Latest items for China
July 16, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: WAM-DATA-2
“[T]he country had 457 million Internet users–44% of whom were women—offering new avenues to empower women and potentially lower their risk of violence” (para 11).
Variables: WAM-DATA-2
“[T]he country had 457 million Internet users–44% of whom were women—offering new avenues to empower women and potentially lower their risk of violence” (para 11).
July 16, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-DATA-3
“In rural areas, the implementation of the Household Responsibility System boosted agricultural productivity but often rendered married women ‘landless.’ In some regions, women received only 50%−70% of land allocated to men, significantly weakening their bargaining power within households and increasing their vulnerability to DV” (para 36).
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-DATA-3
“In rural areas, the implementation of the Household Responsibility System boosted agricultural productivity but often rendered married women ‘landless.’ In some regions, women received only 50%−70% of land allocated to men, significantly weakening their bargaining power within households and increasing their vulnerability to DV” (para 36).
July 16, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: DV-PRACTICE-2
“[A] 1990s Beijing study found that highly educated women were more inclined to seek support or divorce... This phenomenon of selective marital exit (i.e., the tendency of economically independent women to terminate violent marriages) may explain why fewer older women report DV” (para 9). “Concurrently, the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) may also have facilitated DV prevention. Since gaining full Internet access in 1994, China has experienced rapid ICT expansion; by 2010, the country had 457 million Internet users–44% of whom were women—offering new avenues to empower women and potentially lower their risk of violence. This digital expansion has not only broadened women's access to information and support...more
Variables: DV-PRACTICE-2
“[A] 1990s Beijing study found that highly educated women were more inclined to seek support or divorce... This phenomenon of selective marital exit (i.e., the tendency of economically independent women to terminate violent marriages) may explain why fewer older women report DV” (para 9). “Concurrently, the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) may also have facilitated DV prevention. Since gaining full Internet access in 1994, China has experienced rapid ICT expansion; by 2010, the country had 457 million Internet users–44% of whom were women—offering new avenues to empower women and potentially lower their risk of violence. This digital expansion has not only broadened women's access to information and support...more
July 16, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: DV-LAW-1
“Since the 1990s, China has taken progressive steps to improve its legal framework addressing DV, aligning with broader international efforts, such as the 1992 Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests and the 2001 Marriage Law amendment… Beyond legal reforms, the rapid development of ICT in China may be another factor associated with the decline in DV risk against women. Since gaining full Internet access in 1994, China has witnessed exponential growth in ICT coverage and usage; by 2010, the number of Internet users had reached 457 million. ICT may have contributed to disseminating DV-related public education, raising women's awareness of abusive behaviors, increasing legal literacy, and expanding...more
Variables: DV-LAW-1
“Since the 1990s, China has taken progressive steps to improve its legal framework addressing DV, aligning with broader international efforts, such as the 1992 Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests and the 2001 Marriage Law amendment… Beyond legal reforms, the rapid development of ICT in China may be another factor associated with the decline in DV risk against women. Since gaining full Internet access in 1994, China has witnessed exponential growth in ICT coverage and usage; by 2010, the number of Internet users had reached 457 million. ICT may have contributed to disseminating DV-related public education, raising women's awareness of abusive behaviors, increasing legal literacy, and expanding...more
July 16, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: DV-DATA-1
“The reported overall prevalence of DV substantially declined from 26.7% in 1990 to 5.4% in 2010. The decline was more pronounced in rural areas (from 31.9 to 7.8%) than in urban areas (from 21.4 to 3.2%). The highest prevalence of reported violence occurred among women aged 30–34. However, among rural women, the risk increased with age. The period effect revealed a consistent decline in women's risk of DV over time, with rural areas showing a faster reduction than urban areas. The cohort effect indicated a significant decrease in risk for women born between 1976 and 1990 compared to earlier cohorts. Among urban women, the risk remained relatively stable across cohorts,...more
Variables: DV-DATA-1
“The reported overall prevalence of DV substantially declined from 26.7% in 1990 to 5.4% in 2010. The decline was more pronounced in rural areas (from 31.9 to 7.8%) than in urban areas (from 21.4 to 3.2%). The highest prevalence of reported violence occurred among women aged 30–34. However, among rural women, the risk increased with age. The period effect revealed a consistent decline in women's risk of DV over time, with rural areas showing a faster reduction than urban areas. The cohort effect indicated a significant decrease in risk for women born between 1976 and 1990 compared to earlier cohorts. Among urban women, the risk remained relatively stable across cohorts,...more
July 16, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: CWC-DATA-2
“For rural women, the likelihood of experiencing violence increased with age in two stages: it rose sharply between ages 20 and 39, then slowed between ages 40 and 64. In contrast, urban women experienced the highest DV risk at ages 30–34, after which the risk declined, though the decrease was statistically insignificant” (para 27). “In rural areas, limited employment opportunities and restricted access to land or housing make women highly dependent on their husbands. Fear of losing basic living conditions may deter women from leaving abusive relationships, resulting in cumulative exposure over the life course. In contrast, urban women, especially those with higher education and independent income, are more likely...more
Variables: CWC-DATA-2
“For rural women, the likelihood of experiencing violence increased with age in two stages: it rose sharply between ages 20 and 39, then slowed between ages 40 and 64. In contrast, urban women experienced the highest DV risk at ages 30–34, after which the risk declined, though the decrease was statistically insignificant” (para 27). “In rural areas, limited employment opportunities and restricted access to land or housing make women highly dependent on their husbands. Fear of losing basic living conditions may deter women from leaving abusive relationships, resulting in cumulative exposure over the life course. In contrast, urban women, especially those with higher education and independent income, are more likely...more
July 16, 2026, 2:17 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: ATDW-PRACTICE-1
“[A] 1990s Beijing study found that highly educated women were more inclined to seek support [from domestic violence] or divorce” (para 9).
Variables: ATDW-PRACTICE-1
“[A] 1990s Beijing study found that highly educated women were more inclined to seek support [from domestic violence] or divorce” (para 9).
June 29, 2026, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: TRAFF-PRACTICE-1
"The Chinese government says that tackling trafficking is a priority, but activists say that the government’s plans lack transparency. In 2021, the Chinese government launched a 10-year action anti-trafficking plan that said investigation methods should be “modernised and upgraded”. In April this year, the supreme people’s court claimed the number of trafficking and abduction crimes involving women and children has declined nearly 80% since 2012. But in recent years, China has dramatically reduced the number of legal judgments that are available online, making it hard to find details about [trafficking] cases or to check the official claims. Traditional social norms in rural areas mean that many cases are never reported...more
Variables: TRAFF-PRACTICE-1
"The Chinese government says that tackling trafficking is a priority, but activists say that the government’s plans lack transparency. In 2021, the Chinese government launched a 10-year action anti-trafficking plan that said investigation methods should be “modernised and upgraded”. In April this year, the supreme people’s court claimed the number of trafficking and abduction crimes involving women and children has declined nearly 80% since 2012. But in recent years, China has dramatically reduced the number of legal judgments that are available online, making it hard to find details about [trafficking] cases or to check the official claims. Traditional social norms in rural areas mean that many cases are never reported...more
June 29, 2026, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: TRAFF-LAW-1
"..Activists have noted that Chinese law criminalises the buying and selling of women, but it does not cover cases in which vulnerable women are forced into marriages..." (para 28).
Variables: TRAFF-LAW-1
"..Activists have noted that Chinese law criminalises the buying and selling of women, but it does not cover cases in which vulnerable women are forced into marriages..." (para 28).
June 29, 2026, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: TRAFF-DATA-1
"...But her [disabled Chinese woman who was married to two brothers by force in rural China] case is just one of possibly thousands across China that activists pursue in an attempt to identify and help vulnerable women who have been either abused or trafficked…" (para 5). "The trafficking and exploitation of women in China gained global attention after a case in 2022. Every detail was shocking: A woman chained by the neck in a filthy shed. The eight children she’d given birth to. Local officials’ initial defence of her marriage to the man who had tied her up" (para 7-8). "Activists are focused on helping women whom they see as...more
Variables: TRAFF-DATA-1
"...But her [disabled Chinese woman who was married to two brothers by force in rural China] case is just one of possibly thousands across China that activists pursue in an attempt to identify and help vulnerable women who have been either abused or trafficked…" (para 5). "The trafficking and exploitation of women in China gained global attention after a case in 2022. Every detail was shocking: A woman chained by the neck in a filthy shed. The eight children she’d given birth to. Local officials’ initial defence of her marriage to the man who had tied her up" (para 7-8). "Activists are focused on helping women whom they see as...more
June 29, 2026, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: SEGI-PRACTICE-3
"'I dare not call this [case of a Chinese woman with learning disabilities who was married to a man and had nine children with him] human trafficking. I have no evidence. But I want to ask: how could a woman with intellectual disabilities ‘voluntarily’ have nine children with a man? Could she express consent?' the legal blogger Li Yuchen wrote in an article that was soon censored" (para 22).
Variables: SEGI-PRACTICE-3
"'I dare not call this [case of a Chinese woman with learning disabilities who was married to a man and had nine children with him] human trafficking. I have no evidence. But I want to ask: how could a woman with intellectual disabilities ‘voluntarily’ have nine children with a man? Could she express consent?' the legal blogger Li Yuchen wrote in an article that was soon censored" (para 22).
June 29, 2026, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: SEGI-PRACTICE-1
"Last summer, Xiaocao [female volunteer women's rights activist], a softly spoken woman in her 40s, received a tip-off that in Lüliang, a small city in China’s Shanxi province, vulnerable women were being forced into marriages. Along with another volunteer, she wanted to investigate" (para 2). "Since Xiao’s case [Chinese woman with a mental illness who was trafficked through forced marriage], more and more privileged women have become willing to speak up for rural women with disabilities, a feminist activist who asked not to be named said. The activist said that as 'anti-marriage, anti-childbirth' attitudes become more common among urban women, many have become more sensitive to the idea that in...more
Variables: SEGI-PRACTICE-1
"Last summer, Xiaocao [female volunteer women's rights activist], a softly spoken woman in her 40s, received a tip-off that in Lüliang, a small city in China’s Shanxi province, vulnerable women were being forced into marriages. Along with another volunteer, she wanted to investigate" (para 2). "Since Xiao’s case [Chinese woman with a mental illness who was trafficked through forced marriage], more and more privileged women have become willing to speak up for rural women with disabilities, a feminist activist who asked not to be named said. The activist said that as 'anti-marriage, anti-childbirth' attitudes become more common among urban women, many have become more sensitive to the idea that in...more
June 29, 2026, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-2
"The activist said that as 'anti-marriage, anti-childbirth' attitudes become more common among urban women, many have become more sensitive to the idea that in rural areas, women are being forced into marriages and childbearing against their will" (para 17).
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-2
"The activist said that as 'anti-marriage, anti-childbirth' attitudes become more common among urban women, many have become more sensitive to the idea that in rural areas, women are being forced into marriages and childbearing against their will" (para 17).
June 29, 2026, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1
"Last summer, Xiaocao [female volunteer women's rights activist], a softly spoken woman in her 40s, received a tip-off that in Lüliang, a small city in China’s Shanxi province, vulnerable women were being forced into marriages. Along with another volunteer, she wanted to investigate. After leaving Beijing, the two volunteers travelled south for hours, on trains and in rental cars. A few villages turned out to be dead ends. But on the final day of their trip, the women stopped in a county where they’d heard about a woman with learning disabilities who was “married” to two brothers. Soon, they found her." (para 2-3). "The trafficking and exploitation of women in...more
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1
"Last summer, Xiaocao [female volunteer women's rights activist], a softly spoken woman in her 40s, received a tip-off that in Lüliang, a small city in China’s Shanxi province, vulnerable women were being forced into marriages. Along with another volunteer, she wanted to investigate. After leaving Beijing, the two volunteers travelled south for hours, on trains and in rental cars. A few villages turned out to be dead ends. But on the final day of their trip, the women stopped in a county where they’d heard about a woman with learning disabilities who was “married” to two brothers. Soon, they found her." (para 2-3). "The trafficking and exploitation of women in...more
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-5
“As a result of China’s now-defunct one-child policy, the sex ratio between males and females lies at 109 to 100 – well below the number needed to sustain its population. As journalist Deborah Jian Lee states in a 2011 report for the Pulitzer Foundation, while this may seem beneficial to women having more choices, ‘as the first generation touched by sex ratio imbalance grows up, the silent biological discrimination that is sex selection has been exacerbated by more visible threats to women, including sex trafficking, bride buying, and forced marriages.’ The imbalance is particularly profound in rural marriage markets. In an interview with indianexpress.com, Pan Wang, a professor in Chinese...more
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-5
“As a result of China’s now-defunct one-child policy, the sex ratio between males and females lies at 109 to 100 – well below the number needed to sustain its population. As journalist Deborah Jian Lee states in a 2011 report for the Pulitzer Foundation, while this may seem beneficial to women having more choices, ‘as the first generation touched by sex ratio imbalance grows up, the silent biological discrimination that is sex selection has been exacerbated by more visible threats to women, including sex trafficking, bride buying, and forced marriages.’ The imbalance is particularly profound in rural marriage markets. In an interview with indianexpress.com, Pan Wang, a professor in Chinese...more
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: ATDW-DATA-1
"Only 40 per cent of divorces are granted" (para 23).
Variables: ATDW-DATA-1
"Only 40 per cent of divorces are granted" (para 23).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: ATDW-PRACTICE-2, ATDW-LAW-1
“To make matters worse, divorces are harder and harder to come by. According to China expert Charles Minzner, the CCP is ‘steadily turning against divorce.’ In China’s Doomed Fight Against Demographic Decline (2022), he points to statistics indicating that only 40 per cent of divorces are granted because for many judges, ‘it’s easier to strong-arm women to drop divorce cases, endure domestic violence, or even give up custody of their children’” (para 22).
Variables: ATDW-PRACTICE-2, ATDW-LAW-1
“To make matters worse, divorces are harder and harder to come by. According to China expert Charles Minzner, the CCP is ‘steadily turning against divorce.’ In China’s Doomed Fight Against Demographic Decline (2022), he points to statistics indicating that only 40 per cent of divorces are granted because for many judges, ‘it’s easier to strong-arm women to drop divorce cases, endure domestic violence, or even give up custody of their children’” (para 22).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: BR-DATA-1
"China’s birth rate has plunged by 68% since 1988" (para 1).
Variables: BR-DATA-1
"China’s birth rate has plunged by 68% since 1988" (para 1).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: CWC-DATA-2
"'[R]ural bachelors struggle to find brides, while urban women reject transactional marriages.' The surplus of men does not translate into better conditions for women, but instead, exacerbates competition, leading to exorbitant bride prices" (para 33). "Although bride price (essentially the opposite of a dowry) may seem like an advantage for women, it often has an adverse effect on their standing within a relationship. As Hvistendahl argues, 'Attracting a high bride price is not the same as gaining more autonomy, and the increased value experienced by the eastern Chinese woman occurs only on the most basic level since the real test of equality is not what material goods a woman can...more
Variables: CWC-DATA-2
"'[R]ural bachelors struggle to find brides, while urban women reject transactional marriages.' The surplus of men does not translate into better conditions for women, but instead, exacerbates competition, leading to exorbitant bride prices" (para 33). "Although bride price (essentially the opposite of a dowry) may seem like an advantage for women, it often has an adverse effect on their standing within a relationship. As Hvistendahl argues, 'Attracting a high bride price is not the same as gaining more autonomy, and the increased value experienced by the eastern Chinese woman occurs only on the most basic level since the real test of equality is not what material goods a woman can...more
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: CWC-DATA-3
"[O]lder women struggle to find work in China, especially within the service sector. This in turn, has spurred a USD 2 billion dollar business in which commercial dating agencies pair semi-skilled women with men outside of China. Caught between taking up less desirable jobs like street vending, or leaving the country, many opt for the latter. According to Lui’s research, 83 per cent of financially struggling women married and moved abroad" (para 30).
Variables: CWC-DATA-3
"[O]lder women struggle to find work in China, especially within the service sector. This in turn, has spurred a USD 2 billion dollar business in which commercial dating agencies pair semi-skilled women with men outside of China. Caught between taking up less desirable jobs like street vending, or leaving the country, many opt for the latter. According to Lui’s research, 83 per cent of financially struggling women married and moved abroad" (para 30).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: DSFMF-PRACTICE-4
“[M]iddle and upper-class men use the system to ‘buy’ poor women while women are forced to marry up. Subsequently, according to Lee, ‘men at the bottom of society get left out of the marriage market, and that same pattern is coming to emerge for women at the top of society.’
Variables: DSFMF-PRACTICE-4
“[M]iddle and upper-class men use the system to ‘buy’ poor women while women are forced to marry up. Subsequently, according to Lee, ‘men at the bottom of society get left out of the marriage market, and that same pattern is coming to emerge for women at the top of society.’
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1, DV-DATA-1
“A woman who graduated from a university in Southern California in 2016 returned to her home city of Shanghai, embarking on a career as a student councillor. Soon after her parents urged her to marry a close family friend. ‘I didn’t want to disappoint them after all they had paid for my education. So even though I was young, I agreed to the match,’ she tells indianexpress.com. At first, the relationship went well. The couple bought a house near her in-laws’ place, she was allowed to keep working, and at the age of 26 bore a baby girl. However, her husband soon grew discontent, and one night, physically abused her....more
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1, DV-DATA-1
“A woman who graduated from a university in Southern California in 2016 returned to her home city of Shanghai, embarking on a career as a student councillor. Soon after her parents urged her to marry a close family friend. ‘I didn’t want to disappoint them after all they had paid for my education. So even though I was young, I agreed to the match,’ she tells indianexpress.com. At first, the relationship went well. The couple bought a house near her in-laws’ place, she was allowed to keep working, and at the age of 26 bore a baby girl. However, her husband soon grew discontent, and one night, physically abused her....more
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: GIC-LAW-1
"At a time when China’s birth rate has dropped by 68% since 1988, the government has been encouraging couples to have children by making in-vitro fertilisation and other reproductive services more affordable… The CCP has continued this tradition, framing marriage as a patriotic duty. Its chairman, Xi Jinping, has repeatedly urged women to uphold the 'family civilisation' through marriage, and to bear children 'at the right age'" (para 3, 6).
Variables: GIC-LAW-1
"At a time when China’s birth rate has dropped by 68% since 1988, the government has been encouraging couples to have children by making in-vitro fertilisation and other reproductive services more affordable… The CCP has continued this tradition, framing marriage as a patriotic duty. Its chairman, Xi Jinping, has repeatedly urged women to uphold the 'family civilisation' through marriage, and to bear children 'at the right age'" (para 3, 6).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-LAW-1, LO-DATA-3
“A 2011 interpretation by the Supreme People’s Court specifies that unless legally challenged, marital property essentially belongs to the individual whose name appears on the property deed. In modern China, this individual is usually a man. A 2012 survey by Horizon China and iFeng.com of home buying in China’s leading real-estate markets revealed that only 30 percent of marital home deeds include the woman’s name, even though over 70 percent of women contribute to the purchase of the marital home” (para 26).
Variables: LO-PRACTICE-1, LO-LAW-1, LO-DATA-3
“A 2011 interpretation by the Supreme People’s Court specifies that unless legally challenged, marital property essentially belongs to the individual whose name appears on the property deed. In modern China, this individual is usually a man. A 2012 survey by Horizon China and iFeng.com of home buying in China’s leading real-estate markets revealed that only 30 percent of marital home deeds include the woman’s name, even though over 70 percent of women contribute to the purchase of the marital home” (para 26).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MULV-PRACTICE-1
“According to the state-funded China General Social Survey (2021), 60 per cent of men believe that women should be responsible for childcare. Attané states that while the domestic situation has improved (men can cook and clean), ‘Generally speaking, families emphasise professional success for men over women, impacting the division of household labour, and making marriage a male-dominated institution’” (para 21).
Variables: MULV-PRACTICE-1
“According to the state-funded China General Social Survey (2021), 60 per cent of men believe that women should be responsible for childcare. Attané states that while the domestic situation has improved (men can cook and clean), ‘Generally speaking, families emphasise professional success for men over women, impacting the division of household labour, and making marriage a male-dominated institution’” (para 21).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MULV-DATA-1
"Today, women contribute roughly 41 per cent to China’s GDP, the highest share of any country in the world, according to the World Economic Forum" (para 25).
Variables: MULV-DATA-1
"Today, women contribute roughly 41 per cent to China’s GDP, the highest share of any country in the world, according to the World Economic Forum" (para 25).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: ISSA-DATA-2
“As a result of China’s now-defunct one-child policy, the sex ratio between males and females lies at 109 to 100 – well below the number needed to sustain its population” (para 31).
Variables: ISSA-DATA-2
“As a result of China’s now-defunct one-child policy, the sex ratio between males and females lies at 109 to 100 – well below the number needed to sustain its population” (para 31).
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-2
“In 2018, 30-year-old Teresa Xu, fresh from a breakup and thriving in her career, visited a hospital in Beijing to inquire about egg freezing. Though she dreamed of having children someday, she wasn’t convinced that marriage was a necessary step. At a time when China’s birth rate has dropped by 68% since 1988, the government has been encouraging couples to have children by making in-vitro fertilisation and other reproductive services more affordable. However, Xu’s request was denied, with doctors insisting she must be married first. A year later, she filed a lawsuit, arguing that her rights were being infringed upon. Despite numerous appeals, Beijing’s Third Intermediate People’s Court ruled in...more
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-2
“In 2018, 30-year-old Teresa Xu, fresh from a breakup and thriving in her career, visited a hospital in Beijing to inquire about egg freezing. Though she dreamed of having children someday, she wasn’t convinced that marriage was a necessary step. At a time when China’s birth rate has dropped by 68% since 1988, the government has been encouraging couples to have children by making in-vitro fertilisation and other reproductive services more affordable. However, Xu’s request was denied, with doctors insisting she must be married first. A year later, she filed a lawsuit, arguing that her rights were being infringed upon. Despite numerous appeals, Beijing’s Third Intermediate People’s Court ruled in...more
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MARR-LAW-2
“In 2018, 30-year-old Teresa Xu, fresh from a breakup and thriving in her career, visited a hospital in Beijing to inquire about egg freezing. Though she dreamed of having children someday, she wasn’t convinced that marriage was a necessary step. At a time when China’s birth rate has dropped by 68% since 1988, the government has been encouraging couples to have children by making in-vitro fertilisation and other reproductive services more affordable. However, Xu’s request was denied, with doctors insisting she must be married first. A year later, she filed a lawsuit, arguing that her rights were being infringed upon. Despite numerous appeals, Beijing’s Third Intermediate People’s Court ruled in...more
Variables: MARR-LAW-2
“In 2018, 30-year-old Teresa Xu, fresh from a breakup and thriving in her career, visited a hospital in Beijing to inquire about egg freezing. Though she dreamed of having children someday, she wasn’t convinced that marriage was a necessary step. At a time when China’s birth rate has dropped by 68% since 1988, the government has been encouraging couples to have children by making in-vitro fertilisation and other reproductive services more affordable. However, Xu’s request was denied, with doctors insisting she must be married first. A year later, she filed a lawsuit, arguing that her rights were being infringed upon. Despite numerous appeals, Beijing’s Third Intermediate People’s Court ruled in...more
June 26, 2026, 10:33 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: MARR-DATA-1
“Marriage itself is becoming increasingly unattractive to Chinese women. Between 2013 and 2020, the marriage rate dropped by 40%, with last year marking the lowest percentage of marriages on record, according to government census data. While factors such as cultural norms, economic pressures, and the legacy of the one-child policy contribute to this decline, a deeper conflict is emerging between state-driven pro-marriage campaigns and a rising feminist consciousness. Women are redefining their autonomy, resisting traditional patriarchal structures, and inadvertently challenging the CCP’s demographic objectives” (para 4).
Variables: MARR-DATA-1
“Marriage itself is becoming increasingly unattractive to Chinese women. Between 2013 and 2020, the marriage rate dropped by 40%, with last year marking the lowest percentage of marriages on record, according to government census data. While factors such as cultural norms, economic pressures, and the legacy of the one-child policy contribute to this decline, a deeper conflict is emerging between state-driven pro-marriage campaigns and a rising feminist consciousness. Women are redefining their autonomy, resisting traditional patriarchal structures, and inadvertently challenging the CCP’s demographic objectives” (para 4).