Women in China are waiting for meaningful #MeToo reforms
Al Jazeera
Chinese companies seen to fall short on addressing sexual misconduct face online backlash and possible talent loss, say activists.
Shenzhen, China – China’s corporate leaders and government institutions are failing to meaningfully implement or enforce policies to reduce sexual assault, harassment and to increase gender equality, activists say, despite a recent surge in women coming forward in China to tell their #MeToo stories.
The failure not only leaves many women wondering when these issues will be taken seriously, say lawyers and activists. It risks the reputations of companies embroiled in scandal, and the ability of firms to attract well-educated women who are increasingly vital to competitiveness as China’s economy becomes more oriented towards services.
“Personally, I haven’t heard of companies introducing new policies to address these issues,” a prominent women’s rights activist told Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity. “All these companies have reacted rather passively to these cases.”