Protection strengthened on sexual harassment

Showing or sending images, texts, information, voice or video with explicit sexual connotations to women against their will should be identified as sexual harassment and must be banned, a draft amendment said.

Words with sexual innuendo and improper physical acts, over which women disagree, are also specified as sexual harassment and must be prohibited, according to the draft amendment to the Women's Rights Protection Law.

The draft was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for first review on Monday. It is a major revision to the law in the past three decades and also the country's new step to further protect women's rights.

The law, which took effect in 1992, played a big role in ensuring the equality between women and men nationwide, "but women's rights in some areas haven't been effectively guaranteed, or some old problems still exist," said He Yiting, an official from the NPC's Social Development Affairs Committee, when explaining the draft to lawmakers.

"For example, sexual harassment, domestic violence and women trafficking often happen, while single moms and women in rural areas and with disabilities still face life difficulties," he said.

Additionally, with economic and social development, a few new problems involving women have also appeared, such as discrimination in employment due to the amended family planning policy and more complicated domestic disputes, he said.

"Both the old and new problems require us to give stronger protection for women," he said, adding that the draft amendment has fulfilled the goal by providing more support for them in more aspects, including those on labor and social insurance as well as on family and marriage.

While specifying sexual harassment to protect women's personality rights more practically, the draft also calls for schools and employers to establish work systems to prevent such behavior and enhance females' awareness and ability of protecting themselves.

Furthermore, employers are not allowed to ask more questions or have surveys on marriage and the fertility situation of female job seekers after knowing their personal information, it said.

"Men only" or "men priority "must also be prohibited in employment unless specifically exempted by law, it said, clarifying that pregnancy tests cannot be required in physical examinations of new employees.

He, the official from NPC, said that amending the law is a response to public concerns, adding the amendment will provide a better environment for the overall development of women.