An absence of women among China’s top leadership is concerning, the UN said in a report, as it recommended China adopt statutory quotas and a gender parity system to quicken equal representation of women in government.
The recommendations for China by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, published on Tuesday, was made alongside findings on Germany, Iceland, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovakia, Spain, East Timor and Venezuela.
The committee said that while China’s representation of women in political and public life has increased, it was concerned that women only represent 26.54 percent of deputies to the 14th Chinese National People’s Congress.
It urged China to increase the number of women in all government bureaus, including the judiciary and foreign service, particularly at decisionmaking levels.
“Since October 2022, there have been no women among the 24 members of the politburo of the Communist party of China for the first time in 20 years, and no women among the seven members of the standing committee of the politburo,” the report said.
The committee said it was concerned about the excessive restrictions on the registration of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as reports of intimidation and harassment against female human rights defenders.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government attaches “great importance” to international exchanges and cooperation in the field of women and “will carefully study the useful comments made by the committee and continue to work with the international community to promote the cause of women worldwide.”
The UN also urged China to repeal the “disproportionate restrictions” on NGO registration and ensure that female human rights defenders are not subject to intimidation, harassment and reprisals for their work.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) decade as the Chinese Communist Party’s general secretary has seen the number of women in politics and elite government roles decline and gender gaps in the workforce widen, academics and rights advocates have said.
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