Senior All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) official and National People's Congress (NPC) Deputy Zhen Yan said giving rural women equal access to the land they till is the key to ensuring they have true equality.

"Let alone participating in other social affairs, without land a woman cannot even get the respect she deserves and enjoy her rightful status in the family," Zhen said on the sidelines of the NPC annual session.

Gu Xiulian (C), chairwoman of the All-China Women's Federation, and State Councilor Chen Zhili (R) attend a celebration on Friday in the Great Hall of the People on the eve of international Women's Day. [China Daily]