Family and the Future of China

One Birth Policy, Education, and Healthcare

Demographic Info

• 90% of China’s pop lives on just 1/5th of the land.

• The 2000 census was 1.29 billion!!

• They increase annually by about 15M.

• <10% of the world’s agrarian areas are in China.

• For every 1,000 people, there are 21 births, and only 6 deaths.

One Birth Policy

• No longer called one child in order to allow for multiples at birth.

• This policy actually began in 1950, but was abandoned from 1960 to 1976. The Communist mantra of that time was “more people, more power.” Very similar to Soviet policy.

• By 1978, it was again a part of economic planning.

One Birth

• Penalties for having a second child included: increased taxes, loss of job or home, and possible fines.

• 75% of the people adopted contraceptive use.

• Today, menstrual cycles are still kept as public record.

Government Policy

• Raised the legal marriage age to promote fewer babies 20 for women, 22 men.

• Encourage women not to get pregnant until they are 25 or older.

• If the 1st baby is disabled by illness, one more child is permitted.

• If both parents are only children, they can have a second child after 5 years.

Policy cont’d

• Farmers can have two children legally, 5 yrs apart.

• Men and women (especially) must carry ID cards and a local clinic monitors their cycles and fertility.

• The card is helpful for government planning and their census work.

• 2007 – reports that officials are forcing pregnant women without permission to give birth to have abortions and receive fines. Riots have resulted and some officials have been reportedly killed.

Boys are PREFERRED!

Liberation is slow…

• Families still desire boys..– They take care of the elderly.– They keep the family name.– 1953 M:F ratio 105:100; 1982 111:100; 2002

116-135: 100.– Today, it is becoming more acceptable to

have girls.– Married women keep their family name. They

are equal.– Women legal marriage age is 20, men 22.

Interesting Facts

• Once in China there were 12,000 surnames, today there are only 3,000.

• 90% of Chinese use just 100 surnames. Li is the world’s most common surname, 90M share this name.

Marketing to Promote 1 Child

Poster of Chinese birth control policy under the slogan “Sweet Achievement.”

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.escapeartist.com/OREQ10/one_child.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.escapeartist.com/OREQ10/Doug_Casey.html&h=207&w=300&sz=52&hl=en&start=37&um=1&tbnid=PvXq_8cnGnMIXM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchina%2527s%2Bone%2Bchild%2Bpolicy%2Badvertising%26start%3D36%26ndsp%3D18%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SNCA_en___US238%26sa%3DN

Education in China

History

• Before 1949, only the rich were educated.• Today, there are 9 years of compulsory

education. Children begin at age 6.• 6 Years Elementary; 3 Years Middle

School, and 3 Years of Senior School.• Options for Six Years at the University.• A variety of technical and vocational

schools are available.• Sec School Enrollment: 69%F, 71%M

Program

• Students must pay for paper and pencils.

• Classes are M-F: 4 AM to 2PM; Lunch 2-2:30 PM; 2:30- 4 PM.

• Today, students begin learning English in Middle School. It used to be Russian.

• Students must pass to go to High School.

• Summer vacation is July to September and winter vacation lasts 20 days.

More…

• Cost approximates 10,000 Yuan/semester.

• University is fee based.

• There are many famous universities in Beijing.

• Project 211– developing 100 major universities.

Facts

• 20-27% of China is illiterate.

• Teachers salary in year one. $1500-$2000 a year and health insurance.

• China has 1426 special education schools for blind, deaf and mentally retarded children. ½ M special ed students go to ordinary schools. There is also vocational training for the disabled.

Additional Resources

• Asianinfo.org

Healthcare Today

Statistics

• Life Expectancy: 72 T, 71 M, 74 F• Infant Mortality Rate: 27/1,000 low for DC• Contraceptive Use: 85%+, most IUD• Population Using Adequate Sanitation:

38% Tot• HIV Infected Adults Who are Women: 23%• Aids now 3rd most deadly disease • 30% of children suffer diarrhea

Source: www.prb.org

10 Leading Causes of Death

• Cerebrovascular 17.9%• Pulmonary (obstructive) 13.9%• Ischemic heart 7.6%• Stomach cancer 4.5%• Liver cancer 3.6%• Lung cancer 3.5%• Perinatal conditions 3.2%• Respiratory Infections 3.0%• Self-inflicted injury 3.0%• TB 3.0%

% of Total deaths

Major Diseases

• Tuberculosis, No1 infectious killer in 2005• Rabies, No2• AIDS, No3

• TB, Rabies, AIDS, HepB and Tetanus in newborns were the top five killers 89.4% of the total

• Estimates are as high as 1 in 10 carry HepB

Other

• Unintentional injury causes 40% of child deaths

• Immunization has helped to curb significant childhood disease.

• Infectious disease is decreasing, congenital is increasing.

• Fecal borne disease like dysentery, hep, and ascariasis cause death.

More

• The second most common cause of child mortality in China is diarrhea. The #1 killer in the world.

• % as high as 20 in some counties and may even be higher due to underreporting.

• Children under age 5 have 2 to 20 incidents a year.

• Most are believed to be related to water supply.

See also the document on China’s Report on Child Development

Western v. Eastern

• Surgery• Drugs• Psychotherapy• Diet

• Herbal• Diet• Acupuncture• Moxibustion• Exercise