This year(2008) marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). As its 60th birthday is approaching, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon officially launched, on December 10, 2007, a year-long celebration with the theme of "Dignity and justice for everyone". Today, we are holding here in Beijing a forum on human rights, to probe into some issues around "Development, Safety and Human Rights", which is of vital significance to propel further development of China's human rights and forge a more harmonious human society.

UDHR, issued 60 years ago, is the first specialized document on human rights by the UN, and has played a positive role in guiding the development of theory and practice on international human rights, and in propelling the advancement of human rights in the world. The historic contribution of UDHR lies in that it has evoked people's pursuit of inalienable human rights. Sixty years having elapsed, human rights conditions have changed a lot on this globe. Human rights issue, including human rights of women, has aroused general concern in the international community. The UN organizations have adopted a great number of conventions, protocols, declarations and resolutions on international human rights, likewise all the continents have passed many regional documents on human rights, and the constitutions or relevant laws of most countries around the world have included contents on valuing and protecting human rights. During this process, we are glad to see that the concept of human rights has been greatly developed. Aside from civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights which have been generally recognized and cherished, the international community has started to devote much attention to the human rights of women, to accelerate the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women on all levels and in all spheres, to promote equality between men and women and to guarantee all the rights women are entitled to. Since 1970s', the UN has convened four world conferences on women, which have put forward the strategic aim of and operational plans for raising status and protecting human rights of women. The Platform for Action adopted on the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing 1995 identified the significant realm of "Women and Human Rights", and fully and closely examined the human rights conditions of women and called for a positive and distinctive strategy which would reflect gender perspective into all policies and programs. Meanwhile, a series of conferences convened by the UN such as the UN Conference on Environment and Development 1992, World Conference on Human Rights 1993, International Conference on Population and Development 1994, World Summit for Social Development 1995 and the Millennium Summit 2000, all emphasized the significance of equality between men and women and women's human rights, and regarded women's equality and empowerment as a key method in achieving various development objectives, so as to create and cultivate a better environment for women to enjoy full human rights. The UN has also stipulated and adopted a number of international human rights documents, declarations and resolutions in relation to women's human rights. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly and now ratified or acceded by 185 states, is the most important international legal document the UN has ever stipulated in regards to maintaining women's rights, and is often described as an international bill of rights for women. The basic ideas of CEDAW is to follow the non-discrimination principle, abolish all laws, customs, regulations and practices discriminating women, and advocate women's participation in a country's political, economic and cultural life on the basis of equality with men. All the above-mentioned efforts have contributed positively to the advancement of women's human rights cause as well as the improvement of women's human rights conditions in various fields.

Enjoyment of full human rights and realization of both de jure and de facto equality between men and women is the lofty goal pursued for a long time by the international community, especially by women. It has been proved that, human future is a future for full development of politics, economy, culture and individuality, and no development can be achieved without the extensive participation of women who account for half of the world population. The fulfillment of women's human rights requires a guarantee for women's capability to acquire self-reliance, self-improvement and self-determination, and an empowerment for them to participate in political, economic, social and cultural development. Only by achieving these can their interests and requirements be integrated into the mainstream of the development process. The important basis for women to be equal partners in the development process is that they enjoy equal dignity and value with men. This is also a principle set by UDHR.

Today, when we commemorate the 60th anniversary of UDHR, we have not only seen the development of international women's human rights, but also witnessed the great improvement of Chinese women's human rights and the great efforts that Chinese government has exerted for the advancement of women's human rights. Ever since the founding of the People's Republic of China, realization of gender equality and safeguard of women's human rights have been set, by the Communist Party of China and Chinese government, as a basic goal in its socialist construction, and have been guaranteed by legal, systematic and administrative means. Since late 1970s when China adopted the Reform and Opening-up policy, and especially after the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing 1995, Chinese government has been earnestly fulfilling its solemn commitment to the international society, actively implementing the basic state policy of gender equality, ensuring equality (incl. gender equality) and justice to be an important aspect in forging a harmonious society in the new century, and taking effective measures to propel the advancement of Chinese women's human rights.

China is one of the earliest signatory states of CEDAW. To oppose and eliminate discrimination against women in the whole society and to promote a full scale development of women's human rights, Chinese government has, according to China's specific national conditions and with reference to the principles of CEDAW and other international laws and regulations, ceaselessly enacted and perfected laws and regulations to protect women's rights, and has promulgated The Program for the Development of Chinese Women, which is in line with the national development plan. The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women, enacted and decreed in 1992, acknowledges women's full rights and interests in politics, culture, education, labor, property, person, marriage and family, and hence a basic law safeguarding women's rights and interests comprehensively and systematically. It is not only a basic law guaranteeing women's human rights, but also a significant component of China's human rights legal system. After this law, China has enacted or amended a series of laws related to women's rights and interests, including: Labor Law, Law on Maternal and Infant Health Care, Population and Family Planning Law, Marriage Law, Law on Land Contract in Rural Areas, Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests, Real Right Law, Employment Promotion Law, etc. These laws, based on the principle of equality between men and women, have reinforced protection of women's rights in various aspects. So far, China has established a comprehensive women's human rights legal system to protect women's rights and interests and promote development of women, taking the Constitution as the basis and the Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests as the core, and encompassing various specific state laws and regulations, as well as administrative decrees and regulations enacted by various government departments, and local legislation.

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