A Chinese human rights researcher said in Beijing Thursday that
there are more than 10,000 non-governmental organizations in China
working to protect the rights of women.
"Their influence on policy making and legislation is increasing
steadily," said Zhang Xiaoling, director of the human rights
research center of the Party School of the Communist Party of China
Central Committee.
Speaking at an international symposium on human rights, Zhang
said non-governmental women's organizations have made big efforts
to protect women's rights.
The symposium, a three-day event sponsored by the China Society
for Human Rights Studies, has drawn more than 70 human rights
experts, scholars and officials from 19 countries in Asia, Africa,
Europe and America.
Zhang said the women's federation, the largest non-governmental
women's organization in China, has opened hotlines in most parts of
the country to handle women's petitions and complaints.
Women's federations at various levels have designated more than
2,300 people to monitor the working conditions of women, she
said.
The China Law Society has opened a website targeting domestic
violence and championed ways to reduce domestic violence, said
Zhang.
(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2006)