Thursday, September 01, 2011

Undoing 5,000 years of patriarchy


China’s State Council recently issued the National Program on the Development of Chinese Women (2011-2020), which sets targets for greater women’s participation in decision-making and management in the next 10 years.

It also proposes that governments above the county level have more than one female cadre in the leadership and the proportion to be increased gradually.

As of 2010, according to government statistics, there were 28 female vice governors in 26 provincial and regional governments.

Patriarchy has been the dominating social system in 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. In Chinese tradition, men are the head of the family and the society. Women have little say in the families. Some girls, who are born to poor families, are prevented from getting education to give way to their brothers. Today, there is progress for women to be able to enjoy such social status in China.

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