Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Government on Amending the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women

Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Government on Amending the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women

Order of the President of the People's Republic of China [2005 ] No. 40

August 28, 2005

The Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress about Amending the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women was adopted at the 17th session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on August 28, 2005. It is hereby promulgated and shall come into force as of December 1, 2005.

President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao

Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Government about Amending the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women

(Adopted at the 17th session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on August 28, 2005)

The Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress decides to make the following amendments to the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women at the 17th session:

I. The Article 2 shall be revised as: "Women shall enjoy equal rights with men in all aspects of political, economic, cultural, social and family life.
It is a basic state policy to realize equality between men and women. The state shall take necessary measures to gradually improve various systems for the protection of the rights and interests of women and to eliminate all kinds of discrimination against women.
The state shall protect the special rights and interests enjoyed by women under the law.
It is prohibited to discriminate against, ill-treat, abandon or cruelly kill women."

II. An article shall be added as Article 3: "The State Council shall work out a program for the development of Chinese women and shall incorporate it into the plan on the national economy and social development.
Each local people's government at the county level shall, according to the program for the development of Chinese women, work out a plan on the development of women within its own administrative area and shall incorporate it into the plan on development of the national economy and social development."

III. The Article 4 shall be changed into Article 6 and shall be revised as: "The people's governments at all levels shall attach importance to and strengthen the protection of rights and interests of women.
The people's governments at and above the county level shall be the institutions responsible for the work of women and children. They shall organize, coordinate, guide and urge the relevant departments to conduct well the protection of the rights and interests of women."
The relevant departments of the people's governments at the county level or above shall do well the work of protection of the rights and interests of women within their respective scope of functions.

IV. The Article 5 shall be changed into Article 7 and shall be amended as: "The All-China Women's Federation and women's federations at various levels shall, in accordance with the laws and charter of the All-China Women's Federation, represent and uphold the interests of women of all nationalities and all walks of life, and do well the protection of women's rights and interests.
The labor unions and the communist youth leagues shall, according to their respective working scope, do well the protection of the rights and interests of women."

V. The Article 9 shall be changed into Article 10, and 2 paragraphs shall be added as paragraphs 2 and 3: "When any law, rule, regulation or public policy relating to the important rights and interests of women is formulated, the opinions of the women's federations shall be taken into account.
The women and women's organizations shall be entitled to put forward opinions and proposals on the protection of rights and interests of women to the state organs at all levels."

VI.
　　......