Thanks to the efforts made by the Beijing Women's Federation,
foreign grants have been donated to help destitute laid-off women
in Beijing increase their chances for re-employment. And financial
support has been provided to women who run their own businesses.
CRI reporter Zhou Yun talks to some of these former laid-off women
and they agree their lives have been greatly improved.?
?
Bao Biru is a woman in her 40s and she started attended training
courses specially designed for unemployed women as soon as the
Beijing Women's Federation and the Australian Agency for
International Development jointly set up a program to support
laid-off women last year.
"I have learned professional skills from the courses and I sell
Chinese knots made by myself to wholesale markets and my income has
been increased by doing small business."
Another laid-off woman Li Jiying is her "classmate". She says
she has learned how to do paper cutting and fabric knitting and
even wants to set up her own businesses.
"I think it would have been impossible for me to run a business
of my own without attending the courses. I learned a lot of
professional skills here and became determined to realize my
dream."
The project to support laid-off women in Beijing was created by
Beijing Women's Federation and the Australian Agency for
International Development with a grant of 50,000 US Dollars in May
of last year.
Li jing is an official from Bejing Women's Federation. She says
the project not only provides skill training for unemployed women
but also provides legal advice through phone hot lines to women in
need.
"Some poor women want to protect their legal rights by going to
court but have no money for a lawyer. We can provide them with free
legal aid, for example we can write petitions for them."
Furthermore, she says workshops and consultations have been held
with poor women to increase their awareness of employment policies,
marriage and family laws and also training has been conducted to
raise women's awareness about the prevention of domestic
violence.
By far 4 branches of the Women's Employment Service Center which
were established by Beijing Women's Federation have received
support from the Australian Agency. And this project will be
extended to other districts and counties in Beijing
soon.?
?
(CRI.com August 18, 2004)