This March, the Changsha Women's Federation in Changsha, capital city of central
China's Hunan Province, received a special letter sent from the Hunan Province
Women's Prison. The letter writer, an inmate surnamed Wang, wrote: "Thank you
for showing concern for me and helping me rebuild my confidence and renew my
hope in life."
A victim of domestic violence, Wang was sentenced to life imprisonment after she killed her husband because she could no longer tolerate his abuse. Driven to desperation in prison, she had become a problematic inmate.
When the staff of the Changsha Women's Federation got to know her story, they tried to help her rebuild her life by talking to her and re-connecting her with her family. Their efforts have made her feel cared for and hopeful towards the future. Recently, she received a commutation of sentence for good behavior.
This is just one example of how the city's women's federation has helped women fight domestic violence, get involved in politics, start their own businesses and improve their health and lives.
Innovative Efforts in Anti-domestic Violence
The Changsha Women's Federation has won a good nationwide reputation and recognition from the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) for its outstanding and innovative efforts to fight domestic violence. In fact, many of those involved in anti-domestic violence work in China travel to Changsha specifically to learn more about its work experiences in the field.
Thanks to the federation’s efforts, a city-level government policy on the prevention of domestic violence and a local legal policy on anti-domestic violence were issued in Changsha. They are the first such policies to be issued in China.
In addition, the women's federation has also pushed forward publicity activities on anti-domestic violence in many communities and raised awareness of policies and measures protecting victims of domestic violence. It has also expanded the anti-domestic violence prosecution network.
The women's federation's efforts have made Changsha the first city in China with an anti-domestic violence work group. A city-level shelter for domestic violence survivors has also been founded.
The federation has also taken pains to ensure that men are involved in the city's anti-domestic violence work.
"We have a much better chance of fighting domestic violence if men are invited to participate," said one federation staff recently. In February 2009, the federation invited 20 male citizens to form an anti-domestic violence action group.
Promoting Women's Political Participation
As the level of women's political participation is the most important signal of gender equality, the Changsha Women’s Federation has worked closely with other government departments to get more women involved in politics.
In 2007 and 2011, the federation helped issue two important policies on cultivating and selecting women cadres, stipulating a quota for the number of women cadres appointed. With the support of the policy, many more women have had the chance to wield their influence in leadership roles.
In addition, women party representatives now account for 23.8 percent of all party representatives. Women in the city people's congress and the city's political consultative conference account for 21.78 percent and 25.1 percent respectively, putting the city on a higher level than the national women's political participation average of 21 percent.
Helping Women's Entrepreneurship
The Changsha Women's Federation has also paid close attention to the development of local women entrepreneurs. They have supported the launch of 337 women's business projects with total funds of 12.34 million yuan (US $ 2.01 million). They have helped 1,167 women apply for and receive small loans totaling 96.58 million yuan (US $ 15.7 million) altogether.
Guo Weibo, from a small town in Changsha County, is one of the women who have benefited from the small loans project.
More than 10 years ago, after Guo established her cattle raising business, she was hit with a succession of failures: shortage of pasture grass for the cold weather in winter, high cost of buying pasture grass from other areas and the death of 36 cows in the hot weather in summer.
It was only by receiving the small loan that Guo was able to weather the challenges and develop her business.
In addition to helping women entrepreneurs get funding, the women's federation has provided the women with free entrepreneurship education and training courses, and expert-level counseling on business management and project launching. These training and counseling sessions have helped upgrade the women's business skills.
Providing Financial Help to Women with Cancer
"This amount of money to my family is really a huge help," said one woman named Liu when she received 10,000 yuan (US$ 1,631) from the women’s federation to help pay for her cervical cancer treatment. Liu, who was a fiercely independent woman, had felt desperate after receiving her diagnosis. She was worried that the medical bills would financially cripple her already impoverished family.
Luckily for her, the local women's federation helped her after they came to know of her situation. Liu is one of the 338 underprivileged women suffering from breast or cervical cancer who have received financial aid from the federation.
Thanks to such dedicated efforts to help women in various aspects of their lives, the Changsha Women's Federation has won fame throughout China. Moving forward, the federation is determined to continue improving the lives and health of the local women that it serves.
A victim of domestic violence, Wang was sentenced to life imprisonment after she killed her husband because she could no longer tolerate his abuse. Driven to desperation in prison, she had become a problematic inmate.
When the staff of the Changsha Women's Federation got to know her story, they tried to help her rebuild her life by talking to her and re-connecting her with her family. Their efforts have made her feel cared for and hopeful towards the future. Recently, she received a commutation of sentence for good behavior.
This is just one example of how the city's women's federation has helped women fight domestic violence, get involved in politics, start their own businesses and improve their health and lives.
Innovative Efforts in Anti-domestic Violence
The Changsha Women's Federation has won a good nationwide reputation and recognition from the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) for its outstanding and innovative efforts to fight domestic violence. In fact, many of those involved in anti-domestic violence work in China travel to Changsha specifically to learn more about its work experiences in the field.
Thanks to the federation’s efforts, a city-level government policy on the prevention of domestic violence and a local legal policy on anti-domestic violence were issued in Changsha. They are the first such policies to be issued in China.
In addition, the women's federation has also pushed forward publicity activities on anti-domestic violence in many communities and raised awareness of policies and measures protecting victims of domestic violence. It has also expanded the anti-domestic violence prosecution network.
The women's federation's efforts have made Changsha the first city in China with an anti-domestic violence work group. A city-level shelter for domestic violence survivors has also been founded.
The federation has also taken pains to ensure that men are involved in the city's anti-domestic violence work.
"We have a much better chance of fighting domestic violence if men are invited to participate," said one federation staff recently. In February 2009, the federation invited 20 male citizens to form an anti-domestic violence action group.
Promoting Women's Political Participation
As the level of women's political participation is the most important signal of gender equality, the Changsha Women’s Federation has worked closely with other government departments to get more women involved in politics.
In 2007 and 2011, the federation helped issue two important policies on cultivating and selecting women cadres, stipulating a quota for the number of women cadres appointed. With the support of the policy, many more women have had the chance to wield their influence in leadership roles.
In addition, women party representatives now account for 23.8 percent of all party representatives. Women in the city people's congress and the city's political consultative conference account for 21.78 percent and 25.1 percent respectively, putting the city on a higher level than the national women's political participation average of 21 percent.
Helping Women's Entrepreneurship
The Changsha Women's Federation has also paid close attention to the development of local women entrepreneurs. They have supported the launch of 337 women's business projects with total funds of 12.34 million yuan (US $ 2.01 million). They have helped 1,167 women apply for and receive small loans totaling 96.58 million yuan (US $ 15.7 million) altogether.
Guo Weibo, from a small town in Changsha County, is one of the women who have benefited from the small loans project.
More than 10 years ago, after Guo established her cattle raising business, she was hit with a succession of failures: shortage of pasture grass for the cold weather in winter, high cost of buying pasture grass from other areas and the death of 36 cows in the hot weather in summer.
It was only by receiving the small loan that Guo was able to weather the challenges and develop her business.
In addition to helping women entrepreneurs get funding, the women's federation has provided the women with free entrepreneurship education and training courses, and expert-level counseling on business management and project launching. These training and counseling sessions have helped upgrade the women's business skills.
Providing Financial Help to Women with Cancer
"This amount of money to my family is really a huge help," said one woman named Liu when she received 10,000 yuan (US$ 1,631) from the women’s federation to help pay for her cervical cancer treatment. Liu, who was a fiercely independent woman, had felt desperate after receiving her diagnosis. She was worried that the medical bills would financially cripple her already impoverished family.
Luckily for her, the local women's federation helped her after they came to know of her situation. Liu is one of the 338 underprivileged women suffering from breast or cervical cancer who have received financial aid from the federation.
Thanks to such dedicated efforts to help women in various aspects of their lives, the Changsha Women's Federation has won fame throughout China. Moving forward, the federation is determined to continue improving the lives and health of the local women that it serves.
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