Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests (2022 Revision)

Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests (2022 Revision)

Order of the President of the People's Republic of China
(No. 122)
The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests, as revised and adopted at the 37th Session of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on October 30, 2022, is hereby issued, and shall come into force on January 1, 2023.
Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China
October 30, 2022
Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests
(Adopted at the 5th Session of the Seventh National People's Congress on April 3, 1999, amended for the first time according to the Decision of the 17th Session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress about Amending the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests on August 28, 2005, amended for the second time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to Amend Fifteen Laws Including the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wild Animals adopted at the 6th Session of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress on October 26, 2018, and revised at the 37th Session of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress on October 30, 2022)
Table of Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Political Rights
Chapter III Personal and Personality Rights and Interests
Chapter IV Rights and Interests Relating to Culture and Education
Chapter V Rights and Interests of Labor and Social Security
Chapter VI Rights and Interests Relating to Property
Chapter VII Rights and Interests Relating to Marriage and Family
Chapter VIII Remedial Measures
Chapter IX Legal Liability
Chapter X Supplemental Provision

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 In accordance with the Constitution, this Law is formulated to protect women's lawful rights and interests, promote the equality between men and women and the all-round development of women, allow full play to women's role in building a modern socialist country in an all-round way, and encourage awareness about the core socialist values.

Article 2 It is a basic state policy to realize equality between men and women. Women shall enjoy equal rights with men in all aspects of political, economic, cultural, social and family life.
The state shall take necessary measures to promote equality between men and women, eliminate all kinds of discrimination against women, and prohibit the rejection of or restrictions on women's lawful enjoyment and exercise of various rights and interests.
The state shall protect the special rights and interests enjoyed by the women under the law.

Article 3 The leadership of the Communist Party of China in the protection of women's rights and interests shall be adhered to, and a working mechanism for the protection of women's rights and interests featuring government domination, coordination among all parties, and public participation shall be established.
The people's governments at all levels shall attach importance to and strengthen the protection of rights and interests of women.
The people's governments at and above the county level shall be the institutions responsible for the work of women and children. They shall organize, coordinate, guide and urge the relevant departments to conduct well the protection of the rights and interests of women.
The relevant departments of the people's governments at the county level or above shall do well the work of protection of the rights and interests of women within their respective scope of functions.

Article 4 The protection of women's lawful rights and interests is a common responsibility of the whole society. State organs, public organizations, enterprises, public institutions, mass organizations of self-government at the grass-roots level, and other organizations and individuals shall, in accordance with the law, protect women's rights and interests.
The state shall take effective measures to provide necessary conditions for women to exercise their rights according to law.

Article 5 The State Council shall work out and organize the implementation of a Program for the Development of Chinese Women, incorporate it into the plan on the national economy and social development, and safeguard and promote the all-round development of women in all fields.
Each local people's government at or above the county level shall, according to the Program for the Development of Chinese Women, work out and organize the implementation of a plan on the development of women within its own administrative area and shall incorporate it into the plan on development of the national economy and social development.
People's governments at or above the county level shall include the funds required for the protection of women's rights and interests in the budget at the corresponding level.

Article 6 The All-China Women's Federation and women's federations at various levels shall, in accordance with the laws and Charter of the All-China Women's Federation, represent and uphold the rights of women of all nationalities and all walks of life, and strive for the protection of women's rights and interests, the promotion of equality between men and women, and the all-round development of women.
Labor unions, the Communist Youth League, disabled persons' federations, and other mass organizations shall, according to their respective working scope, strive for the protection of the rights and interests of women.

Article 7 The state shall encourage women to cultivate a sense of self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-strengthening, and to safeguard their own lawful rights and interests by utilizing law.
Women shall abide by the laws of the state, respect social morality, professional ethics and family virtues and perform their obligations prescribed by law.

Article 8 When the relevant authorities formulate or amend laws, regulations, rules, and other normative documents involving women's rights and interests, they shall listen to the opinions of women's federations, fully consider the special rights and interests of women, and conduct gender equality assessments when necessary.

Article 9 The state shall establish and improve a system for statistical investigation of women's development, improve the statistical gender monitoring indicator system, regularly conduct statistical investigations and analyses of women's development and protection of their rights and interests, and release relevant information.

Article 10 The state shall incorporate the basic state policy of equality between men and women into the national education system, provide publicity and education, enhance the public awareness of equality between men and women, and cultivate social customs of respecting and caring for women.

Article 11 The state shall commend and award the organizations and individuals that have made notable achievements in the protection of women's lawful rights and interests according to relevant provisions.

Chapter II Political Rights

Article 12 The state shall guarantee that women enjoy equal political rights with men.

Article 13 Women have the right to conduct state affairs, manage economic and cultural undertakings and administer social affairs through various channels and in various ways in accordance with the law.
The women and women's organizations shall be entitled to put forward opinions and proposals on the protection of rights and interests of women to the state organs at all levels.

Article 14 Women shall enjoy the equal right, with men, to vote and to stand for election.
It shall be guaranteed that among deputies to the National People's Congress and local people's congresses at various levels, there is an appropriate number of women deputies, and the state shall take measures to gradually raise the proportion thereof.
It shall be guaranteed that among the members of residents' committees and villagers' committees, there is an appropriate number of women members.

Article 15 The state shall actively train and select female cadres, and pay attention to the training and selection of female cadres of minority nationalities.
State organs, mass organizations, enterprises and public institutions shall, in training, selecting and appointing cadres, adhere to the principle of equality between men and women, and shall ensure an appropriate number of female cadres for the leading posts.
Women's federations and their member organizations may recommend female cadres to state organs, mass organizations, enterprises or institutions.
The state shall take measures to support the growth of female talents.

Article 16 Women's federations shall, on behalf of the women, actively participate in the democratic consultation, democratic decision-making, management and supervision of the state and social affairs.

Article 17 The departments concerned shall listen to and accept criticisms or rational and feasible suggestions regarding the protection of women's rights and interests; with respect to complaints or charges against, or exposure of infringement upon women's rights and interests, the departments concerned shall ascertain the facts, and be responsible for the disposition thereof; no organization or individual may suppress such complaints, charges or exposures or resort to retaliation.

Chapter III Personal and Personality Rights and Interests

Article 18 The state shall guarantee that women enjoy personal and personality rights and interests on an equal footing with men.

Article 19 Women's personal freedom shall be inviolable. Unlawful detention or deprivation or restriction of women's freedom of the person by other illegal means shall be prohibited; and unlawful body search of women shall be prohibited.

Article 20 The personal dignity of women shall be inviolable. It is prohibited to injure women's reputation or personal dignity by insult, slander, etc.

Article 21 Women's right of life, body, and health shall be inviolable. Abuse, abandonment, mutilation, purchase, sale, and other acts against women's rights and interests in life and health shall be prohibited.
Non-medically necessary fetal sex identification and sex-selective artificial termination of pregnancy shall be prohibited.
When a medical institution performs reproductive surgery, special examination, or special treatment, it shall obtain consent from the woman, and respect the will of the woman, if the woman disagrees with her family members or related persons.

Article 22 Abduction of and trafficking in, or kidnapping of women shall be prohibited; buying of women who are abducted and trafficked in, or kidnapped shall be prohibited; and baffling the rescue of women who are abducted and trafficked in, or kidnapped shall be prohibited.
People's governments at all levels, public security, civil affairs, human resources and social security, health, and other authorities, villagers' committees, and residents' committees shall, within their respective purview, discover and file reports on abducted, trafficked, or kidnapped women in a timely manner, take measures to rescue them, and effectively conduct resettlement, aid, care, and other work for rescued women. Women's federations shall assist and cooperate in effectively conducting the relevant work. No organization or individual may discriminate against any woman who is abducted and trafficked in, or kidnapped.

Article 23 Sexual harassment of women against their will by verbal, written, image, physical behavior, or other means shall be prohibited.
An aggrieved woman may lodge complaints with relevant entities and state organs. The relevant entities and state organs that receive the complaint shall handle the complaint in a timely manner, and give notification of handling results in writing.
An aggrieved woman may file a report with public security authorities, or file a civil lawsuit in the people's court, requesting in accordance with the law that the actor bear civil liability.

Article 24 Schools shall provide physiological hygiene, mental health, and self-protection education according to the age of female students, take measures in education, management, facilities, and other aspects, enhance their self-protection awareness and capability of prevention of sexual assault and harassment, and safeguard the personal safety and physical and mental development of female students.
Schools shall establish a working system for effectively preventing and scientifically resolving sexual assault and harassment. Schools shall not conceal the illegal and criminal acts of sexual assault or harassment of female students, and shall notify the parents or other guardians of aggrieved female students in a timely manner, report to public security authorities and education authorities, and cooperate with relevant authorities in lawful disposition.
Schools, public security authorities, education authorities, and other relevant entities and persons shall protect the privacy and personal information of female students who suffer sexual assault or harassment, and provide them with necessary protection measures.

Article 25 An employer shall take the following me......