China vows to further address the country’s critical gender ratio imbalance
中国决定进一步解决严重的性别比例失衡问题
The Chinese government vows to work on further lowering the country’s gender ratio imbalance , which is currently around 112 boys per 100 girls, according to demographers, and higher than an average ratio of 103-107.
The government will take measures to address the high gender ratio imbalance, according to an action plan against human trafficking announced by China’s State Council on Wednesday.
Departments engaged in civil affairs, public security and health should work together in registering and verifying information of pregnant and postpartum patients at hospitals to crack down on illegal activities including surrogacy and forging of birth certificates, the notice said.
Official data showed China’s gender ratio dropped to 110.14 in 2019, lower than 113.5 in 2015 and 117.94 in 2010. The figure, though keeping slightly decreasing in recent years, remains unreasonably high, said Peng Xizhe, a professor at School of Social Development and Public Policy under Fudan University.
Sex-selective abortion is a main reason behind the unreasonable imbalance, as some parents prefer boys more than girls and choose to abort their baby girls, Peng said, suggesting authorities strengthen crackdown on the diagnoses of the sex of fetuses (for non-medical purpose), which is illegal in China.
The fundamental reason is that Chinese society hasn’t reached 100 percent gender equality, Peng noted. “Women do not enjoy equal rights with men at work and many families prefer to inherit their properties to sons instead to daughters ,” Peng told the Global Times on Wednesday.
There’s still a long way to go for all Chinese to truly accept the concept of equality between men and women, he added.
