Xinjiang's bold push empowers rural women at scale

URUMQI -- There was a time in the southern part of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region when many rural women lived out of public view, economically dependent on their spouses and bound by traditional household gender roles.

Today in Xinjiang's Kashgar prefecture, Aysham Abdureyimu's beauty salon buzzes with laughter and transformation. It has become a place where women come not just for stylish hairdos, but for a sense of community. In Kashgar's Shache county, the steady hum of sewing machines fills Adilmu Abdulla's bustling tailor shop, where she now employs dozens of local women, most of them Uygur.

"When I got divorced, it felt like my whole world fell apart," Abdulla recalled. "But these days, I have a steady monthly income and help others earn too. Being a single mom doesn't faze me anymore."

This profound transformation from social constraints to financial independence lies at the heart of Xinjiang's efforts to empower rural women. While women were once confined to seclusion by extremist ideologies, today they stroll the streets proudly clad in modern fashion.

Speaking about this change, Abdureyimu said rural women now care more about looking their best. They're eager to learn new skills, start their own businesses, and achieve financial independence. Dressed in the latest styles and fluent in Mandarin, her salon apprentices have become living symbols of this very transformation.

The shift extends from household kitchens to socio-economic structures. According to Aynur Mamat, chairperson of Kashgar's women's federation, empowered mothers build more prosperous families, marked by fuller wallets, brighter smiles, happier homes and, above all, unshakable confidence.

Behind the change is a coordinated, multi-pronged effort led by the Xinjiang regional women's federation and aimed at dismantling long-standing barriers to women's empowerment.

Skills training forms the foundation. According to Li Linghui, Party chief of the Xinjiang regional women's federation, the federation now organizes more than 1,000 sessions annually, equipping over 40,000 rural women with skills such as hairdressing and tailoring. These skills have opened doors to entrepreneurship and factory employment.

"Women across rural Xinjiang, especially the south, are eager to work and start businesses," Li said. "We're helping make it happen through practical training programs."

The "beauty hair salon" program stands as a striking example. Since 2017, 3,679 salons with a total investment of 63.9 million yuan (about $8.9 million) have been established across Xinjiang, providing employment for over 10,000 women and serving as community hubs for them.

Across southern Xinjiang's villages, the beauty hair salons are more than just businesses. They have become engines advancing women's independence and cultural change, said Aynur Mahsat, chairperson of the Xinjiang regional women's federation.

Through a program that focuses on online and offline Mandarin classes, some 60,000 women mainly in southern Xinjiang have gained access to new opportunities.

Financial assistance has also proven key to the successes of women entrepreneurs. Partnering with banks and rural credit cooperatives, the regional women's federation has provided 17.86 billion yuan in loans to more than 46,000 women, enabling business launches and expansions.

The impact has reached far beyond personal income growth. Comprehensive policy support has empowered women to embrace modern lifestyles and economic independence, according to local officials. Rising incomes have also brought them greater influence, both at home and within their communities.

Sustaining this momentum requires continuous, targeted effort. "Enhanced training and guidance mechanisms measurably boost women's aspirations and abilities to pursue business and career opportunities," Li said, underscoring the need to establish long-term training frameworks with strong policy backing.

To further empower rural women in Xinjiang, experts have highlighted the importance of better policy coordination, flexible employment models and enhanced financial support.

According to Aygul Imin, a researcher at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, strengthening rural social security, providing targeted support, and closely monitoring employment and family dynamics are essential to removing barriers faced by rural women in southern Xinjiang while ensuring that progress benefits both the women and their communities.