Migrant Women¡¯s Club (pictures)
¡¡¡¡The Migrant Women¡¯s Club is the first organization in China
serving ¡°migrant women¡± who come to the city from the countryside
to find jobs. Founded on April 7, 1996, it allows our migrant sisters
working in the city to have a place to call their own.
¡¡¡¡The most prominent mission of the Club is to empower migrant women
for self-protection and management. Its four staff members are from
the countryside, who were previously volunteers or members of the
Club themselves.
¡¡¡¡Migrant women are a marginalized group within China¡¯s new market
economy. They are concerned about finding employment, but lack the
necessary skills and social resources; they are concerned about
their survival, but lack the necessary urban knowledge and social
security; they are concerned about their future, but do not know
where or how to find a hopeful one. In response to their needs,
the Migrant Women¡¯s Club aims at upholding migrant women¡¯s legal
rights, improving their lives, building their capability for self-growth
and expanding space for the group¡¯s development. To realize these
goals, the Migrant Woman¡¯s Club has carried out variety of activities.
In 2002, Migrant Women magazine came into publication, creating
a better environment for public opinion among migrant workers.
Law Maintenance
Providing legal aid to migrant women is a major work of the Club.
In 2002, the Law Maintenance Group for Migrant Women was set up
to offer legal aid to migrant women. This group now consists of
staff members and dozens of volunteers, all who are either lawyers
or law students.
Emergency Fund for Migrant Women
In order to provide temporary asylum or emergency aid to migrant
women, we raise funds from the public. The funds are used to serve
those who undergo sudden illness injury at work, or infringement
of personal safety, such as rape, physical abuse or ungrounded dismissal
from work. Up to now, 26 migrant women have received aid from the
emergency fund.
Domestic Workers Support Network
Most migrant women in Beijing are engaged in service trades, particularly
serving as domestic workers. Many of them are young in age and arrive
from the poor western regions with little education. They lack basic
survival skills and the ability to protect themselves. In July 2003,
the Support Network was established to form a linkage between local
sending agencies with receiving agencies. The former consists mostly
of local women¡¯s federations that send young rural women to Beijing,
and the latter consists of companies that receive the women and
provide domestic workers in Beijing. This network opens communication
between the sending and receiving agencies to share knowledge on
legal rights, citizenship, and skills training. The network hopes
to establish their own organization aimed to protect migrant women¡¯s
legal rights and interests.
Writing Workshop
To raise migrant women¡¯s writing ability, the Club invites teachers
and writers to guide migrant women on how to express personal experiences
and life stories in print. Through the publication of their writings,
the public can have a better understanding and recognition of migrant
women¡¯s working and living conditions.
Research and publication
In order to strengthen the connection between domestic and foreign
labor organizations, the Migrant Women¡¯s Club have sent core members
to visit labor organizations in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, the United
States among others, and received labor organizations from Shenzhen,
Xiamen and abroad. It held two national symposiums on the rights
of migrant women in 1999 and 2000 and published two books Cases
of Maintaining Legal Rights and Interests for Migrant Workers and
the collection of theses, Probe the Laws Concerning Chinese Floating
Population.
Psychological Consultation
Psychological instruction through telephone hotline and personal
interviews and consultation provide help to its members. These consultations
aim to uplift migrant women¡¯s self-confidence.
Culture Lecture
Every weekend, a culture lecture is held on to widen migrant women¡¯s
vision and enrich their knowledge. The lectures cover topics on
law, gender relation, reproduction and psychological health and
analysis of economic, social and political affairs.
Get-Together
Every two months, the Club sponsors a get-together to enrich migrant
women¡¯s lives in their spare time.
Contact us:
Address: 3 Jingyongli, Di¡¯anmen Xidajie, Beijing (100009)
Tele: 010-66163129, 66570575
E-mail: bjdgm7788@163.com
Web site: www.nongjianv.org
Contact with: Han Huimin,Gao Yueqin, Fang Qingxia and Xu Jing
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