Alana Livesey is a Canada-based gender equality specialist. Global Times reporter Zhang Yiqian (GT) interviewed her via e-mail on February 15 to find out what the end of China's one-child policy means for women's rights in China. 

GT: What's your view on Chinese women's rights after the end of the one-child policy? How do you think they are affected by this policy?

Livesey: I believe that the recent changes to China's family planning policy are a step in the right direction in terms of enhancing women's sexual reproductive and health rights. The changes to the one-child policy will also, hopefully, help to decrease son preference and regulate China's sex ratio at birth (SRB). UNDP data from 2014 outlines that China still has the most skewed and unequal national SRB in the world, with 116 males being born for every 100 females. 

In order to further enhance women's and girls' rights, a multi-level approach is required that works with a variety of stakeholders in order to transform unequal power and gender relations. This includes working with government and institutions to change policy and laws to make them more gender equitable and inclusive. This also includes working with community members and families to change social norms and practices that discriminate against girls and perpetuate son preference. We also need to work with individuals themselves, including mothers, fathers, girls and boys to ensure this intergenerational cycle of discrimination ends. 

As such, the abolishment of the one-child policy is just one piece of this larger puzzle. There are also challenges with the policy. For instance, the changes to the policy are not retroactive, so families with more than one child at the time of the policy change are still facing challenges in accessing the hukou system, as well as limitations in guaranteeing their child's wellbeing.     

GT: What's your view on how Chinese women's rights have developed over these years? What's changed and what are the remaining problems? 

Livesey: While China has made great advancements in promoting gender equality over the past few years, there are still challenges. Those advocating for gender equality are still at risk of facing prosecution, and there are limitations in dialogue between government and community actors on issues of gender equality and women's rights. Women's political participation, while higher than many countries, could be strengthened and falls below the recommended minimum requirements of 30 percent female representation. Son preference is still rife throughout the country with 116 males being born for every 100 females. Migrant families and children face difficulties due to the hukuo system, where migrant children and youth have limitations in accessing educational and social services in the cities where they reside. Access to sexual and reproductive health knowledge and services could be strengthened, particularly for youth. Domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence are still prevalent, and have a lasting impact on victims. In addition, women's economic empowerment could be strengthened through equal pay and equitable parental leave policies for both mothers and fathers. These issues are also prevalent in many other countries, and China has the opportunity to adapt programs, policies, and best practices from around the world in order to tackle these issues.       

GT: Do you know any active organizations on women's rights in China? Do you think they've made any achievements in this field? 

Livesey: There are many organizations in China focusing on gender equality and women's and girls' rights, including UN organizations, international nongovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, research institutions, and civil society groups. Achievements have been made in this field, particularly with the recent discussions around the domestic violence law, which is the first law to define and address domestic violence and prohibit such acts of violence. These organizations have been working together and in partnership with the All China Women's Federation and other government bodies to strengthen the draft law and ensure that it provides a holistic approach.   

GT: Do you think there's been a wave of feminist awakening in China? Where did this come from? Do you think it'll keep going and how much change can it bring? What's the opposite force?

Livesey: I believe that the above actors have been working on gender equality and women's rights issues for many decades in China. Twenty years ago, a significant turning point occurred in the global agenda for gender equality and women's empowerment. In 1995, thousands of delegates from around the world came to Beijing for the Fourth World Conference on Women (the conference actually took place in Huairou [a suburban district of Beijing] ). At the end of the conference, 189 countries unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, outlining policy objectives for enhancing women's empowerment and achieving gender equality. Building on the political commitments from the three previous global conferences on women (Mexico 1975, Copenhagen 1980, and Nairobi 1985), governments agreed to focus on 12 critical areas for advancing women's and girls' rights. These areas included poverty, education and training, health, violence against women, armed conflict, the economy, women in power and decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, the media, the environment, and the girl-child. Since 1995, these actors have been using the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action to work with the government and promote gender equality.

In addition, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly and ratified by hundreds of countries, including China, in 1980. The Convention outlines 30 articles, defines discrimination against women, and presents an agenda for tackling such discrimination on a national level. In addition, China also ratified the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992, upholding the rights of all girls and boys. 

The aforementioned actors have been using these global conventions and declarations to work with the government to promote gender equality and women's and girls' rights over the past several decades. 

GT: Can you compare the situation of women's rights in China and in the US? What stage are Chinese women in, compared to the west?

Livesey: As outlined in question 2, the issues facing women and girls in China are comparable to many other countries around the world, including developed countries like the US. In order to provide a comparative analysis between China and the US, a more in-depth analysis is required, however I can provide a few examples. 

In terms of SRB, China has the highest and most skewed SRB in the world, where 116 males are being born for every 100 females. Most other countries, including the US, have an average rate of between 104-107 males for every 100 females.  

In terms of women's political participation, China is doing quite well. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, only 22 percent of all national parliamentarians worldwide are female (as of 2015). Women's political participation in China is 23.6 percent and exceeds the global average, in comparison to the USA at 19.4 percent.