Notification on Addressing in a Comprehensive Way 
the Issue of Rising Sex Ratio at Birth

Date:   Document No. 30 (1998)

Subject:    sex ratio at birth

The sex ratio at birth has been rising constantly since 1980s. In 1982, the sex ratio at birth is 108 at the third population census. In 1990, the sex rate at birth reached at 111 in the fourth population census. The results of population surveys in recent years indicated that the sex rate at birth is over 111. The sex ratio at birth in most provinces has exceeded the normal scope (normally between 103 and 107), except for those in a small number of areas. It has become a serious problem at some places. Thus, it is very important to ensure the normal sex ratio at birth so as to promote a sound development of the family planning as well as social and family stability, safeguard the women and children 's rights and interests. The leaders at all levels must pay great attention to the problem and strengthen the leadership to cooperate with the relevant departments. The comprehensive measures must been taken to solve the problem of rising sex ratio at birth. Thus, the following notification has been formulated:

I.    Increase the IEC work for creating a sound and civilized social environment

In efforts to promote socialist set of ethics and culture, we should promote new concepts such as " late marriage, late childbearing, having fewer and healthier children"; "boys and girls are equals", "girls can also carry down family's name". We should do away with traditional ideas such as "looking down women "and "men are superior than women". We should also strengthen legal education so as to raise the legal awareness of citizen and improve the self-awareness of practicing family planning and protecting the rights and interests of women and children in accordance with laws.

II.    Strengthen the law enforcement and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of women and children

One of reasons of rising sex ratio at birth is that modern medical methods such as B-Scanner have been used to identify the fetal sex and selective induced abortion will be followed. Relevant departments at various levels should study, disseminate and implement earnestly "The Law on Mother and Child Health Care", especially its provision in which using technical methods to conduct fetal sex identification is strictly banned, except for medical reasons. The legitimate rights and interests of mother and children should be protected by legal means. In accordance with law, health care administrations should strengthen the management of modern medical equipment such as B-scanner and relevant techniques, establish mechanism, strengthen the monitoring system and block up a loophole for any wrongdoing so as to ban any fetal sex identification for non-medical reasons and selective induced abortion. The violators must be dealt with seriously. If it is a serious care, violators must be prosecuted for their criminal liabilities. Whenever is necessary, health care and family planning administrations should conduct a comprehensive campaign for the management and usage of modern medical equipment such as B-Scanner and relevant techniques. Using modern medical equipment to identify fetal sex must be eliminated.

The Marriage Law, the Law of Protection of Women 's Rights and Interests should be implemented thoroughly. Great efforts should be made to fight against discrimination and ill-treatment against women, especially for the discrimination and ill-treatment against women who give birth to girl as well as girl infants and girls. The abandonment and drowning of girl infants constitute a crime and should be seriously dealt with. The Law of Adoption and local family planning regulations should be implemented in earnest. Effective measures should be taken to strengthen the management for adoption of infants and children. Criminal acts of infant trafficking in the name of "adoption" should be severely tackled.

III.    Strengthen and improve the management and services at grassroots level so as to prevent the rising of sex ratio at birth

The family planning and reproductive health care services should be conducted actively to promote a better understanding of the physical conditions of the pregnancy women and their needs in time through providing the services. In order to protect the physical and psychological health of women, the management for conducting abortion and induced abortion should be strengthened, the operational level should be improved so as to prevent any selective and induced abortions.

Any health and family planning service units that are designated to conduct abortion can conduct an operation of abortion or induced labor for women who has the certificate issued by the family planning unit or medical suggestions and identification on the termination of pregnancy from health care unit. Any other units and individuals have no right to conduct an operation of abortion and induced labor.

In line with the notification issued by Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Security, any unit and village midwives who are engaged in child delivering authorized by health care administration should fill in "the medical certificate on the childbirth". Birth statistics and registration as well as infant death reporting must be kept. They should support and coordinate with public security bureau to strengthen the registration of infant birth in order to prevent any underreporting of female babies as well as fraud and false reporting of the infant sex from happening.

IV.    A great efforts should be made to create a good social and economic environment and improve women's status

The policies and measures for improving women's status should be formulated and improved by all departments at various levels. Campaigns such as "Double Learning and Competing in Making Contributions Project " and "Women's Achievements in " Poverty Alleviation" have been launched so as to organize women to participate in social and economic activities. By advocating equal pay for equal work, women's social and economic status will be raised. In rural areas, an integrated approach should be strengthened. It is to integrate the rural family planning program with economic development and assistance to farmers in their endeavors to become better-off and have happy family with modern ethics and to eradicate poverty. The preferential treatment should be given to one-child family and two-daughter family. With the improvement of the social security system in the rural areas, social insurance for those families who practice family planning should be developed so as to address the concern and solve the problems of people who practice family planning.