Gender discrimination in workplace 

cctv.com 07-19-2005 12:50

Now time for the latest in our Labor Report series and we look at the difficulties Chinese women face in the workplace. In China, women's rights are gaining more recognition, and a growing number of women realize they can do as well as men in most fields. But as our reporter Zhang Lu finds out, discrimination is still an issue when looking for a job, or seeking promotion.

Wang Bingjie used to be a computer teacher in Henan Province, central China. But now, she spends most of her days watching TV. She's been looking for a job for three months, and her lack of success has left her exhausted.

After deciding to come to Beijing to get married, she quit her previous job and came to live with her aunt.

But she's discovered that finding a job is not as easy as it was when she graduated from university.

Wang Bingjie said:"I'm 25 and I'm going to get married, the companies always hesitate to give me a job because of such things. I think it's very unequal. For me, just because I'm a girl and I'm 25, I can't get the job. I think it's very unequal."

Some interviews, she says, have bordered on the embarrassing. Employers often focus on personal matters, such as whether she has a boyfriend or when she is going to get married, which makes her feel quite uncomfortable.

Other employers are more direct, telling Wang that they prefer men, as they can't afford the losses caused by maternity leave.

Wang Bingjie said:"Many female colleagues of mine also face such difficulty to find a job. They are very excellent and capable, but they can't get those jobs because they are females. But the males can find another job easily if they want to change their jobs."

Under Chinese law, women cannot be fired if they take time off work because of pregnancy. Companies must continue giving them their basic salary, and hire other people to do their jobs. This raises costs, and can lead to staff disruption. So for many companies, women are not the first choice, especially those of marrying age like Wang Bingjie.

Zhao Shuhua, director of Women's Rights & Interests Protection Division of Beijing Women's Federation, said:"Because of Chinese tradition, women still take more responsibility for and put more energy into the family than men do, despite progress in women's liberation. This makes it really hard for career women, who have to take care of their families, their children, and also do their work well. They have an even heavier burden than men."

This is also one of the reasons why companies hesitate to employ women, making it harder for them to achieve the same results as men in the same job.

Zhao Shuhua says another reason lies in the fact that men are expected to support their family. Women don't have such pressure, so they are less ambitious, and less motivated to improve. This is not what companies want.

It sounds unfair to turn down women just because of their gender or their age. But Ms Zhao says women should improve themselves so they can be as competitive as men. And the Chinese government has laid down rules and regulations together with many other programs so that women can enjoy the same rights as men.

Zheng Weijie is one woman who has benefited from those programs. After being a housewife for years, she learned a lot from the free training classes sponsored by the government. Now, she's an experienced salesperson.

Zheng Weijie said:"I found it hard to find a job at first, and many positions were only offered to men. Then I went to a training class for sales skills. I passed the exam and got a certificate to be a salesperson. Then I got a job easily."

According to a survey by the Shanghai Women's Federation, though gender discrimination exists, it's not the only factor-keeping women out of the workplace. Education and work experience also count. Qualifications can make gender less important.

It's this belief that keeps Wang Bingjie going. Although it's been three months and she still hasn't found the right job, she's not about to give up. With two years' work experience, she believes that she can do as well as any man. All she needs is a chance.

Editor:Wang  Source:CCTV.com