The struggle for survival: Prospects for the Women's Federation in Post-Mao China

Abstract

The process of economic reform introduced under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping in 1978 has not only restructured society but also reconstituted gender relations. For women the consequences have been ambiguous. On the one hand, the introduction of market forces has opened up new opportunities in the economic, social and cultural spheres, but on the other hand it has reinforced old patterns of gender subordination and created new forms of oppression. It is within this context of rapid socioeconomic transformation that the All-China Women's Federation faces a severe challenge. This article explores the attempts of the All-China Women's Federation to refashion itself in the face of a rapidly changing society. Given that the UN Fourth World Conference on Women took place in 1995 in Beijing, it is an apt moment to reflect both upon the future prospects of this organization and the respective roles of state and civil society organizations in addressing gender issues. With the rise of new women's organizations over the last decade and particularly in the run-up to the World Conference, the All-China Women's Federation is desperately trying to find a new identity. In doing so it has to address the acute dilemma of how best to reconcile the often competing and conflictual interests of its members and the Chinese Communist Party.