Traditions weigh heavy on China's women, BBC June 19th 2006

Summary:

In this article, Christopher Allen examines the suicide rate in China, where 1.5M women attempt suicide every year, 10% succeeding, according to WHO figures. The problem is worse in rural areas, where poisonous pesticides are more readily available. Some suicides are impulsive but many are due to traditional arranged marriages. Bought brides leave their own homes to enter an alien environment, where resentment can often lead to violence, and where the young wife is isolated. In rural areas particularly, wives are expected to play a subservient role. Furthermore, sons are preferred to daughters and widespread abortion of female foetuses means more boys than girls are born which could lead to a serious shortage of women in the future. There are fears this will lead to more female trafficking, prostitution, sexual violence & rape.

The Government has passed laws banning arranged marriages but traditional attitudes are hard to change. The Suicide Prevention Project at the Beijing Cultural Development Centre is attempting to help rural women by establishing village-based support groups. Early signs are encouraging and there are hopes of a national network

Young women in cities often face poor working conditions & sexual harassment but there are signs that, gaining in experience, such women are becoming more independent & confident than their rural counterparts.

206 words

Main idea:

Chinese women in rural areas, forced by tradition into arranged marriages where they are expected to be totally subservient, are seeking escape through suicide. Young women in urban areas face difficulties too but seem to be gaining more in confidence & self-reliance.

Comment:

I feel that this is an important topic and highly relevant to those of us who work here in the Middle East, where arranged marriages are also the norm. It will be interesting to see to what extent, if any, attitudes change in China and whether such change, if it comes, will be reflected here in the Gulf.