The two most vulnerable groups of females in China are baby girls, whose mothers are pressured to abort or abandon them, and elderly widows. Widows are exponentially increasing all over the world, but the rising number of poor, destitute widows has been quite invisible, especially in China. Many are in small, remote Chinese villages and without social protection, social provision for survival with dignity. In a society that continues to favor males, baby girls and elderly widows are often considered a liability in China. Widows may have large medical bills for their deceased husbands and for themselves. Their family may be far away and often disinterested in caring for an ageing widow. Baby girls, if they are lucky enough to survive, are often abandoned, as their mothers are pressured to “give them away” in favor of having a boy. Baby girls and elderly widows are, indeed, a tragic hidden crisis in China. This Panel will discuss, show examples, and consider viable solutions, for Chinese baby girls and for elderly widows, with a particular focus on gender equality, human rights, and social justice.
Distinguished Speakers:
· Ms. Reggie Littlejohn - Attorney, Founder Women’s Rights Without Frontiers
· Ms. Margaret Owen – UK Barrister, Founder & CEO Widows for Peace through Democracy
· Ms. Xinran Xue – China-UK Gender Journalist, Author, & Advocate
Moderator: Ms. Lois A. Herman – Managing Director WUNRN-Women’s UN Report Network
