Winnie Byanyima, director of the Gender Team of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Headquarters

Winnie Byanyima, director of the Gender Team of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Headquarters, noted that job losses and income reduction have diminished women's independence. She stressed that the stimulus package "does not address women;" efforts in creating jobs should get women more involved, allow their voices to be heard, and help them enjoy equal opportunities with men.

Her view was echoed by Liu. The industrial restructuring and rejuvenation plan that the Chinese government has unveiled in recent months provides unprecedented opportunities to companies in the following nine industries: steel, automotive, shipping, petrochemicals, textiles, light manufacturing, non-ferrous metals, equipment manufacturing, and electronic information. Liu said the jobs created by such plan will mostly be taken by men; women still have to struggle to share in the preferential policies on offer. "There are still many issues related to gender-equality that need to be discussed and resolved, such as equal retirement age for civil servants. It's hard to know when success will come, but we will get there," said Liu firmly.

To help Chinese women better respond to the financial crisis, the speakers also put forward the following proposals: that government increase investment in public services, advance research and studies on gender analysis, enhance education and professional training for women, and fully involve women's organizations to help women seek a balance between work and household. "We need to promote gender-equality and anti-discrimination in the whole of society and continue to purge elements of the social and cultural environment that oppose gender-equality," commented Liu.

(China.org.cn by Fan Junmei June 1, 2009)