China's population department has begun a campaign called "Care for Girls" to tackle the country's gender ratio imbalance. The situation is especially serious in some rural and underdeveloped regions.

The campaign began on Friday. It aims to promote the idea of gender equality, as well as to improve the living environment for girls, through the country's widespread family planning network.

The commission sent a team of about 50 people, including family planning workers and medical experts, to the vast western regions on Friday, following the campaign's launching ceremony. They will travel to five provinces and autonomous regions, including north China's Hebei and Inner Mongolia, as well as Ningxia, Gansu and Qinghai in the northwest.

The team will give lectures on reproductive health. They will also assess the living and health conditions for girls in the various regions. In addition, some female school dropouts in those regions will receive donations of 500 yuan, or about US$60 each, to cover tuition expenses.

(cctv.com.cn August 17, 2003)