈不挠的斗争,掀起了一次又一次的妇女解放运动。太平天国运动制定、颁布了一系列男女平等的政策;戊戌维新运动倡导并一度引发了戒缠足和兴女学运动;辛亥革命兴起了以实现男女平权、争取女子参政为主要目标的女权运动。这些运动促进了中国妇女的觉醒,但终究没有能够从根本上改变中国妇女被压迫、受奴役的悲惨命运。
For national salvation and self emancipation, Chinese women, along with the entire nation, waged a dauntless struggle that lasted for over a century. They also launched a succession of movements for women's liberation. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom enacted and promulgated a series of policies on sexual equality. The Reform Movement of 1898 advocated and ignited the wave to ban feet binding and establish schools for women. The 1911 Revolution kindled a feminist movement which focused on equal rights for men and women and participation by women in political affairs. These movements promoted the awakening of Chinese women. Nevertheless, they all failed to bring about a fundamental change in their miserable plight as victims of oppression and enslavement.
中国共产党从诞生之日起,便将实现妇女解放和男女平等作为奋斗目标之一。在共产常的领导下,妇女被动员和组织起来,形成了以工农劳动妇女为主体、团结全国各族各界妇女的广泛的统一战线,开展了与中国革命紧密结合的群众性妇女解放运动。特别是在共产党领导的根据地,革命政权颁布了一系列法律和法令,保障妇女权利,提高妇女地位,使全中国的妇女看到了光明和希望。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Ever since its birth, the Chinese Communist Party has made the achievement of female emancipation and equality between men and women one of its goals. Under the leadership of the Party, women were mobilized and organized to form a broad united front with working women in industry and agriculture as the main body. Women of all ethnic groups and walks of life united to stage popular women's liberation movements closely tied to the Chinese revolution. In Communist Party-led base areas in particular, the revolutionary political powers issued a series of decrees and regulations to ensure the rights of women and raise their status. This brought light and hope to women throughout the country.
中华人民共和国的成立,结束了中国妇女千百年来受封建社会压迫、奴役和受外国侵略者宰割、欺凌的历史,她们以崭新的姿态站立起来,与全国人民一起成了新中国的主人。1949年,中国人民政治协商会议第一届全体会议在北京召开,占全体代表10.4%的69名妇女出席了会议。她们与男代表一起共商建国大计。宋庆龄在这次会议上当选为中央人民政府副主席。李德全、史良等一批女性担任了政府的领导职务。会议通过的具有临时宪法性质的《共同纲领》庄严宣布,废除束缚妇女的封建制度,妇女在政治、经济、文化教育和社会生活各个方面均享有与男子平等的权利,从此开创了中国妇女解放的新时代。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
For the women of China, the founding of the People's Republic of China ended the thousands of years of feudal oppression and enslavement and the history of being trampled and bullied by foreign aggressors. With an entirely new face, they have stood up and become the masters of new China like all citizens of the country. In 1949, the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was convened in Beijing. The 69 women present accounted for 10.4 percent of the delegates. They represented women throughout the country in discussions together with men delegates on matters of vital importance for the country's construction. At the conference, Soong Ching Ling was elected vice-chairperson of the Central People's Government. Li Dequan, Shi Liang and some other women were also placed in leading posts in the government. The Common Program, adopted by the conference which had the nature of a provisional constitution, solemnly declared the toppling of the feudal system which fettered women and stated that women enjoyed equal rights with men in the political, economic, cultural and educational fields and in other aspects of social life. Thus a new era in the emancipation of Chinese women was ushered in.
建国后,为迅速改变旧中国遗留下来的经济文化落后面貌,革除束缚、歧视和摧残妇女的旧制度和旧习俗,在全国范围内掀起了一系列波澜壮阔的群众运动,使妇女的社会地位和状况发生了翻天覆地的历史性变化。
After the founding of the People's Republic, there was a surge of mass movements throughout the country to quickly change the backward economic and cultural outlook left over by old China and eradicate the antiquated system and outmoded customs that fettered, discriminated against and humiliated women. This effected an earth-shaking historic change in the social status and condition of women.
——土地改革。在旧中国,占农村人口70%的贫雇农只占有10%的土地,而妇女则根本没有土地所有权。新中国建立伊始,就根据“按人口分配土地”的原则,在农村开展了广泛深刻的土地改革运动。广大农村妇女与男子一样分得了土地,成为土地的主人,从根本上改变了男女经济不平等的状态微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
。
-- Land reform. In old China, poor farmers and farm laborers, who accounted for 70 percent of the rural population, owned only 10 percent of the land. Women had no right to own any land. In the very early days of the People's Republic, a widespread and profound land reform movement was carried out, in accordance with the principle of distributing land on the basis of the number of members in a family. Rural women obtained land, just like their male counterparts, and became masters of their piece of soil. This fundamentally altered the situation of economic inequality between men and women.
——普选。1953年公布的《中华人民共和国选举法》明确规定,妇女有与男子同等的选举权和被选举权。同年12月开始在全国范围内进行的基层选举,是中国有史以来第一次大规模的普选运动,90%以上的妇女踊跃参加了投票,当选为基层人民代表的妇女占代表总数的17%。在此后选举出的全国人民代表大会代表中,女代表占12%,其中少数民族女代表占少数民族代表总数的11%。这表明,新中国成立后,全国各族妇女便不仅在法律上而且在事实上开始参与国家和社会事务的管理。而某些西方国家建国一、二百年之后才在法律上规定妇女享有与男子平等的选举权。
-- Universal balloting. The Electoral Law of the People's Republic of China promulgated in 1953 clearly stipulated that women enjoy the same rights to vote and stand for election as men. The subsequent elections conducted at grass-roots level nationwide in December that year were the first large-scale general ballot in Chinese history. More than 90 percent of women cast their vote, and the number of women people's deputies elected at grass-roots level accounted for 17 percent of the total. Among the deputies to the National People's Congress, elected somewhat later, women made up 12 percent, with females accounting for 11 percent of all representatives from ethnic minorities. This indicates that ever since the founding of the People's Republic, the participation of women of all ethnic groups in state administration has been not only written into the law but also an actual practice. In some Western countries, only one or two centuries after their founding, did the law stipulate that women had equal voting rights with men.
——妇女走出家门。随着经济的恢复和发展,在全国范围内兴起了妇女走出家门参加社会生产的热潮。1957年,全国有70%的农村妇女参加了农业生产;城市女职工达到328.6万人,与1949年相比,增加了4.5倍。这彻底改变了旧中国将妇女排斥在社会生产劳动之外的状况,使妇女有了独立的经济来源。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
-- The move out of the home. Along with the economic rehabilitation and development, there appeared a nationwide upsurge of women stepping out of their homes to take part in social production. In 1957, around 70 percent of rural women engaged in agricultural work, and the number of urban women workers and staff reached 3.286 million, representing a 5.5-fold increase over 1949. This thoroughly transformed the situation in which women were excluded from social productive labor, providing them with an independent source of income.
——扫盲。旧中国妇女文盲比例达90%。新中国为提高全民族的文化水平,有计划、有步骤地开展了群众性扫除文盲运动,先后于1952年、1956年和1958年掀起三次扫盲高潮。从农村到城市都举办了各种识字班、民众夜校、职工业余学校,成千上万的妇女参加了扫盲学习。到1958年,有1600万妇女摆脱了文盲状态,初步改变了中国妇女愚昧落后的状况。
-- Illiteracy eradication campaign. In old China, as many as 90 percent of women were illiterate. In order to raise the cultural level of the entire nation, New China launched a planned campaign to gradually wipe out illiteracy. The mass campaign witnessed three upsurges in 1952, 1956 and 1958. Various literacy classes, popular evening schools and workers' spare-time schools mushroomed in both rural and urban areas, and women attended these in their millions. By 1958, 16 million women had learned to read, and this represented an initial step in eradicating the ignorance and backwardness of Chinese women.
——宣传和贯彻婚姻法。1950年颁布的《中华人民共和国婚姻法》是新中国的第一部法律。该法明确宣布:废除包办强迫、男尊女卑、漠视子女利益的封建主义婚姻制度,实行男女婚姻自由、一夫一妻、男女平等、保护妇女和子女合法利益的新的婚姻制度。这是中国社会几千年来婚姻家庭生活的深刻变革。婚姻法颁布后,全国开展了大规模的宣传和贯彻婚姻法的群众运动,使大量封建婚约得到解除,打骂、虐待妇女的现象迅速减少,自由恋爱、婚姻自主蔚然成风。经过几年的艰苦工作,终于从根本上打碎了几千年来封建婚姻制度所强加于妇女的枷锁,基本实现了婚姻自由。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
-- Publicity and implementation of the Marriage Law. The Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China, promulgated in 1950, was the first statute enacted by New China. It clearly declared the abolition of the feudal marriage system characterized by arranged and forced marriage, male superiority and female inferiority, and disregard for the interests of children. Implementation of the new system was marked by freedom for both men and women in marriage, monogamy, sexual equality and protection of the legitimate rights of women and children. This signified a profound revolution in the patterns of wedded and family life that had prevailed for several thousand years in Chinese society. In the months that followed the law's promulgation, a large-scale mass campaign was staged throughout the country to publicize and implement the Marriage Law. This action resulted in the annulment of numerous feudal engagements, a rapid reduction in wife bashing and maltreatment, and freely chosen love marriages became prevalent. Through several years of hard work, the shackles imposed upon women by the millennia-old feudal marriage system was smashed and freedom of marriage was basically established.
——禁娼。妓院和卖淫嫖娼是旧中国遗留下来的社会丑恶现象之一。新中国一成立便迅速采取有力措施禁娼。1949年11月,北京市第二届人民代表会议率先作出禁娼决定,当即关闭妓院,将妓女集中起来加以教育,改造其思想,医治其性病,引导和帮助她们建立正常生活,使其成为自食其力的劳动者。继北京之后,包括上海、天津在内的全国各大中小城市纷纷开展禁娼运动。在很短的时间内,就使这种在旧中国屡禁不绝、严重摧残妇女身心和侮辱妇女人格的社会痼疾绝迹,社会面貌为之一新。
-- Ban on prostitution. Brothels, prostitution and whoring were among the disgusting social phenomena left over by old China. Immediately after its founding, New China adopted resolute measures to outlaw prostitution. In November 1949, the Second People's Representative Conference of Beijing Municipality took the lead in adopting a decision to ban prostitution. The municipal government immediately closed all brothels and gathered prostitutes in designated places where they could be educated, have their thinking reformed, receive treatment for venereal diseases, and be provided with guidance to help them start normal lives and support themselves through their own work. Following the example of Beijing, all large, medium-sized and small cities in the country, including Shanghai and Tianjin, waged campaigns to wipe out prostitution. In a very short period of time, the sale of sex, a chronic social malady that seemed impossible to eradicate in old China and which seriously damaged the physical and mental health of women and degraded their dignity, disappeared, enabling society to take on a brand-new outlook.
新中国通过这些规模宏大的群众运动,仅用了短短几年的时间,就荡涤了几千年封建社会遗留下来的污泥浊水,使妇女在政治、经济、文化、社会和家庭生活各方面都获得了根本性解放。这是中国近代社会发展史上值得自豪的重大变革,也是中国革命对世界妇女解放运动的重大贡献。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
By means of these large-scale mass movements, New China took only a few years to clean up the filth and mire left over from a feudal society that had lasted for thousands of years. It effected fundamental emancipation for women in all aspects of political, economic, cultural, social and family life. This represented a significant transformation in the history of contemporary social development that China can be proud of. It was also an important contribution made by the Chinese revolution to the worldwide movement for women's liberation.
二、平等的法律地位
Chapter II Equal Legal Status
中国十分重视对女性的法律保障,妇女享有与男子平等的法律地位。现在,已形成了以宪法为基础,以妇女权益保障法为主体,包括国家各种单行法律法规、地方性法规和政府各部门行政法规在内的一整套保护妇女权益和促进男女平等的法律体系。
China attaches great importance to providing legal protection for females. Women enjoy equal legal status with men. Now, a comprehensive legal system has come into being to protect the rights and interests of women and promote sexual equality. It takes the Constitution as the basis and the Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women as the core, and encompasses various specific state laws and regulations, administrative decrees and regulations enacted by various government departments, and local legislation.
中国妇女立法的基本原则是男女权利平等,保护妇女特殊权益,禁止歧视、虐待、残害妇女。《中华人民共和国宪法》明确规定,“妇女在政治的、经济的、文化的、社会的和家庭生活等各方面享有同男子平等的权利。”“国家保护妇女的权利和利益,实行男女同工同酬,培养和选拔妇女干部。”“婚姻、家庭、母亲和儿童受国家保护。”“禁止破坏婚姻自由,禁止虐待老人、妇女和儿童。”依据宪法确定的原则,新中国陆续颁布了《婚姻法》、《选举法》、《继承法》、《民法》、《刑法》等十余部基本法,国务院及所属部委颁布了40余种行政法规与条例,地方政府制定了80余种地方性法规,这些法规都明确规定了保护妇女权益的条款。任何一部中国法律都不存在对妇女的歧视性条款。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The basic principles in China's legislative work concerning women are equal rights for men and women, protection of the special rights and interests of women, and the banning of any discrimination, maltreatment and persecution directed at women. The Constitution of the People's Republic of China clearly stipulates, "Women enjoy equal rights with men in all spheres of life, political, economic, cultural and social, including family life....The state protects the rights and interests of women, applies the principle of equal pay for equal work for men and women alike and trains and selects cadres from among women....Marriage, the family and mother and child are protected by the state....Violation of the freedom of marriage is prohibited. Maltreatment of old people, women and children is prohibited." In line with the principles established by the Constitution, New China has promulgated over 10 fundamental laws, including the Marriage Law, Electoral Law, Law of Inheritance, Civil Law and Criminal Law. The State Council and various ministries and commissions under it have enacted over 40 administrative decrees and regulations. Local governments have devised more than 80 local regulations and rules. All these legislations include clear provisions on the protection of the rights and interests of women. No law in China contains clauses that discriminate against women.
1992年颁布实施的《中华人民共和国妇女权益保障法》,为进一步提高妇女的社会地位,保障妇女的基本权益,提供了有力的法律武器。
The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women promulgated in 1992 provided an effective legal weapon for further enhancing the social status of women and guaranteeing their basic rights and interests.
依据中国法律,妇女享有的法定权利有以下六个方面:
Under Chinese law, the legitimate rights of women can be summed up into the following six aspects:
——妇女享有与男子平等的政治权利。妇女有权通过各种途径和形式,管理国家和社会事务,并享有平等的选举权和被选举权。为了切实保障妇女的参政权,法律规定,各级人民代表大会的代表中,应当有适当数量的妇女代表,并逐步提高妇女代表的比例;在任用领导人员时,必须坚持男女平等,重视培养、选拔女性担任领导职务。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
-- Women enjoy equal political rights with men. Women have the right, through various channels and in various ways, to administer state and social affairs, and enjoy equal rights to vote and stand for election. To ensure female participation in government and political affairs, the law stipulates that deputies to the National People's Congress and local people's congresses at various levels should include appropriate numbers of women and the proportion should be increased step by step. It states that the principle of sexual equality should be upheld when appointing people to leading posts, and attention should be paid to training and selecting top officials from among women.
——妇女享有与男子平等的文化教育权利。这种平等的权利包括入学、升学、毕业分配、授予学位、派出留学等各个方面,以及妇女从事科学技术研究和文学艺术创作等文化活动的权利。政府、社会、学校和家庭要保证女童接受义务教育的权利。
-- Women enjoy equal rights with men with respect to culture and education. These cover school admittance, advancement to higher levels of schooling, job assignment after graduation, conferment of academic degrees and being dispatched for study abroad, plus women's rights to engage in scientific and technological research and literary and artistic creation. The government, society, school and family have the responsibility to ensure that the right of female children and adolescents to receive compulsory education is observed.
——妇女享有与男子平等的劳动权利。这主要有:劳动就业的权利,同工同酬的权利和休息的权利,获得安全和卫生保障以及特殊劳动保护的权利,享受社会保险的权利。法律规定,任何单位在录用职工时不得以性别为理由拒绝录用妇女或者提高对妇女的录用标准;不得以结婚、怀孕、产假、哺乳等为由,辞退女职工或单方面解除劳动合同;在晋升、晋级、评定专业技术职务以及分配住房和享受福利待遇等方面,不得歧视妇女;不得安排不适合妇女从事的工作和劳动;妇女在经期、孕期、产期和哺乳期受特殊保护。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
-- Women enjoy equal working rights with men. These mainly include: the right to work and be employed, equal pay for equal work, time-off, on-the-job safety and medical care as well as special labor protection, and social insurance. The law stipulates that any unit, while recruiting employees, is not allowed to refuse to employ women or raise the recruitment standards for women under any pretext. It cannot fire women or unilaterally annul their labor contracts on the pretext of marriage, pregnancy, maternity leave or baby nursing. It is not allowed to discriminate against women in terms of promotion, award of academic and technical titles, allotment of housing and enjoyment of welfare benefits, nor to assign women to tasks that are not suitable for them. Women enjoy special protection during menstruation, pregnancy, child birth and baby nursing period.
——妇女享有与男子平等的财产权利。法律规定,妇女在农村划分责任田、口粮田以及批准宅基地等方面享有同男子平等的权利;妇女在婚姻、家庭财产关系中,享有与男子平等的所有权和继承权;丧偶妇女有权处分继承的财产,任何人不得干涉。
-- Women enjoy equal property rights with men. The law stipulates that rural women enjoy the same rights as rural men in the allotment of "responsibility farmland" and "grain-ration farmland" and in the approval of housing sites. With regard to marriage and family property, women enjoy equal ownership and inheritance rights with men. Widows have the right to dispose of property they inherit, without interference from anyone.
——妇女享有与男子平等的人身权利。妇女享有生命健康权、人身自由权、肖像权、名誉权等人格权,享有亲属权、监护权、荣誉权、制造者身份权等身份权。法律禁止溺、弃、残害女婴;禁止歧视、虐待生女婴的妇女和不育妇女;禁止用迷信暴力手段残害妇女;禁止虐待、遗弃老年妇女;禁止拐卖、绑架妇女;禁止组织、强迫、引诱、容留、介绍妇女卖淫。
-- Women enjoy equal rights with men relating to their persons. Women enjoy the right to life and health, freedom of the person, the right of portrait, reputation and other rights relating the person; and they enjoy the right of kinship, guardianship, fame and status as a producer. The law prohibits abandonment and drowning of female babies and other forms of infanticide and bans discrimination against and maltreatment of women who give birth to female babies and women who are sterile. It forbids tormenting women with superstitious and violent means and bans maltreatment or abandonment of aged women. It forbids the abduction and kidnapping of women as well as the sale and purchase of such women. It bans actions to organize, force, seduce, shelter or introduce women to engage in prostitution.
——妇女享有与男子平等的婚姻家庭权利。法律规定,妇女享有平等的结婚和离婚自由权,在夫妻关系中男女平等。妇女有独立的姓名权,有参加社会生产和社会活动的自由。在离婚问题上妇女受到特殊保护。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
-- Women enjoy equal rights with men in marriage and the family. The law states that women enjoy equal freedom in marriage and divorce, and the relations between husband and wife are equal. Women can use their own surnames and given names and participate in production and social activities. Women are subject to special protection with regard to divorce.
中国法律在明确规定妇女的各种具体权益的同时,强化国家机关在保障妇女权益方面的职责,明确妇联等妇女组织在诉讼中的特殊地位和作用,全面确定了保障妇女权益的法律机制。在《妇女权益保障法》的54条规定中,有75%的条文详细列举了侵权行为的后果和法律责任,为执法工作提供了可供操作的法律依据。
While clearly delineating the various concrete rights and interests of women, China's legislation amplifies the responsibilities of state organs in protecting women and clarifies the special status and role of the women's federations and other women's organizations in lawsuits, thus establishing a comprehensive legal mechanism for protecting women. Among the 54 articles of the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women, 75 percent list in detail the consequences and legal responsibilities for infringements, thus providing an operational legal basis for enforcement of the law.
中国目前尚处于社会主义初级阶段,经济、文化等方面的发展还较为落后,因此妇女法律权利的某些规定和保障机制也还有待于进一步完善。随着中国现代化建设的深入发展,中国保障妇女权益的法律体系将会不断完善。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
At present, China is still at the primary stage of socialism and remains comparatively underdeveloped in economic and cultural development. Therefore, certain provisions on the legal rights of women and guarantee mechanisms need to be further improved. Along with the in-depth development of China's modernization drive, the country's legal system on the protection of women's rights and interests will be perfected.
三、在经济领域中的平等权利与重要作用
Chapter III Equal Rights and Important Role In Economic Sphere
妇女经济地位的提高,是实现男女平等最重要的基础。中国政府为改善和提高妇女的经济地位作出了卓有成效的努力。在新的社会条件下,中国妇女成为社会发展的伟大力量,在社会主义经济建设中作出了巨大的贡献。
Improvement of the economic status of women constitutes the most important foundation for achieving sexual equality. The Chinese government has made fruitful efforts to upgrade and enhance the economic status of women. Under new conditions, Chinese women have become a great force in the country's social development, making major contributions to the socialist economic construction.
中国妇女享有与男子平等的就业权利。新中国成立以来,妇女就业人数不断增加。目前,中国女性从业人员已占社会总从业人员的44%左右,高于世界34.5%的比例;1992年女性从业人口占女性15岁以上人口的72.33%;农村妇女劳动力约占农村劳动力总数的一半,城镇女职工人数已由1949年的60万人增加到5600万人,占全国职工总数的比例也由7.5%提高到38%。妇女就业领域十分广泛。在国民经济12个行业中,女职工达100万人以上的行业就占9个,包括工业、农业、建筑业、交通运输业、商业、卫生、教育以及党政机关和社会团体等。妇女就业层次有了较大提高。1992年,在科学研究和综合技术服务事业、党政机关和社会团体业以及金融保险业中,女职工已分别占在业人数的34.4%、21.6%和37.3%。中国妇女尽管在就业方面有了长足的进步,但近年来也出现了一些新的问题,主要是一些单位不愿接收女性,造成女性就业难等。中国政府正积极采取措施促进这些问题的解决。
Chinese women enjoy equal rights with men in employment. Since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, the population of employed women has risen constantly. In China, employed females now account for some 44 percent of the total number of employees, higher than the world rate of 34.5 percent. In 1992, employed females made up 72.33 percent of all women over 15, and in the countryside, women laborers made up half the rural labor force. The number of urban working women increased from 600,000 in 1949 to 56 million, while their share of the country's total working population went up from 7.5 percent to 38 percent. Woment's areas of employment cover a wide range. Among 12 branches of the national economy, nine employ over 1 million women. They include industry, agriculture, building, transport and communications, commerce, public health, education, Party and government organs and social organizations. There has been a remarkable upgrading of the kinds of jobs they are holding. In 1992, the number of women in scientific research and comprehensive technological services, Party and government organs and social organizations, and financial and insurance establishments accounted for 34.4 percent, 21.6 percent and 37.3 percent respectively of all employed in these fields. Despite the great progress made in the employment of Chinese women, some new problems have cropped up in recent years. For instance, women are experiencing difficulty finding jobs, chiefly because some units do not want to accept females. The Chinese government is now taking active measures to tackle these problems.
男女同工同酬原则已基本得到实行。在中国,同一行业、同一工种中技术熟练程度相同的劳动者,都可以获得同等报酬。但是,由于目前男女职工文化业务素质和职业构成的差异,男女实际收入尚有一定差距。据1990年调查,城市男女职工平均月收入分别为193.15元和149.60元,女性的平均收入是男性的77.4%;农村男女年平均收入分别为1518元和1235元,女性年均收入是男性的81.4%。此外,农村妇女年均收入在一万元以上的人数占女性总数的1.2%,男性的这一比例也是1.2%。这表明,在农村先富起来的人群中,男女收入差距已不明显。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The principle of equal pay for equal work for men and women is basically in place. In China, workers in the same industries, doing similar kinds of work and having the same technical skills, receive the same pay regardless of sex. However, due to current differences in cultural and professional competence as well as occupational composition, some real income gaps still exist between men and women. According to a survey conducted in 1990, the average monthly incomes for male and female workers in urban areas were 193.15 yuan and 149.60 yuan respectively, with women receiving only 77.4 percent of the pay given to men. In rural areas, the average annual incomes for men and women were 1,518 yuan and 1,235 yuan respectively, with women getting 81.4 percent of the earnings of men. However, 1.2 percent of all rural women earned an average annual income of over 10,000 yuan, and the percentage was the same for men. This indicates that, among those who have been the first to prosper in the countryside, the income gap between men and women has become insignificant.
中国政府对女职工采取了全面的劳动保护措施。据调查,城市女职工中85.3%的生育妇女都享有三个月的带薪产假,有些单位的女职工还享有半年的带薪产假;对处于孕期和哺乳期的女职工减少其工作量和工作时间;女职工比较多的国有企业大都建立了女职工卫生室、孕妇休息室、哺乳室、托儿所、幼儿园等设施。
The Chinese government provides comprehensive protective measures for employed women. According to a survey, 85.3 percent of child-bearing female workers and staff members in urban areas enjoy a three-month paid maternity leave, while some units have extended the leave to six months. Female workers during their pregnant and lactation period have their work load and work time reduced. Most state-owned enterprises where women predominate have established gynecological clinics, rest rooms for pregnant women, breastfeeding rooms, nurseries and kindergartens.
随着中国妇女经济地位的提高,她们在经济领域中发挥的作用也愈来愈大。
As the economic status of Chinese women improves, they are playing an increasingly significant role in the economic sphere.
70年代末开始的农村经济体制改革,大大解放了妇女劳动力,妇女成为振兴和发展农村经济不可缺少的重要力量。在农、林、牧、渔、水利业劳动者中,女性劳力占半数以上;产棉区的棉田管理大部分由妇女承担。在1400万农村商业服务业个体从业人员中,女性约占三分之一。在商品经济比较发达的地区,从商农民中妇女约占二分之一。在农业生产总值中,农村妇女创造的产值占50%至60%。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The rural economic restructuring, conducted since the end of the 1970s, unleashed the immense labor potential of women. Women have become an important and indispensable force in invigorating and promoting the rural economy. Females account for more than half of all workers in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries and water conservancy. In major cotton-producing areas, the management of cotton fields is mostly undertaken by women. Of the 14 million self-employed rural individuals engaged in commerce and service trades, women account for about one-third. In areas where the commodity economy is relatively developed, rural women engaged in business account for half of farmers who have gone into trade. About 50-60 percent of the total rural output value is generated by women.
中国农村妇女是乡镇企业发展的重要推动者。目前,中国农村有一亿多乡镇企业劳动者,其中女性约有4000万人。在食品、服装、编织、玩具、电子产品、传统工艺和服务等行业的乡镇企业中,女性从业人数更多,创造的产值占总产值的65%左右。女职工占主体的纺织、丝绸、茶叶、编织、刺绣、玩具等行业的乡镇企业是中国出口创汇最多的企业。在乡镇企业中,不少女性担任了企业领导职务。如江苏、广东、安徽、福建、河南等省的乡镇企业中,各有约2000—3000名的女厂长、女经理,并各有数万人成为车间和班组的生产技术骨干。
Rural women in China are an important driving force for the development of township enterprises. At present, rural China boasts more than 100 million workers in township businesses, and 40 million of them are females. The ratio is even greater for women working in the food, clothing, knitwear and other woven products, toy and electronics industries, as well as traditional handicrafts and service trades. They create about 65 percent of the output value. Township enterprises producing textiles, silk, tea, knitwear and other woven products, embroidery and toys, where women make up the bulk of the employees, are the ones which earn the most foreign exchange for the country. Quite a few women become leaders at different levels in township enterprises. For instance, there are 2,000-3,000 women directors and managers in such businesses in each of the provinces of Jiangsu, Guangdong, Anhui, Fujian and Henan. In addition, tens of thousands of women serve as the technical backbone in production at workshop and shift level.
中国妇女在农村经济建设中的伟大作用获得了某些国际组织的赞扬。山东省龙口市的农村是联合国开发计划署和粮农组织选定的农村妇女问题国际监测点。这里的农村妇女不仅担负着40%至60%的农田作业量,而且在纺织、服装、刺绣等乡镇企业中担负着74%的生产任务。她们制作的刺绣工艺品每年可出口创汇约250万美元。近几年,来这里考察的20多个国家的100多名专家一致认为,龙口农村妇女发挥着与男性同等重要的作用。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The great role played by Chinese women in rural economic construction has won commendation from some international organizations. The rural area of Longkou City, Shandong Province, has been selected by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as an international monitoring point for studying the problem of rural women. There, rural women not only shoulder 40 to 60 percent of the workload in the fields but also 74 percent of production tasks of township textile, clothing and embroidery enterprises. The embroidery articles they make are exported and can earn for the country US$2.5 million annually. In recent years, 100-odd experts from more than 20 countries have made study tours of the area. They have concurred that rural women in Longkou are playing as important a role as their male counterparts.
在城市,广大妇女为推动经济的改革与发展作出了重要贡献。1982—1990年,在金融、文教、广播电视、卫生、体育、社会福利、商饮供储、机关团体等行业中女职工人数增长速度分别超过男性21至78个百分点。1993年,全国企事业单位专业技术人员中,女性的比例达36.8%。女职工还积极参与企业的管理,为促进企业的发展献计献策。据调查,仅陕西、江苏等十省的女职工近三年内就提出合理化建议387万条,创经济效益21亿元。
In the cities, women have made important contributions to urban economic reform and development. In the 1982-90 period, the growth rate in the number of females employed in the following sectors, namely finance, culture and education, radio and television, public health, sport and recreation, social welfare, commercial concerns, catering, supply and storage, and government and social institutions, exceeded that of males by 21 to 78 percentage points. In 1993, females accounted for 36.8 percent of those with professional and technical titles in enterprises and institutions throughout the country. Women have taken an active part in management and offered numerous proposals and suggestions for the development of their enterprises. According to one survey, women workers and staff in Shaanxi, Jiangsu and eight other provinces alone raised 3.87 million rationalization proposals in the last three years, generating 2.1 billion yuan in economic returns.
与此同时,一大批女厂长、女经理在经济改革与开放的浪潮中脱颖而出。她们积极参与竞争,勇于迎接挑战,在企业的生存与发展中发挥了关键性的作用。1992年,辽宁省28个改革试点企业中有97名女职工通过激烈的竞争由一般职工成为企业的管理者和领导者。1988年和1992年共有107名女厂长、女经理当选全国优秀女企业家。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Many women factory directors and enterprise managers have come to the fore in the wave of economic reforms and the drive to open to the outside world. They have actively participated in competition and courageously accepted challenges, playing a vital role in ensuring the survival and development of their respective enterprises. In 1992, 97 females in the 28 pilot enterprises in Liaoning Province, picked to try out reforms, rose from rank and file to enterprise managers and leaders in the course of fierce competition. In 1988 and 1992, a total of 107 women factory directors and managers were cited as outstanding entrepreneurs.
建国四十多年来,中国妇女自尊、自信、自立、自强,不断提高自身素质,她们在经济建设中的历史功绩和伟大作用赢得了社会的称颂。1949—1988年,全国有2485.8万人获先进生产(工作)者称号。1978—1992年,有572名杰出的女性获全国劳动模范光荣称号,有20152名优秀女性获全国“三八”红旗手光荣称号。1988—1993年,有936名女性获全国“五一”劳动奖章。
In the 40-odd years since the founding of the People's Republic, Chinese women with a sense of self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-strengthening, have continued to enhance their own capabilities. Their historic accomplishments and significant role in the country's economic construction have won widespread commendation. From 1949 to 1988, a total of 24,858,000 women were awarded the title of advanced worker. In the 1978-92 period, 572 outstanding females were cited as national model workers, and 20,152 others were given the title of "March 8 (International Women's Day) Red-Banner Pacesetters". In 1988-93, 936 females were granted national "May 1" labor medals.
四、广泛参与国家和社会事务的管理
Chapter IV Extensive Participation in Administration of State and Social Affairs
在中国,妇女全面参与国家和社会事务的管理,为中国的民主和法制建设作出了巨大贡献。
In China, women take full part in administering state and social affairs and thus have made mammoth contributions to the country's development of democracy and building of its legal system.
中国妇女在各级人民代表大会中占有重要的位置。1954年召开第一届全国人民代表大会时,共有女代表147人,占代表总数的12%;到1993年召开第八届全国人民代表大会时,女代表已增至626人,占代表总数的21.03%。全国人民代表大会常务委员会是全国人民代表大会的常设机构。一届全国人大有4名女常委,占常委总数的5%,到八届全国人大时已有19名女常委,占常委总数的12.3%。1954年到1993年,先后有宋庆龄、何香凝、蔡畅、陈慕华等8位妇女担任全国人大常委会副委员长。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Chinese women occupy an important place in people's congresses at various levels. When the First National People's Congress (NPC) was held in 1954, there were only 147 women deputies, accounting for 12 percent of the total. By 1993, when the Eighth NPC was convened, the number of women deputies had increased to 626, accounting for 21.03 percent of the total. The permanent body of the National People's Congress, the Standing Committee, had only four women members, or 5 percent of the total, at the time of the First NPC. By the Eighth NPC, the number of women standing committee members had increased to 19, rising to 12.3 percent. From 1954 to 1993, eight women served as vice-chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee. They include Soong Ching Ling, He Xiangning, Cai Chang and Chen Muhua.
人大女代表在立法以及国家和社会事务管理中发挥了重要作用。她们尤其关注教育卫生、生态环境、妇女儿童和残疾人权益的保护、社会治安和社会风气等问题,积极提出立法和政策建议,努力促进这些方面的进步与发展。《妇女权益保障法》等一些法律的制定就是在女代表的提议和参与下实现的。
Women deputies to people's congresses at various levels have played an important role in legislative work and the administration of other state and social affairs. They pay particular attention to the problems of education and public health, the ecological environment, the protection of the rights and interests of women, children and the disabled, social stions for legislation and policy-making and working hard to promote advances in these fields. The enactment of the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women and many other laws were made on the basis of motions put forward by women and with their participation.
中国妇女积极参加政治协商会议活动。1993年召开的第八届全国政协会议的委员中,有女委员283人、女常委29人,分别占委员和常委总数的13.52%和9.2%。参加政协的女委员都是社会各界的优秀人士,具有广泛的代表性。她们从不同角度对国家大事和政府工作提出意见,进行协商,发挥民主监督作用。邓颖超、康克清、钱正英等7位女性曾分别担任过全国政协主席、副主席。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Chinese women take an active part in the activities of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at various levels. In the Eighth National Committee of the CPPCC held in 1993, women accounted for 283 of the members and 29 of the standing committee members, making up 13.52 percent and 9.2 percent of their respective totals. Women members of the CPPCC are outstanding figures from all walks of life, and provide wide representation. From their different vantage points, they express their opinions on national affairs and government work, render consultation and carry out democratic supervision. Deng Yingchao, Kang Keqing and Qian Zhengying had been or is currently among the seven women serving as chairperson or vice-chairperson of the CPPCC National Committee.
中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度是中国的一项基本政治制度。中国共产党中,目前已有女党员700多万人,占党员总数的14%。许多优秀妇女担任了党内各级领导职务。第十四届中央委员会中有24名女中央委员和候补中央委员;中共中央各部正副部长有6位女性。在中国的八个民主党派中,有近11万名女党员,有的党派女党员占41%。八个民主党派的中央领导机构中,女性有203人,八届全国人大常委会副委员长、著名学者和社会活动家雷洁琼女士,即是中国民主促进会的主席。
The system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China forms the basic political system of China. At present, the Chinese Communist Party has over 7 million women members, accounting for 14 percent of general membership. Many outstanding women work in various leading posts within the Party. The current 14th CPC Central Committee has 24 women members and alternate members, while six women are now acting as directors or deputy directors of departments under the CPC Central Committee. China's eight democratic parties have some 110,000 women members. In one party, women constitute 41 percent of the membership. There are 203 women in the central leading organs of the eight democratic parties. Madam Lei Jieqiong, vice-chairperson of the Eighth NPC Standing Committee, a noted scholar and social activist, is the chairperson of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy.
参加政府工作是中国妇女参与国家和社会事务管理的重要途径。建国以来,曾有一位女性担任过国家副主席、名誉主席,有两位女性担任过国务院副总理,两位女性担任过国务委员。中国的改革开放政策不但促进了经济发展和社会进步,而且为妇女参政进一步创造了条件。1993年,国家机关工作人员中妇女已占32.44%。1994年国务院各部委有女正副部长16名,全国有女省长、副省长18名。在全国517个城市中,有300多名女性当选为正副市长。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Participation in government work is an important channel for women to play their role in the administration of state and social affairs. Since the founding of the People's Republic, one woman had served one term as vice-chairperson and later honorary president of the country, two women have served as vice-premiers of the State Council, and two have been state councilors. China's policies of reform and opening to the outside world not only have promoted economic development and social progress, but have also prepared better conditions for women to participate in government and political affairs. In 1993, women made up 32.44 percent of all people working in government organs. At present, the various ministries and commissions under the State Council have 16 female ministers and vice-ministers, and the country has 18 female provincial governors and deputy governors. In the nation's 517 cities, more than 300 women have been elected mayor or deputy mayor.
中国妇女是加强法制建设、维护国家安全的重要力量。在司法机构中有一大批女法官、女检察官、女律师。1992年,全国有女法官21012名,女律师4512名。
Women play an important role in strengthening legislative construction and safeguarding state security. China's judicial organs have a large number of women judges, procurators and lawyers. In 1992, the country boasted 21,012 female judges and 4,512 women lawyers.
广大妇女关心国家大事,关心政府工作,积极参政议政。自1953年第一次基层人民代表选举开始,历次换届中妇女参选比例都在90%以上,1984年以来则高达95%。妇女除经常通过各种群众组织反映意愿和要求外,还用信访方式就政府工作和社会问题向有关部门提出意见和建议,并通过新闻媒介表达对各种问题的看法。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Ordinary women in general also show concern for national affairs and government work. There is increasing enthusiasm on their part to involve themselves in government and political affairs. In all general elections since 1953, when the first general election was held for deputies to grass-roots people's congresses, over 90 percent of women had exercised their voting rights. Since 1984, the rate has risen to 95 percent. Apart from frequently making their voices heard through mass organizations, women also vent their opinions and raise their suggestions on government work and social issues by writing to or calling at relevant government offices or through the mass media.
各级妇女联合会代表各族各界妇女对国家社会事务进行民主管理和民主监督,这是中国妇女参与政治的重要途径之一。在中国,妇联组织能够代表妇女参与人大和政府制定涉及妇女切身利益的法律、法规工作,并监督法律法规的实施。妇联组织可以建议政府有关部门下发关于解决妇女问题的政策性文件,也可以向国家机关、社会团体和企事业单位推荐女干部。
Women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life realize their democratic participation in and supervision over state and social affairs through women's federations at various levels. This is one of the important channels of women participation in political affairs in China. On behalf of women, these federations play a part in the making of laws and regulations related to the vital interests of women by the people's congresses and governments, and supervise their implementation. They can propose to relevant government departments that they issue policy documents for the settlement of womenrelated problems that emerge. They can also recommend women cadres to government organs, social organizations, enterprises and institutions.
中国共产党和中国政府把妇女参政作为中国民主建设的一项重要内容。为了改善女干部成长的外部环境,提高妇女参政比例,确保妇女真正享有宪法赋予的政治权利,党和政府多次专门就培养选拔女干部工作发了文件,召开会议,做出一系列规定。目前全国已有23个省(自治区、直辖市)、244个地(市、州、盟)、2106个县(旗、区)的党政领导班子中有了女性领导人。为促进民族平等、团结、进步和各民族共同繁荣,政府特别重视培养少数民族女干部,建立少数民族学校,举办少数民族妇女干部培训班,选送少数民族妇女进修学习,促进少数民族女干部的迅速成长。到1992年,全国已有少数民族女干部60.76万人,占全国少数民族干部总数的26.6%;第八届全国人民代表大会代表中,有少数民族女代表106人,占女代表总数的17%,而且有三位少数民族妇女当选为八届全国人大常委会委员。少数民族女干部已成为少数民族地区政治、经济、社会发展的骨干力量。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government consider the participation of women in government and political affairs an important component part of the building of democracy in China. They have issued special documents and called meetings for improving the external environment for women cadres, so as to raise the ratio of women participating in political affairs and ensure that women really enjoy the political rights written in the Constitution. These documents and meetings deal with the work of training and selecting cadres from among women. A whole series of regulations have been issued to this effect. At present, there are women in the Party and government leading bodies of 23 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government), 244 prefectures (cities, autonomous prefectures and leagues) and 2,106 counties (districts and banners). In order to promote equality, unity, progress and common prosperity among all ethnic groups, the government attaches particular attention to training women cadres of ethnic minorities, and has established schools for these minorities, run training classes for their women cadres and offer opportunities for them to go on to advanced studies. This has promoted a rapid growth of ethnic minority women cadres. By 1992, the number of minority women cadres nationwide reached 607,600, accounting for 26.6 percent of all minority cadres in the country. Among deputies to the Eighth NPC, 106 are female deputies from ethnic minorities, accounting for 17 percent of all women deputies. Moreover, three minority women were elected members of the Eighth NPC Standing Committee. Cadres from minority nationalities have become a backbone force in the political, economic and social development of minority areas.
中国政府正在制定《中国妇女发展规划》,以进一步推动妇女参政和全面参与发展。
The Chinese government is now working on the Program for the Development of Chinese Women, which is aimed at further promoting women's participation in government and political affairs as well as their overall participation and development.
五、在社会生活领域中充分发展
Chapter V Full Advance in Society
旧中国,广大妇女被排斥在社会生活之外。新中国,妇女在社会生活各个方面,特别是在教育、科技、文化体育、卫生等领域,获得了令人瞩目的发展。
In old China, women were excluded from social life. New China has enabled women to make conspicuous progress in all aspects of society, especially in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, sports and public health.
中国政府大力发展妇女教育事业。在正规教育中,国家积极采取措施,提高女性入学率、在学率和升学率。在部分边远、贫困和少数民族地区,采取办女童班、办女校、实行免费上学等办法,努力消除女性受教育的障碍。1992年,中国7—11周岁女儿童入学率由建国前的不足20%提高到96.2%;中学生、大学生及研究生中的女性比例分别达到43.1%、33.7%和24.8%,在大学工科毕业生中女性也达到27%。自1982年恢复学位制到1993年,中国已有1149名女性获得了博士学位,占博士总数的9.4%。中国政府还特别注意发展妇女成人教育、职业技术教育和扫盲教育。目前,全国已建立了1679所女子中等职业学校和3所女子职业大学,开设了60多个适合妇女的专业,有1300多万妇女在成人高校学习。建国四十多年来,累计扫除女性文盲1.1亿人,使女性文盲比例从1949年的90%下降到1993年的32%。
The Chinese government has exerted great efforts to promote women's education. In regular education, the state has adopted measures to increase the proportion of female enrollment. In some remote, poverty-stricken areas and ethnic minority areas, there are free courses and schools specially for women as a measure to remove barriers to female education. In 1992, the attendance rate for girls from 7 to 11 years old had risen to 96.2 percent from less than 20 percent before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The proportion of females in middle schools, colleges and postgraduate schools reached 43.1 percent, 33.7 percent and 24.8 percent respectively. Among engineering college graduates, women accounted for 27 percent. From 1982, when the academic degree system was resumed, to 1993, 1,149 women were awarded doctorates, making up 9.4 percent of total Ph.D recipients.The Chinese government has also paid special attention to promoting adult and vocational education and eliminating illiteracy among women. There are 1,679 women's secondary vocational schools and three women's vocational colleges, which offer more than 60 specialties suitable for women. Over 13 million women are enrolled in institutions of higher learning. Over a period of 45 years since the founding of the People's Republic, more than 110 million women illiterates have been taught to read, reducing the female illiteracy rate from 90 percent in 1949 to 32 percent in 1993.
中国妇女为教育事业的发展作出了积极的贡献。1992年,各级各类学校中女教师占教师总数的比例为30%至44.5%。北京大学是中国著名的高等学府,在近3000名教师中,约三分之一是女性,其中有19位博士生导师、68位教授、300多位副教授。全国有20多位女性担任了大学的校长、副校长。1990年全国评选出的5万名特级教师中,女教师占70%。1993年,全国共表彰、奖励“全国教育系统优秀教师和教育工作者”5971人,其中女性1702人,占总数的28.5%;评选出“全国教育系统劳动模范”592人,其中女性150人,占总数的25.3%。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Chinese women have made active contributions to education. In 1992, women teachers at all levels made up 30-44.5 percent of teachers nationwide. In Beijing University, the most distinguished university of China, about one-third of the 3,000 academics are female. Among them, 19 are tutors of postgraduate candidates, 68 are professors and more than 300 are associate professors. Over 20 women across the country assume the posts of university president or vice-president. In 1990, 50,000 teachers were cited for having made outstanding contributions. Seventy percent of them were women. In 1993, 5,971 people were cited as exemplary teachers and education workers in the national education system, among them 1,702 being women, or 28.5 percent of the total. Of the 592 model workers in the national education system, women accounted for 150, or 25.3 percent of the total.
中国政府重视对女科技人员的培养,致力于改善她们的工作和生活条件,鼓励和扶持她们进行科学研究。不少妇女跨进了高能物理、遗传工程、微电子技术、卫星发射等尖端科学技术领域,与男科学家一道取得了突破性成果。1993年,中国已有女科技人员809.7万人,占科技人员总数的35%。在中国科学院,女性担任研究室主任的有186人,占11.9%;任课题组长的有514人,占14.8%。在中国医学科学院具有高级专业技术职称的科学家中,女性占40%以上;院级112个重点科研课题中,女课题负责人占47.3%。1993年,有29名妇女荣任中国科学院院士,占总数的5.4%。截止1992年,有204名妇女成为国家级专家,占总数的5.7%。在享受政府特殊津贴的专家、学者中,女性有11374人,约占总数的10%。中国妇女已成为科技界一支重要力量。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The Chinese government has attached great importance to training women scientists and technicians, trying to improve their working and living conditions and encouraging and supporting them in their scientific research. Many women have stepped into the frontiers of science and technology in areas such as high-energy physics, genetic engineering, microelectronics and satellite launching. Together with male scientists, they have achieved many breakthroughs. In 1993, China had 8,097,000 women scientists and technicians, making up 35 percent of the total. In the Chinese Academy of Sciences, there are 186 women directors of research centers, accounting for 11.9 percent of all directors. As to leaders of research teams, 514, or 14.8 percent of them are women. In the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, women make up over 40 percent of scientists with senior professional titles, and 47.3 percent of the 112 academy-level key research projects are in the charge of women. Up to 1993, the Chinese Academy of Sciences had selected 29 women as academicians, making up 5.4 percent of the total. By 1992, 204 women had become state-level experts, accounting for 5.7 percent of all such experts in the country. Among specialists and scholars who enjoy special government allowances, 11,374, or 10 percent of the total, are women. Chinese women have become a significant force in scientific and technological circles.
中国妇女的聪明才智在文化艺术领域得到充分的发挥。中国作家协会、电影家协会、美术家协会、民间文学研究会等12个全国性的文学艺术团体中,女会员十分活跃,比例最高的占41.8%。女性作家、表演艺术家、画家、导演和音乐家不断涌现。改革开放以来,中国文坛上女作家群的出现,给文字创作带来了前所未有的繁荣。1980年至1988年在芭蕾舞、钢琴、小提琴、声乐等国际艺术比赛中,女性获奖者占中国获奖者的50%以上,其中女杂技演员获奖人数占70%以上。
Chinese women have exhibited their acumen and talents in the arts and culture. In 12 cultural organizations, such as the Chinese Writers' Association, the China Film Association, the Chinese Artists' Association and the China Society for the Study of Folk Literature and Art, women members are quite active and their proportion hits 41.8 percent at the highest. Women writers, performers, painters, directors and musicians are constantly emerging. Since China implemented its reform and opening up policies, the emergence of a galaxy of women writers has brightened the literary scene. At international ballet, piano, violin and vocal music competitions, women made up over 50 percent of Chinese prize winners. With acrobats, it is over 70 percent.
中国政府积极创造条件使妇女与男子一样有参加各种体育训练和国际比赛的机会。女运动员在国际运动场上锐意进取,成绩辉煌。1985年到1993年,中国有国际级女运动健将404人,占中国国际级运动健将总数的51%。从新中国成立到1993年,中国运动员共获世界冠军775个,其中女子冠军460个,占总数的59%;中国运动员打破和超过世界纪录725次,其中女运动员458次,占总次数的63%。在1992年的第二十五届奥运会上,中国女运动员共夺得12枚金牌,占中国获金牌总数的四分之三。中国女运动员不畏艰苦、顽强拼博的精神,体现了中华儿女的时代风貌。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The Chinese government takes active measures to create favorable conditions for women participation in physical training and international matches. With their enterprising spirit, women athletes have done brilliantly in the global sports arena. From 1985 to 1993, China had 404 top sportswomen at international level, accounting for 51 percent of all Chinese athletes at that rank. Between 1949 and 1993, Chinese athletes won 775 world championships, of which 460, or 59 percent, were won by women; Chinese athletes broke world records 725 times, with women accounting for 458 of these, or about 63 percent of the total. At the 25th Olympic Games held in 1992, Chinese women athletes scooped 12 gold medals, taking three quarters of the golds for China. The indomitable and tenacious character displayed by Chinese women athletes embody the new look of the Chinese nation.
在医疗卫生事业中,中国妇女做出了突出贡献。到1993年,中国已有妇幼卫生专业技术人员227万人,占全部医务人员总数的55%。曾任中国医学科学院副院长、中华医学会妇产科学会主任委员的林巧稚,医术精湛,医德高尚,生前长期从事妇产科的教学、科研和妇女常见病、多发病的普查普治工作,是开拓中国现代妇产科学、弘扬救死扶伤的人道主义精神的杰出典型。改革开放十五年来,中国有382项医学科学技术成果获国家级奖励,其中由女性独立完成的占四分之一,女性参与完成的占50%以上。从1983年到目前,中国有15位女性获得国际护士最高荣誉奖章——南丁格尔奖。
Women have made outstanding contributions to the nation's medical and health services. By 1993, China had 2.27 million medical workers specializing in maternity and child care, accounting for 55 percent of all those in the medical profession. The late Lin Qiaozhi, who possessed superb medical skills and high medical ethics, was vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the head of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the Chinese Medical Association. She long engaged in gynaecological and obstetrics teaching and research, conducting general surveys and curing common and recurring women's illnesses. She contributed significantly to China's modern gyniatrics and set an excellent example of humanitarianism in healing the wounded and rescuing the dying.In the 15 years since the reform and opening up, 382 achievements in medical sciences have been honored with state-level awards. More than 50 percent of these achievements were made with the participation of women and a quarter have been independently accomplished by females. From 1983 till now, 15 Chinese women have won the Nightingale Medal, the world's top honor for nurses.
中国妇女在促进社会文明与道德进步、维护社会稳定方面发挥了不可替代的作用。
Women have played an irreplaceable role in enhancing social morality, improving social environment and maintaining social stability.
遍布中国城镇的居民委员会,是群众性的自治组织,它的一项重要职责就是调解邻里纠纷。担任这一工作的绝大部分是妇女。她们耐心细致、尽心尽力地为街坊邻居排解矛盾,制止了大量可能激化为刑事案件的民间纠纷,促进了邻里之间的团结和睦。许多妇女主动配合政府做失足人员的帮教工作。早在建国初期,就有不少热心社会公益的妇女利用节假日到监狱看望素不相识的罪犯,给他们写信,鼓励他们服刑期间好好改造,重新做人。近几年,参与这一活动的妇女越来越多,以妇女为主的帮教小组就有几万个。帮教小组不仅做失足青年的思想转化工作,还努力帮助刑满释放入员解决就业和婚姻问题。中国是世界上刑事犯罪发案率和重新犯罪率最低的国家之一,这与妇女所起的作用是分不开的。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Neighborhood committees can be found in cities and towns all over the country. These are autonomous popular organizations and one of their major duties is to mediate in neighborhood disputes. Most of the active members are women. With all their heart and soul, they perform patient and painstaking work to settle disputes among their neighbors. In doing so, they quash numerous civil quarrels that might otherwise develop into criminal cases and thus promote harmony among residents.Women take the initiative in helping the government in its efforts to educate people who have taken a wrong step in life. From the very early days after the founding of the People's Republic, many public-spirited women visited prisons on their days off to see criminals whom they had never met. They wrote to felons and encouraged them to rehabilitate themselves during their time inside and try to turn over a new leaf. In the last few years, more and more women have been participating in this type of activity. There are many thousands of "assistance and education teams" across the country, mainly composed of women. These groups not only help young wrong-doers to remould their thinking, but also try to find jobs and spouses for them on their release. China is among countries with the lowest incidence of crime and recidivism. This fact is closely related to the efforts of women.
中国妇女积极响应政府关于倡导文明科学进步生活方式的号召,热心于社会公益事业。在众多的敬老院和社会福利院服务的大都是妇女,她们像照顾自己的亲人一样照顾年迈的老人和年幼的孩子。在广大城市和乡村,还有许多妇女义务赡养孤寡老人和收养孤儿。一些城镇退休妇女也主动承担起社区服务工作,兴办托儿所、快餐店、代销店,设立卫生监督岗等,受到社会欢迎。在许多地方,妇女自愿组织禁赌协会,挽救了一些因赌博而濒临破裂的家庭,促进了民风和社会风气的好转。
Responding to the government call for a cultured, scientific and progressive life style, women show great enthusiasm in public welfare work. Most of those who serve in old folks' homes and social welfare institutions are women. They treat elders and youngsters like their own kith and kin. In numerous cities and villages, many women voluntarily take it upon themselves to support and care for aged widows and widowers or adopt orphans. In cities and towns, retired women take over community services on their own initiative. They set up nurseries, snack bars, sales commission agencies and hygiene supervision posts, which are welcomed by the society. In many places, women volunteer to organize associations to ban gambling and thus save many families on the verge of disintegration, promoting a favorable turn in civil practices and the general mood of society.
由于历史的原因和社会经济文化水平的制约,中国妇女在参与社会生活方面还存在一些不容忽视的问题,特别是多数妇女受教育程度还较低,女童受教育的权利在部分农村特别是边远地区尚未得到充分保障。目前,政府和社会团体正在采取措施解决这些问题。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Owing to historical reasons and the constraints of the level of social, economic and cultural development, some problems continue to impede women's full participation in social life and must not be ignored. In particular, the majority of women have a low level of education and in some rural areas, especially in remote or border regions, female children are not being fully guaranteed their right to education. The government and social organizations are adopting measures to overcome these inadequacies.
六、婚姻家庭领域中的平等地位
Chapter VI. Equal Status in Marriage and Family Life
新中国使延续了几千年的封建婚姻家庭制度成为了历史,以爱情为基础的自主婚姻和男女平等的家庭生活已成为当代中国婚姻家庭的主流。
The founding of New China put an end to the feudal marital and family system that had endured for several millennia. Independent marriage based on mutual love and a family life in which husband and wife are equal have become the main current in contemporary Chinese Society.
中国妇女获得了婚姻自主权。旧中国,95%以上的婚姻是包办买卖婚姻。四十多年来,中国自主婚姻的程度已大大提高。据抽样调查,目前由男女双方自己决定或与父母共同商定的婚姻占74%,40岁以下的已婚妇女自主婚姻率为80%。妇女离婚和再婚的权利也得到了应有的保障。这不仅促进了婚姻质量的提高和家庭的稳定,也为家庭中夫妻关系的平等奠定了感情基础。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Women have gained the right of self-determination in marriage. In old China, over 95 percent of marriages were arranged and on a monetary basis. Over the last 40-odd years, the degree of freedom in choosing a partner has in- 37creased significantly. Sample investigations show that 74 percent of young couples make the decision themselves to wed or do so after consultation with their parents, and 80 percent of marriages of women under 40 years old are based on their own choice. Women's rights with regard to divorce and remarriage are also duly guaranteed. This fact has helped improve the quality of marriage and enhance family stability. In addition, it lays an emotional foundation for equality between husband and wife in the family.
独立的姓名权是中国妇女获得的一项重要人身权利。旧中国男性姓氏是家族传宗接代的标志,女性出嫁前大多没有正式名字,出嫁后随夫姓,子女则随父姓。新中国,夫妻有了平等的姓名权,子女随父姓的旧习俗也有了变化。在中国城市,子女随母姓的现象已为数不少。
Chinese women have gained the important personal right of being able to retain their maiden names. In old China, surnames symbolized the continuity of a clan. Most women had no formal name before marriage. They adopted their husband's surname after they wed and children used their father's surname. In New China, both husband and wife have equal right to use their own names and children do not have to adopt their father's surname as was the former custom. In cities, quite a few children take their mother's surname.
中国妇女经济的自立促进了妇女家庭地位的改善。旧中国,绝大多数家庭由男人当家。在新中国,妇女通过劳动有了独立的经济收入。目前,中国妇女的收入占家庭总收入的比例已由50年代的20%提高到40%,有的家庭特别是农村以妇女为主的专业户家庭,妇女收入的比例甚至高达60%至70%。经济的独立,使妇女赢得了对家庭重大事务的管理决策权。据抽样调查,在中国城乡,由夫妻共同决定家庭重大事务的家庭占58%以上,并且呈不断上升的趋势。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Women's economic independence has promoted their status in the family. In old China, family heads were pre-dominantly men. In New China, women earn their own income through work. The share of women's earnings in total family income has risen from 20 percent in the 1950s to the present 40 percent. In some families, especially rural households which are headed by women and which specialize in certain areas of production, the money brought in by women makes up as much as 60-70 percent of the family total. As they have become economically independent, Chinese women have gained more management and decision-making power in principal family and economic matters. Sample investigations show that in over 58 percent of urban and rural families, major affairs are decided by the husband and wife together. This figure continues to climb.
中国妇女与男子一样获得了家庭财产的所有权和继承权。旧中国,家庭财产只能由男性占有和继承,寡妇再嫁不得带走财产,出嫁的女儿也不能继承父母遗产。现在的绝大多数家庭,夫妻同是家庭财产的所有者,平等地支配和使用家庭财产。夫妻相互继承遗产和子女平等继承父母遗产的权利普遍得到了保障。
Women enjoy the same rights of possession and inheritance of family property as men. In old China, family assets could only be owned and inherited by men. If a widow remarried, she could take nothing and a married daughter had no right to inherit anything from her parents. Nowadays, in the overwhelming majority of families, husband and wife jointly own family property and they have equal access to its use and allocation. It has become common practice for husband and wife to enjoy the same bequeathment rights and for sons and daughters to have equal rights as heirs.
中国家庭的人际关系发生了历史性变化,以夫权和家长制为代表的传统家庭关系已逐步被平等、民主、和睦的现代家庭关系所代替,在中国城乡家庭中,夫妻之间,公婆与儿媳之间的关系是平等的,妻子受丈夫虐待、儿媳受公婆虐待的现象已为社会所不容。妇女的人格、学习、劳动权利以及理想、追求,普遍受到了丈夫和其他家人的尊重。过去,家务劳动全部由妻子承担;现在,由夫妻双方共同承担家务劳动的家庭,已占中国家庭的绝大多数。夫妻在事业上相互支持,在生活上相互帮助,出现了许许多多互敬互爱、携手共进的好家庭。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Historical changes have taken place in family relationship. The traditional family characterized by the authority of husband and patriarchal system has gradually been replaced by the modern family mode, marked by equality and a democratic and harmonious atmosphere. In both urban and rural areas, the relationships between husband and wife and between parents-in-law and daughter-in-law are equal. There is social disapproval of ill-treatment meted out to wives and daughters-in-law. Women's personal dignity, their rights to education and work as well as their ideals and pursuits, are generally respected by their husbands and other family members. In the past, a wife took on all the housework. Nowadays, in most Chinese families, husband and wife share this task together. They support each other in their careers and help each other in everyday life. In China, such families with close emotional ties are emerging in large numbers.
中国现有2.67亿个家庭,每年约有1000万对新婚夫妇组成新家庭。中国政府一贯主张保护婚姻家庭,强调夫妻平等,倡导家庭和睦、尊老爱幼的中华民族传统。目前,中国的离婚率为1.54‰。由于中国家庭基本稳定,使家庭安排生活、教养子女、赡养老人的多方面职能充分体现,中国多数老年人得到了子女和社会的照料与扶助。
China has 267 million families and every year about 10 million newlywed couples join their ranks. The Chinese government has consistently protected marriage and the family, emphasized equality between husband and wife, and fostered the Chinese national tradition of respect for the old, love for the young and harmonious relations in the family. Currently, the divorce rate in China is 1.54 per thousand. Because Chinese families are basically stable, family functions, such as living arrangements, child rearing and support for the elderly, are fully in evidence. Most of the elderly enjoy support and care from their children as well as society.
中国政府重视家庭建设,把家庭的稳定与进步作为促进社会稳定与进步的基础。各级政府把家庭文化建设纳入本地区精神文明建设的总体规划,开展了大量富有成效的工作。许多地方建立了敬老协会、道德协会、红白理事会等,有效地改进了家风、村风。多年来在中国城乡兴起的创建文明家庭、美好家庭活动和各类家庭文化建设活动,对提高家庭成员整体素质,促进家庭民主、夫妻和谐和家庭人际关系的改善起到了积极作用。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The Chinese government pays much attention to the building of families and considers family stability and progress to be the basis for social stability and progress. Governments at all levels list enhancement of family cultural levels in their overall planning for local cultural and ideological advance. Much effective work has been done in this regard. Associations for respect of the elderly and for fostering of morals, and wedding and funeral councils have been set up in many places, effectively improving the general family and village atmosphere. Over the years, campaigns to create civilized and fine families and various other related activities have been launched in urban and rural areas. They have helped improve the overall attributes of family members and promote family democracy and harmony, between husband and wife and among all members.
中国政府大力发展各种社会福利事业,努力推进家务劳动社会化的进程。国家重视并支持地方开展社区服务,兴办了大批便民利民的服务网点,大力发展食品、蔬菜、商业、煤气、轻工业品等与日常生活相关的产业。目前,多种形式、多种项目的家务劳动服务设施,正在中国城乡迅速发展。全国各级各类托儿所、幼儿园有近45万所,入园入托率城市达70%,农村达2%。方便食品、家用电器等已逐步进入家庭。就业妇女的家务劳动时间普遍降低。城市职业妇女家务劳动日均3.75小时,已接近发达国家妇女家务劳动的平均时间。
The Chinese government has made significant efforts to promote social welfare undertakings and accelerate the socialization of housework. The state encourages and supports efforts to expand community services. Handy help networks have been set up in large numbers, and efforts are made to develop branches that are closely related to daily life -- foodstuffs, vegetables, commerce, gas and light industrial products. Currently, various housework service facilities are surging in urban and rural China. There are 450,000 nurseries and kindergartens nationwide. The entrance rate to these reaches 70 percent of pre-school age children in towns and 32 percent in the countryside. Convenience foods and electrical household appliances are finding their way into families. As a result, the average time women spend on housework daily has generally decreased. In cities, professional women put an average of 3.75 hours into household chores. This is almost equivalent to the time spent on such tasks by their female counterparts in developed countries.
中国妇女的生育自主权得到了应有的保障。旧中国,妇女是生育的工具,因不育或没有生男孩而被公婆歧视、被丈夫遗弃的现象比较普遍。新中国,妇女成了生育的主人,可以同丈夫平等地商议决定生与不生。历史上曾深受早婚和多子女拖累之苦的中国妇女,对国家实行的计划生育政策表现了极大的热情,绝大多数人自愿晚婚晚育,少生优育。目前,中国已婚妇女的避孕率达83%,有的地区达90%以上。1992年中国人口出生率为18.24‰,人口自然增长率为11.6%,比1970年分别下降了45.4%和55%,总和生育率也由1970年的5.81降至2.0左右。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Women's rights to decide whether or not to bear children are duly protected. In old China, women were just child bearing tools, and they were often persecuted by their parents-in-law or abandoned by their husbands because they were unable to provide any offspring, let alone a son. In New China, women are in control of their own child bearing and they can discuss with their spouses whether or not they will go through with a pregnancy. Historically, Chinese women were victims of early marriage and burdened by excessive numbers of offspring. They display great enthusiasm for the state's family planning policy and the overwhelming majority of them are willing to marry late and have children late, and to have fewer children so as to guarantee a better quality of life for them. The contraception rate among married women reaches 83 percent in the country as a whole, and over 90 percent in some places. In 1992, the birth rate for the Chinese population was 18.24 per thousand and the natural population growth rate was 11.6 per thousand, representing respective decreases of 45.4 percent and 55 percent over 1970. In the same period, the gross fertility rate fell from 5.81 to about 2.0.
中国妇女的生育健康受到国家的保护。旧中国没有专门的妇幼保健院,因孕产期病或其他妇女病丧失生命的妇女不计其数。新中国十分重视并积极发展妇幼保健事业。各级政府都设有妇幼卫生管理职能部门,城乡逐级建立了妇幼保健院所。到1992年底,中国已有妇幼保健院346所,妇幼保健所2841所,儿童医院34所,初步形成了覆盖全国城乡的妇幼保健网。目前,城市98%和农村70%的孕产妇能获得产前检查,全国新法接生率达84.1%。与建国初期相比,孕产妇死亡率由1500/10万下降到94.7/10万,婴儿死亡率由200‰下降到31.42‰。一些威胁妇女健康的常见病、多发病得到了有效防治,每年接受预防性普查的妇女近4000万人。针对少数民族地区卫生和医护条件差、妇女患病率高的状况,国家特别重视发展少数民族地区的妇女保健事业,大力普及新法接生、妇幼保健、多发病防治和生活卫生常识,积极开展对民族地区妇幼保健医护人员和接生员的培训工作。各级政府还经常组织医学专家、医务人员到农牧区和少数民族聚居区进行巡回医疗。为保障少数民族妇女的健康,国家对西藏等地区的妇女普遍实行免费医疗。目前,中国妇女的平均预期寿命已由旧中国的36.7岁提高到72岁,与中国男性相比高出3岁,比联合国提出的2000年世界妇女平均预期寿命65岁的目标高出7岁。
Maternal health is protected by the state. In old China, since there were no maternity and child care centers, countless women died from pregnancy complications or other gynaecological complaints. New China has devoted much effort to developing health care for women and children. Governments at all levels have special functional departments in charge of maternity and child hygiene. Health centers in this regard have been set up at all levels in both urban and rural areas. By the end of 1992, China had 346 maternity and children's health care centers, 2,841 clinics and 34 pediatric hospitals, initially forming a national health network for women and children. At present, 98 percent of pregnant women in urban areas and 70 percent in rural areas can receive prenatal examinations. Modern methods are adopted for 84.1 percent of deliveries in China. Compared with the early days after the founding of New China, the mortality rate for pregnant and lying-in women has dropped from 1,500 per hundred thousand to about 94.7 per hundred thousand, and the infant mortality rate has fallen from 200 per thousand to 31.42 per thousand. Some common ailments and frequently-occurring diseases that threaten female health have effectively been prevented or put under control. Every year close to 40 million women receive preventive health checks. In the light of the poor hygienic and medical conditions and high incidence of disease in ethnic minority areas, the state has attached great importance to developing women's health care facilities there. Enormous efforts have been put into popularizing modern delivery methods, health care for women and children, prevention and control of frequently-occurring diseases and elementary knowledge of hygiene and sanitation. Much has been done to train mid-wives and gynecological and pediatric medical workers. In addition, authorities at all levels often organize mobile medical teams to visit farming and pastoral areas and other ethnic communities. Free medical care for women is provided in Tibet and other regions.
Thanks to all these efforts, the average life expectancy of Chinese women has risen from 36.7 years in old China to the present 72 years. This is three years above the figure for Chinese men and seven years higher than the average life expectancy of 65 years set as a goal by the United Nations for the women of the world by the year 2000.
由于封建传统观念的影响和各地经济文化发展的不平衡,在中国农村特别是比较偏僻落后的农村,还残存着少数包办买卖婚姻的陋习,溺弃女婴、拐卖妇女的案件也时有发生。中国政府非常重视这些问题,大力宣传男女平等的思想,教育妇女学会运用法律武器保护自己;严厉打击各种残害妇女的违法犯罪活动,保障妇女的正当权益不受侵犯。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
However, in spite of all these achievements, the influence of feudal concepts and regional imbalances in economic and cultural development continues to show their effect. The bad habits of arranged and mercenary marriage linger on in some rural areas, especially in the outlying and backward spots. Cases of drowning and abandonment of female infants and trafficking in women
occur from time to time. The Chinese government is paying close attention to these problems. It is vigorously advocating the equality of the sexes and educating women to use legal weapons to defend themselves. Strong measures have been adopted against unlawful cruel treatment of women to ensure that their legitimate rights and interests are not infringed upon.
七、中国妇女权益的组织保障
Chapter VII Organizational Guarantees of the Rights and Interests of Chinese Women
在中国,保障妇女的合法权益是全社会的共同责任。国家机关、社会团体、企事业单位、城乡基层群众性组织,从自己的工作职能和任务出发,依法维护和保障妇女权益。
Guarantees for the legal rights and interests of women are an issue of common concern in China. Government organs, social organizations, enterprises and institutions, and rural and urban mass groups at the grass roots have all made efforts to this effect in line with the laws and regulations.
中国的各级人民代表大会负责制定和修改有关保护妇女权益的法律、法规,监督有关法律的实施及政府保障妇女权益方面的工作。为切实保障妇女儿童权益,全国人民代表大会内务司法委员会及16个省、自治区、直辖市的人民代表大会常委会成立了妇女儿童专门小组,负责办理有关事务。中国人民政治协商会议的各级委员会对有关妇女权益保障的立法及其实施情况进行民主监督、政治协商,就有关妇女的重大问题进行调查研究,提出意见和建议。全国政协及部分省、市政协还设立了妇女青年委员会。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
People's congresses at all levels are responsible for drafting and revising laws and statutes to protect women's rights and interests. They supervise the implementation of relevant laws and governmental work to safeguard the position of women and children. To ensure the task is performed well, the Committee for Internal and Judicial Affairs under the National People's Congress (NPC) and the standing committees of 16 provincial, autonomous, and municipal people's congresses have established special departments to handle matters concerning women and children. Committees at all echelons of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) carry out democratic supervision and provide political consultation on legislations concerning women's rights and interests and their implementation. They conduct surveys of major problems connected with women, and submit their opinions and suggestions for resolving them. The National CPPCC and its counterparts in some provinces and municipalities have also established committees for women and youth.
中国的各级人民政府及政府各部门负责制定和修改有关的行政法规,发布有关决定和命令,把发展妇女事业纳入社会发展计划,采取行政措施,领导和管理妇女权益保障工作。各级司法机关按照法律程序,审理和判决各类案件,打击侵犯妇女权益的犯罪分子,保障有关法律的执行。为更好地协调和推动政府各部门做好妇女权益的保障工作,国务院成立了由16个部委和4个群众组织的负责人组成的国务院妇女儿童工作委员会,全国各省、自治区、直辖市(台湾省除外)一级政府也成立了相应的组织。
People's governments at each level and their departments are responsible for drafting and revising women-related administrative regulations, issuing relevant decisions and orders, linking women's advance with social development, and adopting administrative measures to oversee the protection of women's rights and interests. Judicial bodies at all levels, in accordance with legal procedures, hear and judge cases and punish criminals who infringe on women's rights and interests and see to it that laws are upheld. To coordinate and propel governmental departments in their work of guaranteeing the rights of women, the State Council has established a Work Committee for Women and Children. Its members include leaders from 16 ministries and commissions and four mass organizations. Similar local government bodies have also been set up in all the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, with the exception of Taiwan.
中国5800多个群众性的妇女组织经常向政府反映广大妇女的意见和面临的问题,提出解决问题的建议。它们是维护妇女权益的重要力量。中华全国妇女联合会是其中最大的组织,该会由中国各族各界妇女联合组织而成,具有广泛的代表性和群众性,拥有健全的工作网络,其基层组织遍布城市的街道和农村的乡村。中华全国妇女联合会以代表和维护广大妇女利益为基本宗旨,致力于促进男女平等,提高妇女地位。妇联以其卓有成效的工作赢得了社会的好评和广大妇女的信赖,许多其他全国性的、地区性的或行业性的妇女组织(如女职工委员会、女科技工作者联议会、基督教女青年会以及女企业家、女工程师、女新闻工作者、女法官、女律师、女作家、女书法家等各种行业的妇女协会等)大多以团体会员的形式,加入中华全国妇女联合会。由于各级妇联在团结妇女参与社会发展和维护妇女权益方面的努力与政府的目标一致,妇联的工作也得到了各级政府的积极支持和鼓励。中国的八个民主党派均设立了妇委会,它们在维护妇女权益方面做了切实有效的工作。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
More than 5,800 mass women's organizations in China undertake to report women's views and their problems to the authorities and make suggestions on how to solve them. They are an important force in safeguarding the status of women. The biggest of these is the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), which comprises women from different ethnic groups and all walks of life. It has broad representation and a popular basis, and furthermore, a sound functional network. Its basic units can be found in urban neighborhoods as well as in villages. Aiming to represent and defend the interests of women, the federation devotes itself to promoting sexual equality and raising women's position in society. Its outstanding work has earned it a high reputation in society and women's confidence. Many other national, regional, and professional women's organizations, such as the Council of Women Workers, the Association of Women Scientific and Technological Workers, the Young Women's Christian Association, and associations of women entrepreneurs, women engineers, women journalists, women judges, lawyers, writers, calligraphers and so on, are affiliated with the federation. As the federation has the same goal as the government, which is to unite women to take part in social development and to defend women's rights and interests, its work is supported and encouraged by the authorities on every rung. The eight democratic parties of China have also set up commissions for women, whose efforts have effectively defended the cause of women.
各类宣传媒介、研究机构为保障妇女权益,促进妇女的进步与发展,起到了重要的配合作用。中国的报刊、广播、电视等传媒注重宣传国家有关维护妇女权益的法律法规和文明进步的妇女观,增进全社会对妇女权利、作用的认识。各种妇女群众组织创办了不少妇女报纸刊物,仅各级妇女联合会就有报刊47家。一些综合性的报纸和电台、电视台也辟有妇女专栏,向全社会进行妇女问题的宣传。中国还成立了一些全国性、地方性的妇女问题研究机构,它们的研究成果也促进了保障妇女权益的工作。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Mass media and research institutes play an important role in safeguarding the rights and interests and promoting the advancement of women. The press, radio and television publicize state laws and regulations upholding women's rights and interests and civilized and progressive views on women. This has greatly promoted public awareness of women's rights and contributions to society. Women's organizations have also published many newspapers and magazines for women, the ACWF and its branches alone have 47 periodicals. Some newspapers have special columns on women. Radio and television stations make special women's programs. National and local research institutes on women have been established and their activities help in many ways to protect women's rights and interests.
上述这些组织机构相互配合、协调,在消除对妇女的歧视,维护男女平等,提高妇女素质,促进妇女发展等方面,做了大量的工作,取得了积极的成果。
Coordinating their efforts and acting together, the above-mentioned groups have produced positive results in eliminating discrimination against women, upholding equality between men and women, improving women's qualifications and promoting the advancement of women.
《中华人民共和国妇女权益保障法》就是在国家权力机关、行政机关及群众团体的共同努力下颁布实施的。该法由中华全国妇女联合会首先倡议,全国人大代表、政协委员以及妇女大会的代表提出议案、提案和建议,得到了全国人大常委会的重视和采纳,并委托全国妇联、民政部和中华全国总工会承担起草任务。全国人大内务司法委员会和国务院妇女儿童工作委员会积极参与了起草工作。该法颁布后,上述各机构还就这部法律的普及和实施,开展了调查和宣传活动。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
The Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women is the product of joint efforts by organs of state power, executive bodies and mass groups. The idea of drafting such a law was first put forward by the All-China Women's Federation. Drafts and proposals to this effect were submitted by deputies to the NPC, members of the CPPCC and representatives to the Women's Congress. The proposal gained the attention and acceptance of the Standing Committee of the NPC, which entrusted the drafting work to the ACWF, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions. The Committee for Internal and Judicial Affairs under the National People's Congress and the Work Committee for Women and Children under the State Council also participated. Since the statute was promulgated, these organizations have launched publicity activities and extensive surveys to promote its implementation.
针对近年来有的地区重新出现的拐卖妇女儿童及卖淫嫖娼的犯罪活动,1989年国务院发布了《关于坚决打击拐卖妇女儿童犯罪活动的通知》;1991年全国人大根据有关党派、团体的建议,又制定了《严惩卖淫嫖娼的决定》和《严惩拐卖、绑架妇女、儿童的犯罪分子的决定》。有关部门连续召开了三次工作会议,加强了社会治安的综合治理,使上述犯罪活动得到了遏制。1992年中国拐卖人口的案件立案数比1991年下降了35.2%,1993年又比1992年下降了9%。
To stop the abduction and sale of women and children and prostitution, phenomena which have reappeared in some areas in recent years, the State Council issued a Notice on Reprisals Against Trafficking in Women and Children in 1989. In 1991, in response to proposals by some political parties and organizations, the NPC drew up the Decision on the Strict Prohibition Against Prostitution and Whoring and the Decision Regarding the Severe Punishment of the Criminals Who Abduct and Traffic in or Kidnap Women or Children. Government departments involved held three successive work meetings, and as a result, social security was enhanced and felonies checked. In 1992, there was a 35.2 percent reduction in cases of abduction and sale of women and children as compared with 1991, and there was a further drop of 9 percent in 1993.
提高妇女素质是保障妇女权益的一项基础性和战略性工作。1989年以来,中华全国妇女联合会联合十几个政府部门,在全国农村各族妇女中开展了“学文化、学技术,比成绩、比贡献”的“双学双比”竞赛活动,在城镇开展了“做‘四有’(有理想、有道德、有文化、有纪律)、‘四自’(自尊、自信、自立、自强)女性,为‘八五’计划建功”的“巾帼建功”活动。到1993年底,全国有1.2亿农村妇女参加“双学双比”活动,其中9000万人接受了各种实用技术培训,1000万妇女在双学中脱盲;51万妇女获得了农民技术员职称;在老少边穷地区,举办了扶贫培训班250期,建立扶贫联系点4500个,联系点的贫困户中80%解决了温饱问题。有3776万城镇妇女参加了“巾帼建功”活动,4672人被评为省级以上“巾帼建功标兵”,15132人获省级以上女能手称号。中国妇女第六次全国代表大会提出的“自尊、自信、自立、自强”的口号及第七次全国代表大会上通过的90年代中国妇女发展的十项目标,在妇女中和社会上产生了广泛影响。亿万妇女在“四自”口号和十项目标的鼓舞和激励下,正在推动社会的发展和进步中实现自身的发展与进步。
Female self-improvement is a strategic task fundamental to the protection of women's rights and interests. Since 1989, the All-China Women's Federation, together with over 10 governmental departments, has launched several campaigns for the betterment of women themselves. One aimed at promoting cultural and technical studies and achievements among women of different ethnic groups in the countryside. By the end of 1993, more than 120 million rural women had joined in and 90 million of them had received practical technical training. Another 10 million had learned to read and write, while 510,000 gained the title of agro-technician. In poverty-stricken areas, mostly old revolutionary bases, ethnic minority areas and border regions, 250 training classes have been held and 4,500 aid stations have been set up to help the impoverished. Nowadays, 80 percent of the poor families covered by these stations have adequate food and clothing. About 37.76 million urban women took part in an ACWF-initiated project to contribute to the Eighth Five-Year Plan, and 4,672 of them were dubbed pacesetters, and another 15,132 were awarded at provincial level or above the title of "Able Woman". The above-mentioned project embraced a call for women to have high ideals, high moral standards, education and discipline (briefly known as "four haves") as well as to strive for self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-strengthening (briefly known as "four selfs"). The slogan of "four selfs" was first raised at the Sixth National Congress of Women. Then, the Seventh National Congress of Women adopted a 10-Point Goal for the Advancement of Chinese Women in the 1990s. The "four selfs" slogan and the 10-point goal produced a widespread impact upon women and society. Inspired by them, millions of Chinese women are realizing their own betterment and progress in the course of propelling society forward.
八、积极参与国际妇女活动
Chapter VIII Active Participation in International Women's Activities
中国承认和尊重《联合国宪章》中关于男女平等的原则,赞赏和支持联合国作出的提高妇女地位、实现男女平等的努力。中国积极参与联合国系统妇女领域的活动,遵照独立自主的和平外交政策,积极发展同世界各国妇女的友好交往与合作,为在全世界实现男女平等、妇女参与社会发展、维护世界和平进行了不懈的努力。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
China recognizes and respects the principle of sexual equality affirmed in the United Nations Charter and appreciates and supports UN endeavors to promote the status of women and realize sexual equality. China has taken an active part in international women's activities sponsored by the UN. In accordance with its independent foreign policy of peace, China is striving to develop friendly exchanges and cooperation with women from all over the world, while making unremitting efforts to realize the goal of worldwide equality between men and women, women's participation in social development and maintenance of world peace.
1971年10月,联合国恢复中国的合法席位之后,中国积极参与了联合国系统妇女领域的活动。
Since resuming membership in the UN in October 1971, China has shown great enthusiasm in participating in UN activities related to women.
中国在联合国系统的有关妇女机构中发挥了积极的作用。中国自1974年以来先后五次当选为联合国妇女地位委员会成员国。中国代表在妇地会的会议上,以不同的形式向各国代表阐述了中国妇女对于维护和平、参与发展、促进男女平等的主张,与各国妇女广泛交流提高妇女地位、发挥妇女作用的经验和信息,增进了相互了解,发展了友好合作关系。1982年以来,中国专家连续四次被选为消除对妇女歧视委员会委员,并积极参与审议各国政府提交的报告,努力促进消除歧视妇女的现象。1985—1988年,中国当选为提高妇女地位国际研究训练所董事会董事,为开展妇女研究和培训工作作出了积极的努力。
China has been playing an active role in UN women's organizations. Since 1974, China has been elected five times as a member state in the UN Commission on the Status of Women. There, Chinese representatives have expounded Chinese women's stand on world peace, participation in development and promotion of sexual equality, exchanged experience and information on promoting women's conditions and giving full play to the role of women with their counterparts from other countries. This has helped to enhance mutual understanding and develop friendly cooperation. Since 1982, Chinese experts have been elected four times in succession as representatives on the Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and participated in evaluating the reports submitted by governments and made strenuous efforts to eliminate discrimination against women. From 1985 to 1988, China was elected a member of the board of directors of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, where it made positive contributions to women's research and training.
中国是1980年首批签署《消除对妇女一切形式歧视公约》的国家之一,并按规定及时提交了执行“公约”情况的报告。中国参与审议和制定了《到2000年提高妇女地位内罗毕前瞻性战略》,并结合本国的具体情况,制定了一系列法律、法规,采取了切实可行的措施,来实现《内罗毕战略》所规定的目标。中国政府一贯实行男女同工同酬政策,并于1990年正式批准了国际劳工组织的《男女工人同工同酬公约》。
China was one of the first signatories to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and has submitted timely reports on its implementation in China as required. China took part in formulating and examining the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the Year 2000, and has laid down statutes and adopted concrete policies in accordance with China's reality so that the Nairobi Strategies may be realized. China has consistently carried out the principle that men and women enjoy equal pay for equal work. In 1990, it formally ratified the Convention Concerning Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value released by the International Labor Organization.
中国支持并参与“国际妇女年”和“联合国妇女十年”的活动。中国政府曾派代表团出席在墨西哥城、哥本哈根和内罗毕举行的三次世界妇女大会,并出席了五次国际筹备会和两次区域性筹备会议。在会上,中国代表充分肯定“联合国妇女十年”的活动,并就制定未来提高妇女地位的战略和一些重大的国际问题阐述了中国的立场和观点,为历次大会的成功作出了积极贡献。中国的妇女组织还派代表参加了与三次大会同时举行的非政府组织论坛的活动。中国先后十七次参加联合国系统举办的旨在实现妇女十年目标的培训班和研讨会,同与会各国交流了经验,增进了友谊。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
China supported and engaged in activities for International Women's Year in 1975 and the UN Decade for Women, from 1975 to 1985. The Chinese government sent delegations to the world conferences on women held in Mexico City in 1975, Copenhagen in 1980 and Nairobi in 1985, and also to the five global preliminary meetings and two regional preparatory meetings. At these events, Chinese representatives gave full support to exertions for the United Nations Decade for Women and expounded China's stand and viewpoints on some major international problems and strategies for the advancement of conditions for women, thus making positive contributions to the success of these conferences. At the same time, Chinese women's organizations sent members to take part in Non-Governmental Organization Forum held during the three conferences. China attended 17 UN-sponsored training classes and seminars aimed at realizing the goals of the UN Decade for Women. In the course of these efforts, China exchanged observations and improved its relations with other countries.
中国妇女积极发展同世界各国妇女组织及妇女人士的交往。目前,中华全国妇女联合会已同130多个国家和地区的近480个政府和民间妇女、儿童组织机构,建立了友好联系。近年来,接待各国和地区的来宾已突破万人。来访的宾客有总统夫人、政府女部长、女议员、女企业家、女专家学者、妇女儿童组织负责人及其工作者。十五年来,中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。中国妇女的朋友遍天下。
Chinese women have made vigorous efforts to develop links with women organizations and individuals around the globe. To date, the All-China Women's Federation has established ties with nearly 480 governmental and non-governmental women's and children's organizations in over 130 countries and regions and received more than 10,000 visitors in recent years, including first ladies, women ministers, members of parliament, entrepreneurs, specialists, scholars and leaders and staff members of women's and children's groups. In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. Indeed, Chinese women have friends all over the world.
中国认为,虽然各个国家的历史和现状不同,经济发展水平相异,但是在妇女问题上都面临一些共同课题,存在某些相似的情况或困难。中国愿与世界各国妇女相互交流、相互借鉴、共同提高。近几年来,中国妇女界先后与美国、俄罗斯、日本等国的妇女组织举办妇女问题研讨会,就妇女普遍关心的问题进行探讨和交流。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
China believes that although different countries have different histories and their realities and level of economic development vary, they face some common tasks, similar situation and difficulties with regard to women. China is ready to establish relations with women of all states to learn from each other so as to jointly improve the situation for women. In recent years, Chinese women's organizations have jointly sponsored seminars with their counterparts in the United States, Russia, Japan and other countries to study and exchange views on issues that confront women worldwide.
中国积极开展妇女方面的国际合作项目。应联合国教科文组织、亚太发展中心和联合国大学的要求,中国多次承担了关于中国妇女问题的研究项目,提交的报告被广泛散发,受到普遍好评。十多年来,全国妇联陆续与联合国儿童基金会、联合国妇女发展基金、联合国大学、加拿大国际发展署及一些国家的官方和民间援助机构合作,开展合作项目700余个,培训30多万人,执行合作项目范围遍及中国30个省、自治区和直辖市,内容涉及农村妇女扫盲和实用技术培训,城市待业女青年的培训,学前教育师资培训和普及妇幼卫生、家庭教育知识等。合作项目所取得的成果受到各方的称赞,其中“帮助青年就业项目”荣获联合国妇女发展基金特别奖。中华全国妇女联合会被誉为国际合作项目的理想伙伴。
China has taken an active part in international cooperative projects concerning women. At the request of UNESCO, the Asia-Pacific Development Center and United Nations University, China has undertaken research projects on Chinese women and submitted many reports which have all been well received. Over the past decade, the All-China Women's Federation has cooperated with the United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Women's Development Fund, United Nations University, Canadian International Development Agency and other governmental and non-governmental organizations in over 700 projects in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The schemes include such items as eliminating illiteracy among rural women and providing them with practical technical training, offering vocational training for job-seeking young urban women, training kindergarten teachers, and promoting women's and children's health care and family education. Over 300,000 women have taken part in these programs and the results have been outstanding. The Assistance for Youth Employment Project has been awarded a special prize by the United Nations Women's Development Fund, and the All-China Women's Federation has been highly commended as an ideal partner for international cooperation.
中国一贯支持发展中国家为促进妇女参与经济发展所作的努力。1980年以来,中国共向50个国家的妇女儿童组织提供了101批实物援助,主要有缝纫机、绣花机、文化体育用品、服装玩具等,为受援国培训待业女青年和开展妇女工作提供了一定的帮助。近年来,根据某些发展中国家经济发展的需要和要求,中国分别派草麻编、玉米皮编和刺绣技术小组赴莫桑比克、墨西哥、毛里求斯、乌干达和厄瓜多尔等国传授技术,帮助培训当地妇女,受到当地政府和人民的好评。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
Support has flowed from China for efforts by developing countries to foster women's participation in economic development. Since 1980, China has provided 101 batches of material assistance to women's and children's organizations in 50 countries.The provisions included sewing and embroidery machines, cultural and sports facilities, and clothes and toys. They have helped vocational training for unemployed urban young women and promoted women's work. To meet the needs of these countries, China has in recent years dispatched technical groups specializing in straw, flax and corn straw weaving and embroidery to Mozambique, Mexico, Mauritius, Uganda and Ecuador to help raise the production skills of local women. These contributions have received high praise from the local governments and people.
中国在广泛参加国际妇女双边和多边活动中,始终坚持联合国提出的平等、发展与和平的主题。
China adheres to the United Nations theme of equality, development and peace when taking part in international bilateral and multilateral women's activities.
中国一贯主张男女平等。中国认为,男女权利的平等,不仅关系到妇女的切身利益,而且关系到人类智慧能否得到全面发挥,社会生产力能否得到充分解放。平等是保证妇女充分参与发展的重要条件。1985年3月,在审评联合国妇女十年成就世界会议第三届筹备会上,中国代表指出:“实现男女平等,这是妇女运动长期以来奋斗的目标,妇女十年在平等立法制定方面,有了显著进展,但仅有立法条文,还很不够……我们认为,战略中应着重强调在国际、区域、国家各级制定行动措施来实现事实上的平等,各国政府和非政府组织应为妇女提供法律咨询,帮助妇女真正有可能运用法律武器维护自己的合法权利。”现在世界上一些国家在政治、经济、社会、家庭以及种族方面仍然不同程度地存在着对妇女的歧视,因此,大幅度地缩短法律与事实上平等的差距仍是国际社会和各国政府进一步努力的重要目标。
In upholding the principle of equality between men and women, China believes this concept concerns not only the interests of women but also the full employment of the wisdom of humanity and total utilization of social productive forces. Equality is a prerequisite for women's participation in social development. In March 1985, at the third preliminary session on reviewing the achievements of the UN Decade for Women, the Chinese delegate pointed out, "Equality between men and women has been the goal of the women's movement for a long time. The United Nations Decade for Women has scored marked progress in legislative equality, but this is not enough.... We believe that strategically we must stress that efforts must be made at the international, regional and national levels to work out active plans in order to reach a genuine equality; every governmental and non-governmental organization should provide legal services for women and make it possible for them to adopt legal weapons to protect their legitimate rights." At present, political, economic, social, family and racial discrimination against women continue to exist in some countries to varying degrees. Hence, a significant narrowing of the gap between law and reality remains an important and arduous task for every government and the international community at large.
中国认为,实现男女平等,关键是让妇女平等地参与发展。妇女是人类发展中的一支伟大力量,没有妇女的参与,发展是不可能取得成功的。目前,妇女充分参与发展的障碍还很多,除了要制定有关法律、法规,保障妇女与男子享有平等参与发展的权利之外,尤其要大力发展妇女教育,培养妇女人才,提高妇女的科学文化水平和管理能力。广大发展中国家由于历史的原因和不公正、不合理的国际经济秩序的束缚,大多经济发展水平低下,科学技术落后,严重妨碍了妇女参与社会经济的发展,导致妇女社会地位低下。为此,必须彻底改变旧的国际经济秩序,发展双边和多边的经济技术合作,使世界各国妇女,尤其是发展中国家妇女充分参与社会的发展,进而实现男女平等。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
China is convinced that the key to achieving sexual equality is to enable women to take part in development as the equals of men. Women provide great momentum for human progress, and without their participation, true progress is not possible. Nowadays, many obstacles still prevent women from fully taking part in social development. In addition to formulating laws and regulations to ensure the right to equal participation, it is necessary to strengthen women's education so that women's talents are developed and their scientific and cultural standards and management skills can be enhanced. For historical reasons and as a result of an unfair and irrational global economic order, most of the developing countries suffer from a low level of economic development and back-wardness in science and technology. This has seriously hindered women's participation in social and economic development, hence their low social status. For this reason, the international economic order should be thoroughly transformed. Bilateral and multilateral economic and technical cooperation should be developed so that women worldwide, and especially those from developing countries, can enjoy the right to participate in social development as men's equals.
中国认为,妇女是维护世界和平的伟大力量。和平关系到世界的前途,关系到各国人民特别是妇女的命运。没有和平就谈不上发展,谈不上男女平等。然而,当今世界上,以大欺小、以强凌弱、干涉内政、侵犯主权、武装侵略和占领他国领土等违背联合国宪章和国际法准则的行径仍然存在,局部战争和地区冲突从未停止。中国坚决支持各国人民和妇女反对外来侵略和干涉,为维护国家主权和民族独立、发展民族经济、促进妇女发展所作出的努力。中国主张,世界上所有国家,不分大小贫富强弱,应该一律平等,按照和平共处五项原则和睦相处,各国的事务应由各国人民自己解决,世界的事应由各国协商解决。多年来,中国妇女为维护世界和平,反对帝国主义、新老殖民主义、霸权主义、一切形式的种族主义、法西斯主义、各种形式的恐怖主义等,进行了不懈的努力。
China believes that women are a great force in maintaining world peace, and this is closely linked to the future of our planet and the destiny of the mankind, women in particular. Without peace, development and sexual equality are out of the question. However, in today's world, acts which go against the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law still exist. These include such practices as the big bullying the small, the strong domineering over the weak, interfering in the internal affairs of other countries and violating their sovereignty, and armed aggression and occupation of the territory of other states. Local wars and regional conflicts have been incessant. China firmly supports the struggle by women and the entire humanity against external aggression and interference and the efforts to safeguard national independence, promote national economies and women's advancement. China believes that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal. Countries should abide by the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence. The internal affairs of a state should be solved by its own people, while international matters should be settled through consultation among countries. Over the years, Chinese women have made unremitting efforts to maintain world peace, and to fight against imperialism, old and new colonialism, hegemonism, racism of various forms, fascism and all forms of terrorism.
中国积极承办第四次世界妇女大会,努力当好东道主。自联合国接受中国政府的邀请,决定于1995年9月在北京举行第四次世界妇女大会以来,中国政府十分重视做好大会的筹备工作。1992年8月,国务院成立了由国家有关部委、北京市政府和群众团体等30个单位的负责人组成的第四次世界妇女大会中国组织委员会全面负责大会的筹备工作。以国务委员彭佩云为主席的组委会强调,要将迎接第四次世界妇女大会的过程作为进一步推动中国妇女全面参与发展、实现平等权益的过程。1993年3月,中国总理李鹏在全国人大八届一次会议上的政府工作报告中强调“要办好1995年在北京召开的第四次世界妇女大会”,这是中国政府向全国人民进行的动员,也是向国际社会做出的庄严保证。目前,中国政府正认真履行东道国应承担的义务,积极与联合国机构、各国政府和有关非政府组织加强联系、密切合作,为大会的顺利召开竭尽全力,为推动全世界妇女的进步作出贡献。微博@高斋翻硕 公众号:高斋翻译学堂
As the host country of the Fourth World Conference on Women, China will make positive efforts to ensure its success. Since the United Nations accepted the application of the Chinese government and decided to hold the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in September 1995, the Chinese government has attached great importance to its preparatory work. In August 1992, the State Council set up an Organization Committee consisting of leaders from 30 relevant ministries, the Beijing municipal government and mass groups to be fully responsible for the preparation. Chaired by State Councilor Peng Peiyun, the committee stresses that the preparation for the conference should also be used as an opportunity to promote the role of Chinese women in social development and sexual equality. In March 1993, Chinese Premier Li Peng stressed in the Report on Government Work at the First Session of the Eighth National People's Congress, "We should make the Fourth World Conference on Women a success." This is a call to the Chinese people for general mobilization and also a solemn pledge to the international community. At present, the Chinese government is earnestly carrying out its responsibilities as a host country and increasing its contacts and cooperation with UN organizations, governments and relevant non-governmental organizations in the world. It is exerting its utmost efforts to facilitate the convocation of the conference and contribute to the global advancement of women.