China to continue protecting rights of particular groups: action plan

China will continue to ensure equal rights for ethnic minority groups, women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups and improve special protection for them, said a human rights action plan.

Titled "Human Rights Action Plan of China (2021-2025)," the document was released by the State Council Information Office on Thursday.

Upholding and improving regional ethnic autonomy, the government supports ethnic minority areas in their endeavors to pursue faster development, and protects the legitimate rights and interests of ethnic minority groups, with the goal of heightening the sense of identity of the Chinese nation, said the action plan.

China will continue to implement the basic national policy of gender equality, and enforce the Outline for the Development of Women in China (2021-2030). It will improve the environment for women's development, facilitate their exercise of rights prescribed by law as equal citizens, increase their participation in socioeconomic development, and ensure their share of development benefits, according to the action plan.

The state prioritizes children's protection. By carrying out the Program for the Development of Children in China (2021-2030), it is committed to ensuring children's rights to survival, development, protection and participation, narrowing the gap in children's development between urban and rural areas, and among different parts of the country and communities, and promoting the healthy and well-rounded development of children, said the action plan.

China will improve welfare for the elderly, improve eldercare services, build elderly-friendly homes, and help the elderly seek self-fulfillment. The country will also provide convenience for the elderly in public transport, provide intelligent services for them, and strengthen the legal protection of their rights and interests, said the action plan.

In protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, the country will ensure their right to participate, improve welfare for them, raise the quality of rehabilitation services, and ensure special education for those in need. It will also promote employment for the disabled, build an accessible environment, and support the R&D and manufacturing of smart assistive devices, said the action plan.