Joint Letter Urging UNESCO to Revoke Peng Liyuan’s Title as Special Envoy for Girls and Women’s Education

   

 

 

Joint Letter Urging UNESCO to Revoke Peng Liyuan’s Title as Special Envoy for Girls and Women’s Education

 

 

Ms. Audrey Azoulay

Director-General, UNESCO

7 Pl. de Fontenoy, 75007 Paris, France

5 March 2022

 

 

Dear Ms. Azoulay,

 

On March 27, 2014, Ms. Peng Liyuan, wife of General Secretary Xi Jinping, was awarded the “Special Envoy for Girls and Women’s Education” by UNESCO.

 

Since the plight of a chained mother of eight came to light from Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, on December 5, 2021, it has outraged the whole world. The Chinese government has so far issued five announcements on this case. However, Ms. Peng Liyuan, UNESCO Special Envoy for the Promotion of Girls and Women’s Education, has not said anything on the plight of this woman, who has been reportedly trafficked and abused and suffered for more than 20 years. (Read more Here )

 

In fact, tens of thousands of women and children are believed to be trafficked and abused in China every year. Yet we have never heard Ms. Peng express any concern about such serious and vicious human rights violations against women and girls. She has failed to urge the Chinese government to comply with and implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as China’s various laws on the protection of the rights of women and children. She has made no effort in these areas. (Read more: Here )

 

We think that Ms. Peng Liyuan is no longer suitable to be the UNESCO special envoy for girls and women. If Ms. Peng is still appointed as the special envoy, it will seriously undermine the reputation of UNESCO, and Peng’s special envoy status will become a laughingstock of the world.(Read more: Here )

 

In view of this, as a group of people who deeply care about the rights and wellbeing of women and girls, we have launched a global open joint petition to ask UNESCO to strip Ms. Peng of the title of “special envoy for the promotion of girls and women’s education” and issue an announcement to inform the world.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Reggie Littlejohn, President of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, US

(reggielittlejohn@gmail.com)

Jing Zhang, Founder of Women’s Rights in China, US

(wrchina2007@gmail.com)

John Churchill, Founder of Democracy China Media, US

(democracychinamedia@gmail.com)

 

Cc:

Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director, UN Women

Ms. Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Ms. Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences

UN Women in China

UNICEF China

 

联署人/Co-signatories:

白流苏,中国人权捍卫者,新西兰 / Bai Liusu, Chinese human rights defender,  New Zealand

包ホウショウメイ,日本 / 包 ホウショウメイ, Japan

蔡 楚,《民主中国》主编 / Cai Chu, editor of Minzhuzhongguo.org

蔡 霞,中国问题学者,美国 / Cai Xia, China scholar, US

曹雅学,《改变中国》主编 / Yaxue Cao, editor of ChinaChange.org

曾良杰,中国 / Zeng Liangjie, Shenzhen, China

陈长空,中国 / Chen Changkong, China

陈光诚,中国问题学者,美国 / Chen Guangcheng, China scholar, US

陈闯创,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Chen Chuangchuang, Chinese human rights activist, US

陈桂秋(谢阳律师太太),美国 / Chen Guiqiu (wife of lawyer Xie Yang), US

陈剑雄,中国 / Chen Jianxiong, China

陈立群,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Chen Liqun, Chinese human rights defender, US

陈瑞华,中国 / Chen Ruihua, China

陈思明,中国 / Chen Siming, Chinese human rights defender

陈天石,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Chen Tianshi, Chinese human rights activist, US

陈小军,美国洛杉矶 / Chen Xiaojun, LA, US

陈昕舟,英国 / Chen Xinzhou, UK

陈一鸣,美国 / Chen Yiming, US

陈正雄,中国 / Chen Zhengxiong, China

崔铁峰,韩国 / Cui Tiefeng, South Korea

崔原斌,韩国 / Cui Yuanbin, South Korea

丁一多,美国 / Ding Yiduo, US

董广平,中国人权捍卫者 / Dong Guangping, Chinese human rights defender

杜红红,中国 / Du Honghong, Xi’an, China

方 位,中国 / Sharon Fang, China

房啸辉,加拿大 / Fang Xiaohui, Canada

冯崇义,中国问题学者,澳大利亚 / Feng Chongyi, China scholar, Australia

弗兰克,加拿大 / Frank, Canada

傅希秋,对华援助协会主席 / Bob Fu, Founder and President of ChinaAid

高 翔,中国 / Kurt Gao, Tianjin, China

高 志,荷兰 / Gao Zhi, Netherlands

葛莱砌,中国 / Ge Laiqi, China

耿冠军,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Geng Guanjun, US

耿和(高智晟律师太太),美国 / Geng He (wife of lawyer Gao Zhisheng), US

桂克德,中国 / Gui Kede, China

郭宝胜,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Guo Baosheng, Chinese human rights activist, US

郭 霞,澳洲 / Guo Xia, Australia

过 平,美国 / Guo Ping, US

哈 金,作家,美国 / Ha Jin, writer, US

何昌龙,中国 / He Changlong, China

胡不归,美国 / Hu Bugui, US

胡 攀,中国 / Hu Pan, China

黄俊杰,美国 / Huang Junjie, US

黄礼越,律师,美国德州 / Liyue Huang-Sigle, licensed attorney, Texas, US

黄 潜,中国 / Huang Qian, China

黄子茵,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Huang Ziyin, US

吉永蓝,日本 / 吉永 蓝, Japan

姜福祯,中国人权捍卫者,荷兰 / Jiang Fuzhen, Chinese human rights activist, Netherlands

姜维平,媒体人,加拿大 / Jiang Weiping, journalist, Canada

江朝阳,新西兰 / Jiang Zhaoyang, New Zealand

界立建,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Jie Lijiang, Chinese human rights defender, US

金变玲(江天勇律师太太),美国 / Jin Bianling (wife of lawyer Jiang Tianyong), US

葵阳先生,斐济 / Kuiyang, Fiji

雷志锋,美国 / Lei Zhifeng, US

李爱杰(张海涛太太),美国 / Li Aijie (wife of Zhang Haitao), US

李翠云,中国 / Li Cuiyun, China

李大彬,美国 / Li Dabin, US

李德诚,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Li Decheng, Chinese human rights defender, US

李 方,中国人权捍卫者,芬兰 / Li Fang, Chinese human rights defender, Finland

李 刚,美国 / Li Gang, US

李国君,中国 / Li Guojun, Tianjin, China

李国涛,美国 / Li Guotao, US

李焕君,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Li Huanjun, Chinese human rights activist, US

李嘉宝,日本 / Li Jiabao, Japan

李 隽,中国人权捍卫者,澳大利亚 / Li Juang, Chinese human rights defender, Australia

李君愚,美国 / Li Junyu, US

李梦秋,中国 / Li Mengqiu, China

李 强,中国 / Li Qiang, China

李庆斌,美国 / Li Qingbin, US

廖剑豪,香港人权捍卫者 / Liao Jianhao, human rights defender, Hong Kong

林 浩,加拿大 / Lin Hao, Canada

林生亮,中国人权捍卫者 / Lin Shengliang, Chinese human rights defender

林 燕,中国 / Lin Yan, China

刘 春,加拿大 / Liu Chun, Canada

刘飞龙,中国人权捍卫者,荷兰 / Liu Feilong, Netherlands

刘国良,美国洛杉矶 / Liu Guoliang, US

刘红鹰,加拿大 / Hongying Liu, Canada

刘珏帆(张宝成太太),美国 / Liu Juefan (wife of Zhang Baocheng), US

刘 炼,日本 / Liu Lian, Japan

刘沙沙,中国人权捍卫者 / Liu Shasha, Chinese human rights defender

刘士辉,律师后,美国 / Liu Shihui, former Chinese lawyer, US

刘 欣,美国洛杉矶 / Liu Xin, LA, US

刘信洋,中国 / Liu Xinyang, China

刘雅雅,视觉艺术家协会会长,美国 / Ann Lau, Chair at Visual Artists Guild, US

刘 洋,中国 / Liu Yang, China

刘贻牧师,华人基督徒公义团契,美国 / Rev Fr Liu Yi, Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness, CA US

刘因明,美国洛杉矶 / Liu Yinming, US

刘永平,中国人权捍卫者 / Liu Yongping, Chinese human rights defender

刘玉琪,加拿大 / Liu Yuqi, Canada

卢小雅,中国 / Lu Xiaoya, China

陆 勇,泰国 / Lu Yong, Thailand

罗长虹,中国 / Luo Changhong, China

罗淳馨,中国 / Luo Chunxin, Liuzhou, China

罗明珠,美国 / Luo Mingzhu, US

罗胜春(丁家喜律师太太),美国 / Luo Shengchun (wife of lawyer Ding Jiaxi), US

罗 伟,荷兰 / Luo Wei, Netherlands

吕京花,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Lu Jinghua, Chinese human rights activist, US

吕睿超,澳大利亚 / Lu Ruichao, Australia

吕亚洲,英国 / Lu Yazhou, UK

马 聚,学者,美国 / Ma Ju, scholar, US

马 琳,新西兰 / Ma Lin, New Zealand

马启涛,中国 / Ma Qitao, China

马永涛,中国人权捍卫者,荷兰 / Ma Yongtao, Chinese human rights activist, Netherlands

孟 溦,中国 / Meng Wei, China

孟元新,美国 / Meng Yuanxin, US

莫莉茶,中国 / Mo Licha, China

倪学善,中国 / Ni Xueshan, China

欧阳京,澳大利亚 / Ouyang Jing, Australia

彭金元,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Peng Jinyuan, human rights defender, US

齐家贞,作家,澳大利亚 / Qi Jiazhen, writer, Australia

乔 斌,中国人权捍卫者,关岛 / Qiao Bin, Chinese human rights defender, Guam

乔思奇,德国 / Qiao Siqi, Germany

秦 杰,德国 / Qin Jie, Germany

青 宋,加拿大 / Qing Song, Canada

邱慈国,美国 / Peter Chiu, US

冉启发,新加坡 / 冉 启发, Singapore

盛 雪,中国人权捍卫者,加拿大 / Sheng Xue, Chinese human rights defender, Canada

苏立国,中国 / Su Liguo, Beijing, China

孙立勇,澳大利亚中国政治及宗教受难者后援会创办人 / Sun Liyong, founder of China Political and Religious Victims Association, Australia

滕 彪,法律学者,美国 / Teng Biao, legal scholar, US

田 震,中国 / Tian Zhen, China

王昌国,中国前警察,瑞士 / Wang Changguo, former Chinese policeman, Switzerland

王 妃,马来西亚 / Wang Fei, Malaysia

王红丁,中国 / Wang Hongding, Shaanxi, China

王剑虹,张展关注组,英国 / Jane Wang, Free Zhang Zhan, UK

王金龙,中国 / Wang Jinlong, China

王靖渝,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Wang Jingyu, Chinese human rights defender, US

王 俊,艺术家,荷兰 / Wang Jun, artist, Netherlands

王 露,中国 / Wang Lu, China

王清鹏,中国维权律师,美国 / Wang Qingpeng, Chinese human rights lawyer, US

王瑞琴,媒体人(原青海政协委员),美国 / Wang Ruiqin, founder of IPKMedia, US

王 霞,中国人权捍卫者 / Wang Xia, Chinese human rights activist

王晓春,加拿大 / Wang Xiaochun, Canada

王晓平,中国 / Wang Xiaoping, China

王应国,中国人权捍卫者 / Wang Yingguo, Chinese human rights defender

王宇翔,中国 / Norman Wong, China

王志华,中国 / Wang Zhihua, China

温玲华,中国 / Wen Linghua, Hubei, China

吴 明,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Wu Ming, US

吴绍平,中国维权律师,美国 / Wu Shaoping, Chinese human rights lawyer, US

吴元明,中国 / Wu Yuanming, China

武夤晟,美国 / Winston WU, US

鲜于桂娥,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Xian Gui’e, Chinese human rights defender, US

向 莉,中国人权捍卫者 / Xiang Li, Chinese human rights defender

邢 鉴,中国人权捍卫者,新西兰 / Xing Jian, Chinese human rights defender, New Zealand

徐 沛,中国人权捍卫者,德国 / Xu Pei, Chinese human rights defender, Germany

徐 武,中国 / Xu Wu, Wuhan, China

徐 跃,中国 / Xu Yue, Henan, China

殷 明,美国 / Yin Ming, US

颜伯钧,中国人权捍卫者,加拿大 / Yan Bojun, Chinese human rights activist, Canada

晏奇恩,美国 / Yan Qi’en, US

杨 崇,中国人权捍卫者,加拿大 / Chong Yang, Chinese human rights defender

杨倩怡(杨海之女),美国 / Yang Qianyi (daughter of Yang Hai), US

杨维芹,台湾 / Yang Weiqin, Taiwan

杨 晓,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Yang Xiao, US

杨轶峰,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Yang Yifeng, Chinese human rights defender, US

杨子立,学者,美国 / Yang Zili, Chinese human rights activist, US

姚建清,中国人权捍卫者,荷兰 / Yao Jianqing, Chinese human rights defender, Netherlands

姚影侠,中国 / Yao Yingxia, China

姚志勇,菲律宾 / Yao Zhiyong, Philippines

叶 青,中国 / Ye Qing, China

袁伟静,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Yuan Weijing, Chinese human rights defender, US

袁艳波,中国 / Yuan Yanbo, China

湛 江,美国 / Zhan Jiang, US

张 戈,澳大利亚 / Zhang Ge, Australia

张国鹏,中国 / Zhang Guopeng, Anhui, China

张 龙,美国 / Zhang Long, US

张 平,美国 / Zhang Ping, US

张 谦,中国 / Zhang Qian, China

张世清,中国 / Zhang Shiqing, China

张 同,中国 / Zhang Tong, China

张 毅,中国 / Zhang Yi, China

张 缨,美国 / Ying Zhang, US

张玉波,北京 / Zhang Yubo, Beijing, China

张跃民,中国 / Zhang Yuemin, China

赵常青,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Zhao Changqing, Chinese human rights activist, US

赵晓明,德国 / Ming Reinhäckel, Germany

赵 昕,中国人权捍卫者,美国 / Zhao Xin, Chinese human rights defender

赵中元,医生,加拿大 / Zhao Zhongyuan, doctor, Canada

郑 云,中国民主教育基金会理事 / Zheng Yun, Chinese Democratic Education Foundation, US

周翠华,美国洛杉矶 / Zhou Cuihua, US

周锋锁,人道中国主席 / Zhou Fengsuo, president of Humanitaraian China, US

周绍卿,中国 / Zhou Shaoqing, China

邹承峰,中国人权捍卫者 / Zou Chengfeng, Chinese human rights defender, US

佐藤欣,日本 / 佐藤 欣, Japan

Aaron Smith,美国 / Aaron Smith, US

Accwss Ken,丹麦 / Accwss Ken, Denmark

Aiden Chen,美国 / Aiden Chen, US

Alex Edward Hupp,美国 / Alex Edward Hupp, US

Alex Wong,美国 / Alex Wong, US

Alice Chen,美国 / Alice Chen, US

Allen Cheng,美国 / Allen Cheng, US

Allen Lee,香港 / Allen Lee, Hong Kong

Anja Reul,德国 / Anja Reul, Germany

Anna-Li Zayas Danielsson,瑞典 / Anna-Li Zayas Danielsson, Sweden

Anna Yan,中国 / Anna Yan, China

Annie Hu,新西兰 / Annie Hu, New Zealand

Ashley Shen,美国 / Ashley Shen, US

Baoping Wang,澳大利亚悉尼 / Baoping Wang, Sydney, Australia

Belinda Lee,美国 / Belinda Lee, US

Benny Liu,瑞典 / Benny Liu, Sweden

Bill Ma,新西兰 / Bill Ma, New Zealand

Bob Lee,美国 / Bob Lee, US

Carol Harmes,美国 / Carol Harmes, US

Carri Chun,加拿大 / Carri Chun, Canada

Casey Huang,美国 / Casey Huang, US

Christine Wang,美国 / Christine Wang, US

Christin Lan,美国 / Christin Lan, US

Christy Fan,香港 / Christy Fan, Hong Kong

Chun Liu,加拿大 / Chun Liu, Canada

Coco Gu,加拿大 / Coco Gu, Canada

Daniel Liu,美国 / Daniel Liu, US

Darlene Kahpeaysewat,加拿大 / Darlene Kahpeaysewat, Canada

David Zhang,新西兰 / David Zhang, New Zealand

Diana Zhang,新西兰 / Diana Zhang, New Zealand

Diego Regodon Jimenez,瑞典 / Diego Regodon Jimenez, Sweden

Dongfang Yu,美国 / Dongfang Yu, US

Dow Chang,美国 / Dow Chang, US

Eddie Lam,美国 / Eddie Lam, US

Eric Jones,美国 / Eric Jones, US

Ersheng Chen,中国 / Ersheng Chen, China

Evelyn Zhang,加拿大 / Evelyn Zhang, Canada

Fang Fang,新加坡 / Fang Fang, Singapore

Fanjiang Zeng,加拿大 / Fanjiang Zeng, Canada

Feng Rice,澳大利亚 / Feng Rice, Australia

Fortunez Pouba,中国 / Fortunez Pouba, China

Francoise Malet,中国 / Francoise Malet, China

Freeman Yang,新西兰 / Freeman Yang, New Zealand

George M,中国 / George M, China

Giselle Li,香港 / Giselle Li, Hong Kong

Grace Schaffer,美国 / Grace Schaffer, US

Haiyan Zou,加拿大 / Haiyan Zou, Canada

Hao Lin,加拿大 / Hao Lin, Canada

Harry Smith,美国 / Harry Smith, US

Harry Zhang,新西兰 / Harry Zhang, New Zealand

Helena Sit,香港 / Helena Sit, Hong Kong

Helen Medina,香港 / Helen Medina, Hong Kong

Helen Wang,加拿大 / Helen Wang, Canada

Helen Yang,美国 / Helen Yang, US

Hoichi Cheong,美国 / Hoichi Cheong, US

Homan Anthony Lau,美国 / Homan Anthony Lau, US

Hong Guan,加拿大 / Hong Guan, Canada

Hongjie Li,美国 / Hongjie Li, US

Hong Ng,美国 / Hong Ng, US

Huang Lei,美国 / Huang Lei, US

Ian Turner,澳大利亚 / Ian Turner, Australia

Isabel Yang,美国 / Isabel Yang, US

Jane Chen,美国 / Jane Chen, US

Jane Yu,加拿大 / Jane Yu, Canada

Jason Hui,美国 / Jason Hui, US

Jay yang,加拿大 / Jay yang, Canada

J C,爱尔兰 / J C, Ireland

Jean Yeh,新加坡 / Jean Yeh, Singapore

Jeff Lin,美国 / Jeff Lin, US

Jeffrey Sonstein,美国 / Jeffrey Sonstein, US

Jenna Tan,美国 / Jenna Tan, US

Jenny Lam,香港 / Jenny Lam, Hong Kong

Jianwang Lu,美国 / Jianwang Lu, US

Jiebei Luo,美国 / Jiebei Luo, US

Jimmy Lam,香港 / Jimmy Lam, Hong Kong

Jingcao Wu,美国 / Jingcao Wu, US

Jing Huang,美国 / Jing Huang, US

Jing Lin,美国 / Jing Lin, US

Jing Wang,美国 / Jing Wang, US

Jinlong Wang,中国 / Jinlong Wang, China

Job Lu,新加坡 / Job Lu, Singapore

John Chu,香港 / John Chu, Hong Kong

John Pele,美国 / John Pele, US

John Tao,加拿大 / John Tao, Canada

Jonathan Chan,香港 / Jonathan Chan, Hong Kong

Joseph Han,美国 / Joseph Han, US

Josephine Choi,澳大利亚 / Josephine Choi, Australia

Joss Sato,美国 / Joss Sato, US

Joyce Chung,香港 / Joyce Chung, Hong Kong

Julia Hishe,美国 / Julia Hishe, US

Julie Chen,美国 / Julie Chen, US

Julie Huckabay,美国 / Julie Huckabay, US

Jun Sua Lee,美国 / Jun Sua Lee, US

Jun Wang,加拿大 / Jun Wang, Canada

Jun Xu,美国 / Jun Xu, US

Jun Yang,美国 / Jun Yang, US

Kai Sun,瑞典 / Kai Sun, Sweden

Ka Shun Kong,香港 / Ka Shun Kong, Hong Kong

Katherine Li,美国 / Katherine Li, US

Katie Wang,美国 / Katie Wang, US

Kiyimi Takahashi,日本 / Kiyimi Takahashi, Japan

Kiyomi Takahashi,日本 / Kiyomi Takahashi, Japan

Kyumi Kim,加拿大 / Kyumi Kim, Canada

Lawrence Walker,德国 / Lawrence Walker, Germany

Lee Shi,日本 / Lee Shi, Japan

Lei Yin,美国 / Lei Yin, US

Leo G,美国 / Leo G, US

Lesley Clark,美国 / Lesley Clark, US

Li Ding,中国 / Li Ding, China

Lihua Gai,瑞典 / Lihua Gai, Sweden

Lilly Xe,美国 / Lilly Xe, US

Lily Feng,瑞典 / Lily Feng, Sweden

Ling Chen,美国 / Ling Chen, US

Lisa Chen,美国 / Lisa Chen, US

Lisa Ye,美国 / Lisa Ye, US

Liya Han,美国 / Liya Han, US

Lizhi Bai,澳大利亚 / Lizhi Bai, Australia

Lorie Deng,美国 / Lorie Deng, US

Lotta Zhou,瑞典 / Lotta Zhou, Sweden

Louisa Lo,台湾 / Louisa Lo, Taiwan

Lucinda Bedwell,美国 / Lucinda Bedwell, US

Lucy Wei,美国 / Lucy Wei, US

Lulu Sun,美国 / Lulu Sun, US

Makoto Nobunaga,日本 / Makoto Nobunaga, Japan

Marco Leung,香港 / Marco Leung, Hong Kong

Mardi Antosh,美国 / Mardi Antosh, US

Marie Sauve,加拿大 / Marie Sauve, Canada

Marth Potier,香港 / Marth Potier, Hong Kong

Martin Chong,马来西亚 / Martin Chong, Malaysia

Mary Gu,美国 / Mary Gu, US

Mattias Hansson,瑞典 / Mattias Hansson, Sweden

Maxelin Pascal,中国 / Maxelin Pascal, China

Mei Mei,美国 / Mei Mei, US

Mei Xu,德国 / Mei Xu, Germany

Michael Huang,加拿大 / Michael Huang, Canada

Michael Wang,美国 / Michael Wang, US

Michelle Ji,美国 / Michelle Ji, US

Ming Zhang,美国 / Ming Zhang, US

Min Shuai,美国 / Min Shuai, US

Monia Reding,美国德州 / Monia Reding, Texas, US

Moon Lee,香港 / Moon Lee, Hong Kong

Murali Srinivasan,美国 / Murali Srinivasan, US

Nakita wong,美国 / Nakita wong, US

Nakita Wong,香港 / Nakita Wong, Hong Kong

Newton Deng,新加坡 / Newton Deng, Singapore

Ng Wai,香港 / Ng Wai, Hong Kong

Nicholas Reding,美国德州 / Nicholas Reding, Texas, US

Nina Chen,澳大利亚 / Nina Chen, Australia

Orlusa Arruda,美国 / Orlusa Arruda, US

Pan An,澳大利亚 / Pan An, Australia

Paul Chan,加拿大 / Paul Chan, Canada

Paul Stock,美国 / Paul Stock, US

Paul Wang,美国 / Paul Wang, US

Peter Lin,美国 / Peter Lin, US

Peter Wu,美国 / Peter Wu, US

Ping Wang,加拿大 / Ping Wang, Canada

Princess Sibanda,中国 / Princess Sibanda, China

Qirong Li,美国 / Qirong Li, US

Q Z,美国 / Q Z, US

Rain Zhou,澳大利亚 / Rain Zhou, Australia

Raymond Cheng,美国 / Raymond Cheng, US

Raymond Tsui,香港 / Raymond Tsui, Hong Kong

Richard Chan,US / Richard Chan, US

Rubik Cube,美国 / Rubik Cube, US

Ruby Tang,加拿大 / Ruby Tang, Canada

Ryan Ho,香港 / Ryan Ho, Hong Kong

Sandy Leung,香港 / Sandy Leung, Hong Kong

Shannon Clearwater,美国 / Shannon Clearwater, US

Sherry Mao,波兰 / Sherry Mao, Poland

Shihong Yu,澳大利亚 / Shihong Yu, Australia

Shirley Wang,加拿大 / Shirley Wang, Canada

Shirley W,香港 / Shirley W, Hong Kong

Shoko Sst,日本 / Shoko Sst, Japan

Shuli Jiao,澳大利亚 / Shuli Jiao, Australia

Simba Chang,澳大利亚 / Simba Chang, Australia

Singsing Tsui,美国 / Singsing Tsui, US

Solomon Li,新西兰 / Solomon Li, New Zealand

Song Lu,美国 / Song Lu, US

Stanley P Sigle,美国德州 / Stanley P Sigle, Texas, US

Stella Hua,加拿大 / Stella Hua, Canada

Stella Hu,Taiwan / Stella Hu, Taiwan

Steven Mu,瑞典 / Steven Mu, Sweden

Steve Xue,美国波士顿大学 / Steve Xue, University of Boston, US

Sui Yu,澳大利亚 / Sui Yu, Australia

Susan xie,美国 / Susan xie, US

SY Tee,美国 / SY Tee, US

Tammy King,美国 / Tammy King, US

Tan Huiling,英国 / Tan Huiling, UK

Tan Long,Norway / Tan Long, Norway

Terence Wong,香港 / Terence Wong, Hong Kong

Tian Hu,美国 / Tian Hu, US

Tiger Kang,加拿大 / Tiger Kang, Canada

Ting Luo,加拿大 / Ting Luo, Canada

Tom Richard,美国 / Tom Richard, US

Tracy Neel,美国 / Tracy Neel, US

Viviano Yang,加拿大 / Viviano Yang, Canada

Vivian Su,美国 / Vivian Su, US

Wai Man Wan,香港 / Wai Man Wan, Hong Kong

Wayne Li,加拿大 / Wayne Li, Canada

Wayne Wayne,美国 / Wayne Wayne, US

Weimin Zhang,澳大利亚 / Weimin Zhang, Australia

Wen Ding,美国 / Wen Ding, US

Winnie Du,澳大利亚 / Winnie Du, Australia

Xiaomin Chong,澳大利亚悉尼 / Xiaomin Chong, Sydney, Australia

Xiaoming Jiang,美国 / Xiaoming Jiang, US

Xilin Zhang,美国 / Xilin Zhang, US

Yan Chen,美国 / Yan Chen, US

Yang Yang,美国 / Yang Yang, US

Yeqing wan,美国 / Yeqing wan, US

Yin Li,香港 / Yin Li, Hong Kong

Yiqing Zhang,美国 / Yiqing Zhang, US

Youwei Sun,美国 / Youwei Sun, US

Yulin Wang,加拿大 / Yulin Wang, Canada

Yusu Hu,中国 / Yusu Hu, China

Yu tarou,日本 / Yu tarou, Japan

Yuxia Bi,美国 / Yuxia Bi, US

Zhang Ruth,新加坡 / Zhang Ruth, Singapore

Zhang Wei,中国 / Zhang Wei, China

Zhijuan Qiu,美国 / Zhijuan Qiu, US

Zhiliang Zhou,美国 / Zhiliang Zhou, US

Zhimei Zhu,美国 / Zhimei Zhu, US

Zhou Englund,瑞典 / Zhou Englund, Sweden

Zither Mu,香港 / Zither Mu, Hong Kong

Ziyu Xiao,美国 / Ziyu Xiao, US

 

 

 

WRIC Report on Child Trafficking in China

WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN CHINA                                                                                                    2011

 

Child-trafficking has become a severe social problem in China. It has become an extensive and lucrative illegal trade. The government’s One Child Policy is the root cause of the problem which directly and indirectly created and stimulated the “market” for trafficked children. Criminal groups made up mainly of members of the same family (*a) go into vast areas of the Chinese countryside and kidnap or barter children and young women for sale in other areas. 10 years ago, the children were mainly sold to coastal provinces like Fujian and Guangdong. The buying market has quickly expanded north. The areas where the children came from have also expanded from the southwest inland mountain areas to the northwest and Central Plains areas.

 

The Chinese government has a longstanding policy of secrecy over statistics of the missing persons. It has never published the real numbers of the nation-wide child-trafficking problem. As the problem increased in severity, under pressure from foreign governments and NGO’s, to mend social stability and its imago, the Chinese government initiated five separate “operations” combating human trafficking. During each “operation”, public security organs would disclose relevant data. However, these data were incomplete and unorganized. Little cooperation existed between the central and regional governments and different departments. After “processing” through different government agencies, the data on missing children became even more convoluted and could not give accurate figures on the missing and trafficked population. Civil society efforts to compile data have been hampered by the expanse of the country and lack of resources. However it is possible for WRIC to give a rough estimate from our own data and governmental figures.

 

 

1. Data on Rescued Children 

According to the Ministry of Public Security, since the April 2009 “Battle to Establish the National Anti-trafficking DNA Database”, the nation’s public security organs took in blood samples of suspected trafficked children. As of September 20, 2010, 130,000 samples had been collected from the children (* b), along with blood samples of 34, 000 parents of missing children. 813 abducted children were found to be matches in this way. That is, only 6.2% in the database matched the sampled parents. 93.8% remained unclaimed.   July 1,2005, Xinxiang, Henan police rescued 35 babies, only 1 was reclaimed, 34 children did not find the birth parents, accounting for 97% of the total;   Ministry of Public Security published in 2009 the first rescue of 60 children (* d). 55 so far could not find their birth parents, accounting for 92% of the total;   On June 3,2009, Wuhan Railway Police uncovered the baby trafficking gang headed by Yu Li Hong of Yunnan Province. 46 infants were rescued. None were claimed, 100%;   Shanwei police early in 2010 detected a serious case of baby trafficking, rescued 26 children, of which 11 remain unclaimed, 58% of the total;   On September 5,2010, Anxi, Fujian police rescued 41 trafficked children. None were claimed, 100% of the total.   In a small village in Putian, Fujian, WRIC helped reunite three women who were trafficked as young girls with their birth families. None of the three were in governmental databases. Even more shockingly, in a village in the same municipality, almost every family had bought children from traffickers. Local police and census takers always looked the other way. Neither did they help the suddenly appearing children in searching for their birth family in any way. From these instances, it is clear that child trafficking is far graver than the 130,000 number of the Public Security Ministry or even the 6.2% reclamation rate of its database suggested.

 

2. Civil Society Activities in Child Search and Rescue

In Mainland China, child trafficking first occurred in the southwestern provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. It has now spread to nearly all provinces and autonomous regions, with the possible exception of Tibet. From databases maintained by civilian non-governmental websites, Henan has become the province where the problem of missing children has become the most severe. Numbers in Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Shaanxi, Hebei provinces are also skyrocketing. In the December, 2010 Huijiawang (Return Home Net) activities in North China, it was discovered that kidnapping of girls had increased markedly in the last two to three years. In regions of Henan, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi and Shaanxi, rural villagers bought child brides in large numbers. The price for such trafficked children had also increased from several thousand yuan in the past to twenty or thirty thousand. Girls in their teens and young women were also targets of kidnapping.

 

The main method by which parents of missing children search for their lost children is to travel to various places with their own resources, if possible with the help of extended family. The parents often post notices of their missing children on websites and major train stations. The effort quite often exhausts the resources and life savings of the families.   The Return Home network (www.crchina.org), affiliated with Women's Rights in China has maintained contacts with various regional organizations of missing children’s parents since its founding in 2008. More than 4,000 families looking for their missing children have registered on the website. In three years, with two grants from All Girls Allowed, wrchina.org/ organized several large scale anti-trafficking activities in severely affected provinces. During these activities, the Return Home Net tried to avoid all harassment by local police, gathered representatives from various provinces for parental victims for conferences and invited attorneys for legal advice (*d). Convoys plastered with pictures of missing children traveled through eight provinces and held educational exhibits in markets and towns, attracting widespread attention from the public. Although the expense was heavy, through the wrchina.org/ platform, parent volunteers from dozens of provinces helped many trafficking victims to reunite with their birth families. Mr. Guo Gangtang of Shandong and Mr. Chen Fuyu of Guizhou succeeded in uniting several families through their travels although they could not find their own missing children.

 

However, the strength of the civil society efforts was thin. The parent volunteers were under tremendous financial pressure and harassment of local governments. In September, 2008, more than 40 parents petitioned China Central Television to tell their stories. They were arrested and taken under guard back to their localities for further detainment. In January, 2010, three vehicles and representatives from five provinces looking for missing children were detained in Taiyuan, Shanxi.

January, 2010, a parent volunteer is picking up posters torn by local police. In the background, more policemen are chasing away volunteers.
Detainment for over 20 hours in the garage of the local police station.
 In addition, parents who were interviewed by Hong Kong and foreign media have been under constant police
surveillance. They were banned from all travel on pain of immediate arrest. The Zhen family of Zhanjiang, Guangdong is still under
such treatment.

3. Civil Society Missing Children Websites 

  
As the Chinese government had not set up dedicated agencies to find missing children and child trafficking is a 
constantly growing problem, parents looking for missing children spontaneously organized provincial child rescue 
leagues and websites. 

At present, dozens of missing children sites exist in China. Each site is registering information on missing or abducted 
children information. But many are charging fees for registration, some are semi-governmental, such as 
Baobeihuijiawang, which has become the only government approved NGO in the area. Independent, non-profit websites 
like wrchina.org/ of WRIC are rare. Nevertheless, many parents anxious to find their children are willing to pay to publish 
their children’s information. With the help of the websites and their users, there have been some cases of success. So far, 
these separate databases range between 10,000 to 15,000 each. Some information is overlapping, but most of these 
cases are outside of the government registrations. 
An anti-trafficking exhibit organized by WRIC in Fujian, 2009.
Volunteers educating the public in Fujian.
 
The missing data are caused by four main factors: 
  
a. A large number of trafficking occurred in the rural areas. There is often no photo of the child, let alone the funds to 
publish them online. Even the contact with local volunteers, the most that could be gathered was text information. 
On WRIC's wrchina.org/, 3,000 missing children had have no photos.

  
b. One -child policy and gender discrimination inhibit rural families from reporting missing children, particularly girls. Many 

families prefer boys. The kidnapping of a girl obviates heavy government fines for “illegal” births and opens the opportunity for

additional children.

  
c. Many families give up after long periods of their little loved ones’ disappearances. WRIC volunteers found two women in Putian, Fujian whom they were kidnapped 24 years ago from Guizhou. Neither of them were in the case files of Guizhou police or

government. Their parents never officially registered their disappearance with the police and gave up long before. Rural residents

were often less educated and reluctant to seek help from government. 

d. Families sometimes break up after the child had gone missing. Both parents might hide their past history after 
remarrying and might not recognize their missing children even if found. The most recent case happened in January, 2011. 
Wong Qionghua of Huizhou, Guangdong found her birth parents through WRIC volunteers. Her siblings even recognized 
her voice in the telephone. But her mother categorically refused to recognize her. Ultimately it was discovered that she 
had been sold by her mother, who feared any more complications if she were to return.

4. Street Children As Entertainment

           Large numbers of street children are inconsistent with China’s growing national wealth, negatively impact 
its international image and tourism, and could also serve as a source of future social unrests.
           
           There are 610 medium-sized cities in China. If there are 100 begging children per city, there are 60,000 children. There are at least 1000 begging children in each of the 50 large cities. In medium and large cities in China alone,
there would be more than 100,000 begging homeless children. Combined with those who live in the vast countryside and rural towns,
the national total could be as high as a million. 
           Most of these children are trafficked, many under the control of criminal organizations. During the Spring Festival in 
February 2011, the Central People’s Broadcasting Station uncovered a large scale, long running child trafficking ring that 
forced children to beg. The child victims were under the control of adult organizations in systematic begging operations. 
All profit belonged to the head of the organization. Even crueler was the artificial disabling of some of the children to elicit 
more sympathy from the audience and more profit for their handlers.

Recently, Professor Yu Jianrong of the Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Rural Development, started the blog 
‘photo rescue child beggars’ which attracted attention from web users in the country and various law enforcement agencies.
In less than a week, users submitted photos of 24,000 begging children to the blog.
5. Government Orphanages in the Child-Trafficking Trade 

Some of government orphanages also engaged in the child trafficking trade. They took in “illegal” births and abandoned 
infants and are profited by domestic and foreign adoptions, collecting high fees. Zhenyuang County orphanage in Guizhou 
province gained more than 110,000 yuan through such adoptions. However, media investigations discovered that the 
“orphans” were “illegal” babies kidnapped from rural families by government Birth Planning officials. A girl who was 
“donated” in such a way would offset the heavy government fines. A foreign “adoption” cost from $20,000 to $30,000
for American families.
 
The newborn girl of this farm family in Zhenyuan, Guizhou was taken by government orphanage in lieu of a heavy fine.
           More shockingly, since 2002, six government orphanages in Hunan had been buying babies in large numbers from 
human traffickers in order to profit from later foreign adoptions. In 2005, Hengyang orphanage alone bought 78 
infants from traffickers.
           Beijing Sun Village (Taiyangcun) is an orphanage that takes in children whose parents had been incarcerated. 
It was founded by a former female prison guard and once hailed as a model of Chinese charities. WRIC 
investigations in 2007, 2008 and 2009 revealed that girls who lived in Beijing Sun Village had been raped and 
abused. Some infants who entered the orphanage disappeared in days without leaving any trace in internal 
registries or its website.
 
 
This girl entered Beijing Sun Village in June, 2007. She disappeared in 4 days.
This three-year-old child, photographed in Beijing Sun Village on October 18, 2007, disappeared a week later.
 
One of four guard dogs at Beijing Sun Village in 2009 before they were exposed by the media. 
The administrators said they were used to prevent children from escaping. 
Unexplained is why homeless children would want to escape their orphanage.
 
           In May 2011, the Birth Planning agency in Longhui County, Shaoyang City, Hunan province abducted more than a 
dozen “illegal” above-quota infants. Their surnames were all changed to Shao in the county orphanage. Some had 
been sold for adoption overseas at the price of 3000 US dollars a head.
Yang Libing, wife and daughter Yang Ling in a family portrait before Yang Ling was abducted by Birth Planning officials.
           According to incomplete statistics, since the 1990’s, about 120,000 Chinese children had been adopted by 90,000 
foreign families from 17 countries. 70,000 of these children went to the United States. This is one factor that 
contributed to the difficulty of finding missing children.

Conclusion:
  
           The Chinese Ministry of Public Security’s DNA database registered samples from 130,000 children suspected of 
being trafficking victims. Most of these were from those who were rescued in the last two years. The DNA samples 
from families looking for their missing children only numbered 34,000. 3/4 of the families had stopped 
looking or lost hope. In the last ten years, there were 500,000 abducted children in China. In the decade of the 90’s, 
when child trafficking was about twice as prevalent, the number could easily reach in the millions.
           China’s aging population, mandatory family planning policy, gender imbalance and other factors created incentives 
for the human trafficking trade. Tempted by the prospect of strong profits, criminal groups have become more 
organized and professionalized, their activities hardly impacted by the government’s superficial measures which never 
addressed the root cause of the problem. Without more dedicated and more effective involvement of law enforcement,
in the foreseeable future human trafficking would only expand and continue to destabilize Chinese society.  
  
(Translated and abridged from an original report in Chinese. www.wrchina.org)
Notes: 
* a. A streamlined family trafficking operation 
 http://www.womensrightsofchina.org/?viewnews-3390 
Family-based criminal trafficking group kidnapped 49 infants in three provinces for four years.
http://www.gdzjdaily.com.cn/news/2010-04/19/content_1190244.htm 
* b. Xinhua News Agenc: 813 matches from DNA anti-trafficking database
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2010-09/20/c_12589721.htm 
* c. Ministry of Public Security 
http://www.mps.gov.cn/n16/n1252/n1687/n2257/2080658.html 
 * d. “Return Home Net” Report on activities in northern China 
https://crchina.live-website.com/?content=show_article&id=776&parent=34 
 * e. The Southern Weekend: Guizhou Zhenyuan orphanage baby trafficking investigation 
http://news.qq.com/a/20090714/000281.htm http://406465685.blog.163.com/blog/static/4100725420096321337916/