10 %of Chinese women encounter gender discrimination in job-hunting

A survey on the social status of Chinese women released on Friday shows that one in ten women have encountered sexual discrimination in the country's job market. The nationwide decennial survey has been the third of its kind, and was jointly conducted by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and the National Bureau of Statistics of China. "The social status of Chinese women has greatly improved over the past decade. But, among female students looking for jobs, nearly one-quarter reported having encountered unequal treatment," Song Xiuyan, vice president of the ACWF, said. More than 70 percent of women have a clear understanding of gender discrimination, as they discern prejudices against women in terms such as "being looked down upon because of giving birth to a female child," said Song, who is also the first secretary of the federation. According to the survey, nearly eight percent of surveyed women have encountered sexual harassment in the workplace. More than 83 percent of those surveyed know that there is a special law protecting women's rights and interests in China, an increase of nearly ten percentage points compared to a decade ago, Song added. The survey also shows that over three-quarters of those surveyed agree that "women's capabilities are no worse than men's."