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Estimated Population | 1.321 billion | | Population Growth Rate | 10.517% per annum | | Population Density | 133 people per square km |
Source: UNFPA[i]
[i] United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2009). Asia and the Pacific at a Glance. New York, USA: UNFPA
China has participated in and endorsed International Conferences and Reservations on the International Conference on Population & Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (PoA). These are: ICPD (1995), Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and Millennium Development Goals (MDG) (2000).[i] In 2005, China had the lowest MMR of 45 per 100 000 live births out of ARROW’s 12 priority countries.[ii] A high Contraceptive Prevalence Rate of 90.2%[iii] is one of the causes of the low MMR in China. Yet, there is a significant difference with regards to maternal and child mortality between the urban and rural areas, with certain rural areas experiencing 2 – 5 times higher levels of maternal and child mortality than urban areas. Some rural areas account for more than 70% of all maternal and child deaths in the country, leading China to strategise to focus on specific rural types to “ensure a successful and sustainable reduction of maternal mortality, as well as to increase equity in access to services.”[iv] One key sexual and reproductive health and rights issue is the lack of access for migrant women workers to health services. “In June 2001, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on the Administration of Family Planning Technical Services, which stipulates that citizens have the right to make informed choices concerning contraceptive methods. The project emphasizes the use of contraception, observes the principle of free choice and safety in induced abortions, opposes the use of forced induced abortions, prohibits illegal induced abortions and the sex-specific termination of pregnancy while stressing the importance of the informed choice of contraceptive methods.”[v] The Government has also formulated policies that should increase inputs into rural health care, as there is a relatively high maternal and infant mortality in the rural areas. The number of HIV/AIDS patients in China who are women has increased from 19.4% (2000) to 28.1% (March 2005).[vi] Sexual transmission is identified as the main conduit of infection among the Chinese women (55% of infected carriers through this method are women).[vii] There are several factors that have contributed to this number, among them the lack of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and ways to prevent the transmission (especially women in rural areas) and the lack of focus on women in HIV/AIDS policies. China’s CEDAW shadow report found that the current HIV/AIDS prevention policy fails to sufficiently incorporate a gender perspective to address the underlying concerns related to women’s particular vulnerabilities. There is a limitation in the current education component of HIV/AIDS in the national policies, and the inadequacy of treatment and lack of shows the rural population’s lack of access to basic services and their marginalized status in society.[viii]
[i] Thanenthiran, S; Racherla S.J. (2009). Annex of Tables. Reclaiming & Redefining Rights – ICPD+15: Status of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Asia (p.45). Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW). [ii] World Health Organisation (WHO). (2007). Maternal mortality in 2005 : estimates developed by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and the World Bank. Geneva, Switzerland : WHO [iii] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division. (2007). World Contraceptive Use 2007. New York, USA: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division [iv] Thanenthiran, S; Racherla S.J. (2009). Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights: Prevention of Maternal Deaths. Reclaiming & Redefining Rights – ICPD+15: Status of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Asia. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW). [v] United Nations (UN). (2004). China Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Geneva, Switzerland: UN. [vi] Human Rights in China (HRIC). (2006). Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Formsof Discrimination against Women in the People’s Republic of China. A parallel NGO Report by Human Rights in China. Hong Kong: HRIC [vii] Human Rights in China (HRIC). (2006). Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Formsof Discrimination against Women in the People’s Republic of China. A parallel NGO Report by Human Rights in China. Hong Kong: HRIC [viii] Human Rights in China (HRIC). (2006). Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Formsof Discrimination against Women in the People’s Republic of China. A parallel NGO Report by Human Rights in China. Hong Kong: HRIC
ARROW's Work in China ARROW's critical Cross-Country Indicators on China ARROW's Monitoring Reports on China ARROW's Resources on China |
