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China publishes national human rights action plan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-13 10:57

Full Text: National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010)

BEIJING -- The Chinese government published its first working plan on human rights protection Monday, pledging to further protect and improve the country's human rights conditions in an all-round way.

The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010), issued by the Information Office of the State Council, or Cabinet, highlighted various human rights that would be promoted and protected in less than two years, from people's right to work, to the rights of detainees and the disabled.

Death penalty will be "strictly controlled and prudently applied," "impartial and fair trials" of litigants will be guaranteed, and the people will enjoy more rights to be informed and to be heard, the government promised.

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More job opportunities will be created, per capita income will be increased, social security network will be broadened, and health care and education will become more accessible and affordable in order to guarantee the people's economic, social and cultural rights.

The document also detailed how the government will do to "guarantee human rights in the reconstruction of areas hit by the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province" on May 12, 2008, in which about 87,000 people were confirmed dead or missing, more than 370,000 were injured, and at least 15 million people were displaced.

"The realization of human rights in the broadest sense has been a long-cherished ideal of mankind and also a long-pursued goal of the Chinese government and people," said the document.

But the government admitted that "China has a long road ahead in its efforts to improve its human rights situation," though unremitting efforts have been made to promote and safeguard human rights since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, which "fundamentally" changed the fate of the Chinese people.

The government said the plan was framed in response to the United Nations' proposal, on the basis of past experience, "in the light of practicality and China's reality," and by following the essentials of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Curbing unemployment

By the year 2010, the registered urban unemployment rate will be kept below 5 percent, according to the human rights action plan.

In 2009 and 2010, an additional 18 million urban workers will be employed and 18 million rural laborers will move to cities or towns and find jobs there, and the state will take proactive and effective measures to offset the negative impacts of international financial crisis, and ensure the economic, social and cultural rights of all members of society.

Efforts will be made to promote employment and re-employment, and guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of workers, said the action plan, coordinating the rural and urban employment situations in accordance with the Law on Employment Promotion to secure the growth of employment.

The registered urban unemployment rate will be kept below 5 percent, and the priority is to find employment for college graduates and rural migrant workers, according to the action plan.

The government will expand vocational training to bring the total number of skilled workers to 110 million nationwide, with technicians and senior technicians accounting for 5 percent of all skilled workers and senior workers accounting for 20 percent of all skilled workers, said the plan.

Reducing work death toll

The government is to reduce the number of deaths caused by industrial accidents per 100 million yuan (US$14.3 million) of GDP by 35 percent compared with the figure for 2005, and the deaths per 100,000 workers in factories, mines and businesses by 25 percent, according to the plan. It said that those goals will be realized by strengthening labor protection, and improving production conditions in accordance with the Law on Safe Production.

Meanwhile, the government will tighten supervision over salary payment, spreading the practice of employer leaving a deposit in banks to guarantee salary payment, and affixing the legal liability of deliberate default on payment in accordance with the Law on Mediation and Arbitration of Labor Disputes, the plan said.

Full Text: National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010)