The White Paper released by Information office of the State Council of People’s Republic of China on ‘Gender Equality and Women’s development in China’, fails to reach its expectations and falls short of the caliber that a national document should possess. China again seems to be hideous and ends up flaunting its flaws.
The Foreword of the paper begins admitting that the White Paper comes in wake of the Commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the United Nations World conference on Women held in Beijing 1995. The actual goal behind preparing the White Paper was stated, “to introduce to the rest of the world China’s progress in promoting gender equality and women’s development over the past decade.” China further states that being the largest population in the world with 1.3 billion population, of which women account for about half, it is essential that the promotion of gender equality and women’s development is significant not only for China but for the advancement of mankind.
The contents of the paper is too theoretical and all the chapters can be countered wisely. The United Nations World conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995 failed to dissolve gender disparity in China, particularly in Tibet. The act of rejecting visas to Tibetan women participants from India puts the argument to greater heights. A conference during the autumn of 2000 at Geneva, held to examine the evolution of the status of women in the years since the World Conference on Women in Beijing found that although there has been progress towards gender equality but much remains to be done. In December 1999, Regional consultation was held by the International Labor Organization (ILO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to review progress since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. The representatives of governments, employers and workers from more than 20 countries heard that despite some advances, a wide gulf still separates the region’s women from genuine equality.
China sounds prophetic when they seemed committed to promoting gender equality not only for China but also for the advancement of mankind. But, as there can be no changes made when you have a leaking roof, similarly with women’s situation rotting inside China particularly the Tibetan women in Tibet, the concern for advancement of mankind is unattainable.
The reason why this white paper stirs our conscience relies heavily on the analytical outline of the White paper, which reveals the obscure treatment that Tibet receives. Tibet under the Chinese occupation is the worst hit country and the tragedy continues to pierce through the lives of the Tibetans and torment them.
For observation of the complete paper, visit TWA web site www.tibetanwomen.org.
