"one in 25 of those surveyed were forced to sign labor contracts containing clauses forbidding them to get married or pregnant in a set period of time. "

This is a direct consequence of paid maternity leave. Paid leave sounds like a great idea on paper, but it discourages companies from hiring women of child-bearing age.

Allie, of course there are problems everywhere, but the question is of magnitude. To suggest that the level of gender inequality in America or any Western European country is even roughly the same is ridiculous. Women's rights in China have a long long way to go. Workplace discrimination and sexual harassment laws both exist and are enforced in the west. There is still lots of sexism and women are still routinely punished for taking breaks to raise children, but if you try firing them or docking their salaries, you will be in court quickly.

Sure, women's rights do have a long way to go in China. But is it fair to compare China to the advance Western economies? China, given its developmental stage, size, history and resources available could not possibly enmjoy the same rights, perks as those people in Canada, Australia, the nordic countries etc. But of course, people always hold China to a different yardstick.

While I think it's completely unfair to compare China with the West on a variety of issues, I think it is completely fair to compare them with a fair standard on women's rights. Equality of genders is written into the Chinese constitution, so I think it is more than fair to hold it to its word.

It's not a matter of wealth or development. I don't expect China to become a paradise of equality in the next couple of weeks, but it's an area where the government could make massive improvements quickly, if they so desired. They clearly do not.

It's fine to say not to compare China and the West, but I was only attempting to do so because Allie trotted out the straw man that bad things happen in the West, too. It's not a valid argument, and it doesn't get anywhere. Chinese women aren't in a competition with American women. They just deserve their rights.

Yes, exactly. I was trying to say that this gender inequality happens in western countries as well. Too many people (at least many Chinese people I know) think that western world is democratic and everyone is absolutely equal; however, it is not true. This gender inequality can be almost compared with racialism - it still happens but just in a more hidden way in the western world. Yet, I must agree that women's rights have a long way to go in China.

Word.

the gender inequality in workplace is everywhere in the world, even in developed countries like America.

Give the guy a break Westman... I think they are paying 10 fen per post... thats not a bad wage for a Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V Enter, job done I'll take my 角 now Thank you very much!" Its practically an honest living!

Westlick, do you think the pay from the CCP can pay for the nice bottles of Pauillac and Margaux in my cellar? LOL!!!

Do you beat your wife, after she'S complainED that you don't make enough money from copying and pasting peoples daily comments on to ex-pat forums?

BBC1's wife: "I should of married Zhang Jiang Guo like my mother said, hes a cosmetic surgeon"

BBC1: "Quiet woman!!!"

WHAM!

Westman, why are you accussing me of beating my wife? Did I strike a raw nerve? LOL! You like beating women? Because that's the way in your society? So a non-expat can't post here? Eh? What arrogance. Yeah, anyone that shatters your arrogance is earning 10 cents, wumao. LMAO!!!

Nah...the only beating which occurs between me and my girlfriend is when she beats me off; coincidentally she is also your mother. She enjoys taking solace from me that it is not the end of the world that her son is a fenqing, and therefore can't look after her in later life.

Want to be a real man join the PLA want to be a drain on the state be a 5 mao a post fenqing.

Westman, why are you insulting people's mothers. Why can't you stick to the issue and debate? I am just saying it as it is. You folks are amusing. When people put up views contrary to yours, your only recourse of a "rebuke" is to label people as fenqing, CCP, or wumao. Obviously, since you are so obseesed with wife beating, mother insulting, it says a lot about your attitudes towards women. LOL!

Westman should be called as Westmanhood instead, which suits him better being a red-neck with high libido running in vein, a filthy sock in mouth and shotgun in his truck.

As a developing country, China's women's rights are actually not bad, when you consider how bad it can get for Arab, Indian, Thai, Latin American or African women. Even in Korea and Japan, women get paid much less than their male counterparts even though they have the same qualifications. The United States have yet to elect a female President, or even a female Vice President. Mao was actually quite progressive with women's rights with his motto: Women hold up half the sky.