A pledge by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) to improve the lives of more than 600 million Chinese women has been well received across the country.

Friday saw the opening of the six-day Chinese Women's Ninth National Congress, where ACWF Vice-President Gu Xiulian delivered a report making "helping more women get employed or re-employed" the federation's top priority over the next five years.

For 42-year-old Zhao Qinghua from Tianjin in North China, the ACWF's promise is more than encouraging.

"They (officials with the women's federations) have helped many people, and want to do more now. It cements my feeling that we are not alone in our troubles," said Zhao.

She recalled the desperation felt after being laid off from her factory job in 1999. She had worked there since the age of 18.

"If it had not been for the 4,000-yuan (US$483) loan I got from the local women's federation to start a small grocery store, I really do not know how I would have survived with my sick mother-in-law and school-aged child," Zhao told China Daily.
The grocery store now earns her a monthly average of 1,000 yuan (US$120), triple her original lay-off allowance.

Mu Liang, who runs a household service centre in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, especially applauded the federation's promise to train more laid-off women.

"We have so far hired 15 middle-aged laid-off women and would like to take more. We believe the occupational training provided by the local women's federation made them quite competent for these jobs," he said.

In her speech Gu said the ACWF will help train and employ or re-employ 2 million women over the next five years. She also said the ACWF plans to increase the proportion of women participating in politics, reduce illiteracy among women, improve healthcare, protect property rights for women and children and upgrade their level of social security and welfare.

The congress, one of the most important political events for Chinese women, is held every five years. This year's event has attracted 1,260 representatives from all walks of life and all regions of the country.

Gu said the past five years have seen the greatest improvement in the living situation of Chinese women, and the representation at this congress reflects that fact.

For example, 92.7 per cent of the representatives have at least gone to junior college, indicating an improvement in the overall educational level of Chinese women. The percentage at the last congress was 86.7. The proportion of women who are technical professionals, own private companies or have worked or studied overseas has likewise increased.

The federation also invited 110 other women to attend the congress, including 38 from Hong Kong and Macao.