The work concerning women and children’s affairs is significant and a social environment that respects women and protects children should be promoted, according to Premier Li Keqiang.

Premier Li made the remarks at the sixth national work conference on women and children’s affairs on Nov 18.

The respect and care for women and children should define the state will, citizenship, and social custom, he added.

The Premier also stressed that efforts should be made to eliminate gender discrimination, promote fairness for women in employment and pay, strengthen labor protection for women, and promote the overall development of women, which is the basis of social justice and a powerful engine for economic development.

Premier Li stressed efforts to implement related policies to correct village rules and conventions in conflict with laws and regulations to ensure women in rural areas enjoy the same rights regarding land contracting management, homestead land use and collective income distribution with their male counterparts.

Protecting the legal rights of women and children reflects a country’s social morality and civilization level, respect for human rights and rule of law, the Premier noted. We should further strengthen law enforcement, supervision and policy implementation to vigorously crack down on illegal and criminal acts violating women and children’s rights, such as campus bullying, violence, sexual abuse and trafficking, the Premier said.

The Premier said the public’s concerns should be highlighted and efforts should be made to improve national quality and monitoring standards and quality certification system for daily necessities, food and toys for infants and young children. Any illegal behaviors, such as fake and shoddy product production and sales, should be cracked down severely, the Premier stressed.

Education is a fundamental way to shake off generation-to-generation poverty and children’s education should not be neglected in any situation, the Premier noted.

Public education investment should be given priority in the regions of Central and Western China, and in border, ethnic minority and poverty-affected areas, he said. Rural teachers’ treatment should be improved and prestigious universities should, with the greatest effort, enroll more students from impoverished areas to promote educational equality, the Premier added.