Beijing Women's Federation

The municipal and district-level women's federations in Beijing have worked with local courts and procuratorates over the organization of special open day events featuring the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests. The open day events were designed to make full use of the rule of the law in protecting women and children and pooling great strength toward safeguarding their legal rights and interests.

Focus on connection and cooperation in the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests

It is an important task to protect the lawful rights and interests of women and children, boost gender equality, and ensure the all-round development of women and children in the Chinese path to modernization. During the past few years, women's federations at various levels have conducted pragmatic and fruitful collaboration with the courts and procuratorates across the capital city over judicial hearing and public-interest litigation, judicial assistance for disadvantaged women, and family-education guidance for minors involved in legal cases. On April 15, Beijing Women's Federation (BWF) organized women's federations in the city to watch the livestreamed open day event sponsored by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), grasp a comprehensive understanding of the functions of both women's federations and procuratorates in the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests, study relevant requirements made by the ACWF concerning strengthening connection and cooperation about the protection of the legal rights and interests of women and children, and enhance their capabilities and sense of responsibility in relevant work.

BWF and the municipal people's procuratorate held an open day event and meeting on the digitalized development of procuratorates' work on April 15. The federation and the municipal higher people's court held an open day event on April 23, which was attended by presidents of district-level women's federations in Beijing. Chen Yanping, Vice-President of the BWF, stressed women's federations, courts and procuratorates should deepen cooperation in establishment of working mechanism and resource platforms and theoretical studies.

Under the guidance of the BWF, district-level women's federations have sought proactive cooperation with courts and procuratorates, and invited people of all social sectors to visit their workplace, release typical cases concerning the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests, and organize group discussions during open day events. So far, 18 open day events have been held across the capital city.

The open day events allowed women's federations and law enforcement authorities to strengthen mutual understanding, engage in effective communication, carry out exchanges and talks over such topics as anti-domestic violence, the prevention of sexual assault and harassment, the protection of minors, and the draft of the second judicial interpretation of the marriage and family part in the Civil Code. Women's federations and law enforcement authorities have formed several cooperation mechanisms and consolidate the common ground for the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests.

Strengthen communication and exchanges and build a closer bond with women

The open day events drew the wide participation of lawmakers, political advisers, experts and scholars, women volunteers and representatives of media outlets as well as relevant organizations. The participants learned about the latest development, highlights and results made by the courts and procuratorates in the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests, visited judicial agencies, and grasped an understanding of the importance of the system of socialist rule of law toward the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests. The events help improve women and children's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security and collect views toward the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests in a move to build a closer bond between judges and prosecutors and the public.

Beijing No.3 Intermediate People's Court convened activities which showcased the implementation of the children-first principles in the hearing of family and minor-related cases, and highlighted the efforts made by courts and judges to fulfill their obligations and build closer bonds with the public. Huairou District People's Procuratorate invited lawmakers and political advisers to visit its history exhibition halls and commanding centers and watch publicity films. Mentougou District People's Procuratorate held public hearing of domestic violence cases to tell the public that domestic violence is a matter under legal and social supervision instead of personal matter. Tongzhou District People's Procuratorate gave an introduction to lawmakers and political advisers on big data models concerning support for initiation of civil lawsuits and national judicial aids and responded to their questions concerning the utilization of digital resources and methods in the protection of women's lawful rights and interests. Such activities received wide applause from attendees.

Integrate sources and promote publicity of the rule of the law

Women's federations, courts and procuratorates conducted immersive legal publicity education through organizing themed exhibitions and case hearing, making promotional films and releasing typical cases, and promoted the popularization of legal knowledge in a drive to further raise legal awareness of the public.

The municipal people's procuratorate gave an introduction to the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests in terms of common and public-interest litigation and the implementation of relevant laws. Staff workers of the No.1 branch of the procuratorate talked about the measures and results concerning the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests in such fields as criminal, civil and administrative prosecution and judicial protection and legal aids for minors. Staff workers of Pingu District People's Procuratorate spoke about its protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests from the perspectives of punishing criminal offenders against women, judicial assistance to disadvantaged children and their families and public-interest prosecution. Staff workers of district-level people's procuratorates of Dongcheng and Fangshan related personal experiences to the efforts made by procuratorates in the protection of women and children's lawful rights and interests.

In the next step, women's federations across Beijing will continually leverage strength in uniting women, grasp the opportunity of the open day events to forge long-term cooperation partnership with law enforcement authorities, promote the implementation of the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women, the Law on the Protection of Minors and the Anti-Domestic Violence Law, take concrete actions to solve pressing issues detrimental to women and children's lawful rights and interests, pool all types of resources available , and foster fine social environment in which women are fully respected and children are loved.