China mulls delaying women’s retirement age
By ANITuesday, March 1, 2011
NEW DELHI - The Chinese labour authority is trying to delay the retirement age for women, according to a top official report.
The document, which was issued by the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said the possible change to women’s retirement age may be done alongside other improvements to the rights of working women, reports China Daily.
The NPC Standing Committee carried out an inspection tour last year as it explored the issue.
The document said the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security will ‘carefully look into the issue of women’s retirement age and strengthen the training of women by taking the interests of different groups into account’.
According to current regulations, the retirement age is generally 60 years for men and 50 to 55 for women.
Qi Shujuan, a media officer from the All-China Women’s Federation, told China Daily on Monday that it would like to see a more flexible system in which women can decide when they want to retire within an upper age limit.
Chen Fang, a professor of women’s studies at China Women’s University, said making the retirement age the same for men and women was ‘a matter of human rights’ and noted the age should change in line with social development and the development of women. (ANI)
