Some job postings use women's physical attributes - often with pictures of the company's current employees - to attract male applicants. Women's rights activists estimate that only a small percentage of the companies that have been investigated by the government for.
Background
ACWF and NBS, “Main Data Report on the Third Survey on the Social Status of Chinese Women” (ㅜйᵏѝතྷྣൠ ս䈳ḕѫ㾱ᮠᦞᣕ). 8 ACWF and NBS, "Main Data Report on the Third Survey on Social Status of Chinese Women" (ㅜйᵏѝතྷྣൠཝ䈳ḕѫ㾱 ᮠᦞᣕ).
China’s International and Domestic Legal Obligations
23Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women, Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC), 1992 (revised 2005), https://www.cecc.gov/resources/legal-provisions/protection-of-womens -rights-and-interests-of-the-people's-republic-of (accessed November 2, 2017), art. 37 Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women, https://www.cecc.gov/resources/legal-provisions/protection-of-womens-rights-and-interests-law-of-the-peoples-republic -or, art.
Discrimination Based on Gender
Advertisements for male-only jobs often contain job descriptions that state or imply that the job may be too difficult for a woman. For example, in 2014, 58 percent of newly hired civil servants in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, were women.59 In recent years, about 80 percent of newly hired employees—.
Gender Discrimination Related to Appearance
One employee who graduated from Harvard was quoted as saying, “The reason I joined Tencent came from the original impulse. The poster showed the bare legs of a woman in her underwear around a sword. Do what you want most.” (ᐕ=ྣӪˈᒢᴰᜣᒢⲴ) The Chinese word “do” means intercourse.
Feminist scholar Li Sipan wrote on her Weibo account that the poster violated the anti-discrimination clauses of the Labor Law and the Advertising Law.
Case Study: Alibaba
Do you want it too?” The post featured a series of photos of four female Alibaba employees - all in sexually suggestive poses - with what appeared to be their nicknames in the corner of the photos.94. They say, 'Do you want to be my co-worker?'" The photo accompanying the post shows four Alibaba female employees in sexualized poses, including one engaged in pole dancing.95. Also [he] must be very handsome!” One employee sitting at her desk says, “The men I like must have a sense of curiosity, curiosity about career, about life and about nature.
Tech hotties invite you to Ali!” The Weibo post was accompanied by photos and resumes of 10 employees: researchers, data.
Government Response
The Weibo account "Gender Discrimination in Employment Concerns" (කཊᙗ࡛↗㿶㓐ỷབྷ 䱏), operated by a group of women's rights activists, monitors and reports on employment-related gender discrimination issues. Women's rights activists told Human Rights Watch that local social security bureaus rarely investigate gender-discriminatory job advertisements without first receiving complaints. In December 2012, Zheng Churan and several other women's rights activists reported 267 companies to local social security bureaus and ICBs after the companies published gender-discriminatory job advertisements.
However, actions against women's rights activists have chilled speech and limited the space in which activists can act to raise awareness of gender discrimination in employment.
Recommendations
Strengthen the investigation of complaints about discriminatory job notices submitted to the ministry and its local affiliates. Strengthen the investigation of complaints about discriminatory job notices submitted to the administration and its local subsidiaries. The Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the International Labor Organization.
Human Rights Watch is grateful to the Chinese women's rights activists who agreed to be interviewed, despite the risks, and who provided invaluable input to this report.
Human Rights Watch Letter to Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security
What measures are in place to ensure that HRSSBs proactively and vigorously investigate companies that publish discriminatory job advertisements. What mechanisms are in place to ensure that HRSSB officials respond adequately and in a timely manner to complaints related to gender discrimination in job advertisements submitted to the bureau. What mechanisms are in place to ensure that penalties against companies for publishing discriminatory job advertisements are proportionate to the severity of their offences.
What steps has the MHRSS taken and plans to take to ensure that women are not discriminated against or punished for taking maternity leave.
Human Rights Watch Letter to State Administration for Industry and Commerce
Is there data on complaints filed with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce or Industry and Commerce Bureaus across the country regarding gender discrimination in job advertisements, such as the number of complaints filed, bureaus' response rate, as well as percentages of companies found and fined for violating non-discrimination laws. What measures are available to ensure that industry and trade bureaus proactively and vigorously investigate companies that publish discriminatory job advertisements. What mechanisms are in place to ensure that industry and trade bureau officials respond adequately and in a timely manner to complaints related to gender discrimination in job advertisements submitted to the bureaus.
What efforts has the State Administration for Industry and Business made and plans to make to address the problem of women being treated as sexual objects and gender stereotypes in job advertisements.
Human Rights Watch Letter to Ministry of Public Security
What criteria do the Ministry of Public Security and local public security agencies use to determine the requirement or preference for hiring only men for certain positions? What measures is the Ministry of Public Security taking to ensure non-discrimination and equal treatment in recruitment? What policies has the Ministry of Public Security implemented to combat gender stereotypes – especially the view that women are physically inferior.
Letters Between Human Rights Watch and Zhilian Zhaopin
Human Rights Watch Letter to Zhilian Zhaopin
Human Rights Watch strives to ensure the accuracy of our research and looks forward to hearing from you. Provide details of the policies and procedures the company uses to review advertisements to ensure they comply with Chinese advertising laws. What measures are in place to ensure that employers do not post job advertisements that discriminate against gender on your websites.
What mechanisms are in place to ensure that Zhilian Zhaopin responds appropriately and timely to complaints regarding discriminatory job advertisements posted on your website.
Zhilian Zhaopin Response Letter (translation by Human Rights Watch, followed by
䩈柳ⷹ䧊ᶅ乐䧘ᴉ䖃⌃杸Ờ树㊩㒼滋外坋佋Ṍ⋐ⴂ⪠㜷⎋子K㩦攱唱刂满⁶Ṓ⢁. ㄐ⋷ᴙ↠㱀䤊㙤䘊满佋Ṍ⋐ⴂ䝭媣ᴣ䣌㒸⸎ȼ㔮㜸㉭⪡ㄶ旿㭁梀㭁ㄐ.䷞ḙ㋏䠹⢁ᴊ₄⪸满ᴓ㩣佋Ṍ㔮㓟㯔⋐ⴂ䖃漡沃.
ᴬ⋐䊯瀡擭林佋Ṍ瀢ㄕ瀡擭林⋷瀢⋮ᷤ斎㓵㾸㆔嫈滨㗿⠦∕䖃ỽㆬ ᵞᴌ㒬⪋⒃ㄐ⋷⫸乐䧘佋Ṍ⋐ⴂ䖃晡䗐䪠ȼAu.
Human Rights Watch Response Letter to Zhilian Zhaopin
In your December 22 letter, you stated that Zhilian Zhaopin blocks the posting of job advertisements that contain gender-discriminatory information. You have given us a list of sexist words that Zhilian has apparently banned from appearing on the website. Your letter states that when users are found to have posted sexist job ads, Zhilian notifies them and asks them to remove the ads.
Do you ever take broader action – such as a refusal to publish advertisements – from employers who repeatedly publish or ask to publish gender-discriminatory vacancies on your websites?
Human Rights Watch Letter to 58.com
China's Advertising Law (ᒯ⌅) prohibits "gender discriminatory content" in advertisements, a provision that should prima facie apply to recruitment ads and other forms of advertising. Provisions on job placement and employment management (ቡъᴽ࣑оቡъ㇑⨶㿴ᇊ) also prohibit “discriminatory content” in job advertisements. What mechanisms are available to ensure that 58.com responds adequately and timely to complaints regarding discriminatory job postings published on your website.
Is there data on complaints filed with your company regarding gender-discriminatory job postings, including the number of complaints filed and your company's response rate?
Human Rights Watch Letter to Alibaba
China's Advertising Law (⍉㯔) prohibits "gender-discriminatory content" in advertisements, a provision that on its face should apply to job recruitment as well as other forms of advertising. 10. What steps has Alibaba taken to comply with PRC laws relevant to discrimination in employment and employment advertising? 11. What policies and procedures does Alibaba have to prevent discrimination and ensure equal treatment in employment.
12. Have any complaints been filed with Alibaba regarding gender-discriminatory job postings that the company has published?
Human Rights Watch Letter to Tencent
China's Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests (⢆⡲㙂䗉Ι斛㯔), the Labor Law (↲↧㯔), and the Work Promotion Law (⬰ᴙỂ廚㯔) prohibit gender discrimination in hiring. In this context, we would appreciate your response to questions raised below, as well as any additional information you would like to provide us, so that it can be reflected in our report. What policies and procedures does Tencent have to prevent discrimination and ensure equal treatment in employment.
Have there been complaints filed with Tencent regarding gender discriminatory job postings that the company published.
Human Rights Watch Letter to Baidu
We would also welcome the opportunity to meet with you or your colleagues to discuss these issues. What steps has Baidu taken to comply with China's laws related to discrimination in employment and employment advertising. What policies and procedures does Baidu have to prevent discrimination and ensure equal treatment in hiring.
Have any complaints been filed with Baidu regarding gender discriminatory job postings that the company has published?
Human Rights Watch Letter to Huawei
Thank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to hearing from you. What steps has Huawei taken to comply with Chinese laws regarding discrimination in employment and job advertising. What policies and procedures does Huawei have to prevent discrimination and ensure equal treatment in employment.
Have there been any complaints filed with Huawei regarding gender discriminatory job ads the company published.
Human Rights Watch Letter to Meituan
Has Meituan ever publicly used this poster, such as at job fairs or other recruitment activities that the company has organized or participated in. What steps has Meituan taken to comply with China's laws related to employment discrimination and employment advertising. What policies and procedures does Meituan have to prevent discrimination and ensure equal treatment in employment.
Have any complaints been lodged with Meituan regarding gender discriminatory job advertisements published by the company.
