China drafts law to empower and support seniors
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China is drafting a law to allow senior citizens to sue their children who don't fulfill their filial duties.
According to the new law, the elderly who don’t reside with their children or get routine visits are entitled to regular visits from family members, and must not be neglected or isolated from the family.
Seniors who had previously filed lawsuits against their children for neglect had seen courts reject them because of insufficient legal backing. The new law empowers seniors to sue their children.
According to Wu Ming, an official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, as a law concerning family disputes, it needs relevant institutions such as community administrative offices and neighborhood service centers to follow up and mediate after a verdict.
China has 167 million people over 60, which is 10 percent of the population. Among them, half live without their children. The new law is intended to make the living conditions of the elderly a priority for society.
According to Wu, currently, a young couple generally takes care of four aging parents, so their ability to do this should be taken into consideration. When young people lack the means to look after parents, home service companies, communities and volunteers should shoulder the responsibility to provide the services for seniors.
In addition, the amended draft law encourages local governments to allocate subsidies for those over 80 and provide free physical exams and other healthcare services. Currently, a number of local governments don't issue any subsidies for seniors, yet it’s anticipated that the new law will stipulate that seniors nationwide receive subsidies.
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