PeopleofTuohuqiyuziVillageinIliKazakAutonomousPrefecturegatherforabeautypageant.XINJIANGUygurAutonomousRegionisoneofChina’sfiveethnicminorityautonomousregions.Withthelargestlandmassamongallprovincialadministrativedivisions,itishometo47ethnicgroups.Womenaccountfornearlyhalf–49.3percent–ofthetotalpopulation(23.6million),butarestilldeemedsubordinatetomen.Thisisduetotheregion’sless-developedeconomy,comparativeexclusiveness,andthestronggripofoldtraditions.Ingeneral,womenreceivelesseducation,andaremostlyhomemakersandcaregiversforelderlyparentsandchildren.Thetraditionalbeliefisstillheldstrongthatthedomainofwomenisthehome,whilemenattendtoallothermattersandearntheincome.
Theroleofwomeninbuildingastrongfamilyandsocietyhasbeenincreasinglyrecognizedworldwide.Toencouragelocalwomentoventureoutoftheirhomesandgivegreatervaluetosociety,governmentsatalllevelsinXinjianghaverolledoutvariouspoliciesandincentivestoassisttheminseekingemploymentorstartingtheirownbusinesses.Thegoalistohelptheirtransitiontotheroleofmodernwomenbyfosteringtheirindependence,self-esteem,andconfidence.AruralcommunityinYengisarCountyrunsembroiderycoursesforlocalunemployedwomen.“ICanMakeIt”
YaoQinzhang,44,isgeneralmanagerofachaindrugstoreinUrumqi,capitalofXinjiang.Sixteenyearsagoshewasunemployedwithnospecificskills.
Yaowasformerlyatallyclerkatasupermarket,butlostherjobduringaninternaloverhaulofthecompanyin2000whenshewas28.Inthefollowingyear,sheattendedacomputerskillscourseofferedbyhercommunity,whichinspiredhertoopenherownbusiness.Withthesupportofcommunityworkers,sheappliedforaRMB80,000microloanfromthegovernmenttailor-madeforlaid-offworkers.AftersupplementingitwithherRMB50,000savings,sherenteda50-sq-mstorefrontinwhichtosetupadrugstore.
Tocontrolcosts,Yaooperatedthestoreonherown:stocking,tallying,andselling.Tosaveontransportcosts,shetookthebustwiceaweektobuyherstock,usuallyweighingdozensofkilos,andhadtomakeseveraltransferspertrip.Meanwhile,sheenrolledinapharmacologycorrespondencecourseatXinjiangMedicalUniversityandanotheroncorporatemanagementatXinjiangUniversityofFinanceandEconomics.Sheeventuallyreceiveddualjuniorcollegediplomas.What’smore,herpharmacylicensewasapprovedin2004.
Herstoregraduallyestablishedareputationamonglocalresidents,andthebusinesssteadilyexpandedfromonestorein2001to12by2014.YaocombinedthemintoalimitedcompanycalledMinjian.HertransformationfromahousewifetoacorporateexecutivehasboostedYao’sconfidence.“Iwasdepressedwhileunemployed,seeingnohopeinlifeandfilledwithbitterness.Thecommunityworkersempoweredme,”sherecalled.
Yaonowemploys72people,mostofwhomarelaid-offfemaleworkersorwivesofworkersatneighboringcompanies.“Itisnotthattheylackcapabilityorarenotwillingtochangetheirfateandcreateabetterlife,theyjustneedachancetodoso,”Yaosaid.“Ihopemorewomenrealizetheirvaluestothefullest,eitherathomeorinworkplace,asIdid.Anyonewhocontributestosocietywillfindaplaceinit.TheycandefinitelyachievewhatIhaveaccomplished.”
Thistypeofself-confidenceandself-awarenessisjustwhattheregionalgovernmentistryingtoinstillinlocalwomenthroughits“OneMillionWomenTrainingPlan,”underwhichmorethan8,000trainingsessionshavebeenprovidedto837,000womeninthepastfiveyears.Itsaimistofosterthe“Icanmakeit”attitudeamongwomenofallethnicgroupsintheregion,soemboldeningthemtocarveoutamorefruitfullife.
“YoucancallmeBubu.Ilovethisname,”NurbubuAlmakun,ayoungUygurwoman,toldthereporterinfluentMandarinChineseinourfirstmeeting.ThedaughterofafarmerinQapqalXibeAutonomousCountyinnorthwesternXinjiang,BubudroppedoutofhighschoolandmovedtoUrumqi,whereshebecameawaitress.“Inmyfirstdayshere,IdidnotspeakorwriteChinese,soIcouldbarelycommunicatewithHancustomers.However,Iwashardworkingandreadytolearn,soIwassoonspottedbymyboss.”Bubuwassenttostudymodernhotelserviceandmanagementinbiginlandcities.By2010,shehadbecomeaseniormanagerofherrestaurant,andreceived10percentofitssharesasabonus.
Yimamu,26,waspromotedtothepostofmanagerwithinoneyearofworkingatthefactoryinKashiPrefectureofaShenzhen-basedgarmentcompany.Whilebuildingasuccessfulcareer,BubumarriedaHanchefworkingatthesamerestaurant,andtheylaterhadasonandadaughter.Theynowlivewithherparents-in-law.Despitehavingdifferentethnicbackgroundsandcustoms,membersofthisbigfamilyloveandrespecteachotherandliveinharmony.
“Onlyfinanciallyindependentwomencanachieveequalityandabetterlife,”Bubutoldthereporter.“Iwouldliketoinfluenceotherwomenwithmyexperiences,inspiringthemtobeindependentandaspiring,andbelievethat‘Icanmakeit’.”
BubuandYaoQinzhangarejusttwooftheincreasingnumberofXinjiangwomenwhoareleavingtheconfinesoftheirhomesandenteringbroadersociety.Throughthis,theyespousenewideasandexperience.
Duringthe12thFive-YearPlanperiod(2011-2015),2.44millionurbanresidentswerenewlyemployed,1.27millionamongthemwomen.Inthecountryside,13.26millionpeoplefoundjobsoutsideoffarming,5.57millionofthemwomen.
Therearestill2.61millionpovertystrickenhouseholdsinXinjiang,inwhich1.19millionwomenlive.Theyaremainlyinruralareas,particularlysouthernXinjiang.Manywomenstopworkoncetheyaremarried,whichexacerbatesthefinancialplightofmanyfamilies.
Changesarenowunderway,accordingtoHouHanmin,PartysecretaryandvicechairpersonoftheregionalWomen’sFederation.Localgovernmentsatalllevelsarepromotingtheimageofthemodernwoman,whoisstrong,withhighself-esteemandself-confidence,andindependent.Thegovernmentencourageslocalwomentofindemploymentclosetotheirhomessothattheycanbalanceworkandfamily.“ThisyeartheregionalgovernmentplanstogiveRMB79millionto400smallandmicrobusinessesfoundedbywomeninsouthernXinjiang.“Indoingso,morejobswillbecreatedintheseregions.Wehopewomenwillbecomemoresociallyinvolvedanddevelopbroadervisionsandminds.Weareconfidentinthisregard,”Housaid.
CharmProject
WhenIarrivedinTuohuqiyuziVillageinIliKazakAutonomousPrefecture,residentsofthewholecommunity,over100people,gatheredinthegrapevineshadedyardofNuremanKarsenforabeautypageant.Themodels,agedfromunder20toover50,werecladinAtlassilk,thesignatureUygurtextile,andworethetraditionalfour-corneredhatovertheirelaboratelybraidedhair.Childrenalsotookthestage,andstoletheshowfromtimetotimewiththeirspontaneousperformance,drawingthunderousapplauseandlaughterfromtheaudience.TheeventreacheditsclimaxwhenallvillagersstoodupfortheMaxrapfolkdance.
InXinjiang,theyardisakeyvenueforfamilyandcommunityactivities.Avegetableplot,smallorchard,andagrapevinetrellisconstitutefundamentalyardfeaturesinallruralhomes.IthasbeenatrendinIlioverrecentyearstostageculturalactivitiesintheyardtoenhancecommunitycohesion.
In2011,theregionalgovernmentofXinjianglaunchedtheCharmProject,oneofatotalof22keyprogramsconcerningpeoples’livelihood.Itsmissionistofosterbrandsandindustrieswithlocalfeaturesinthefieldsofcosmetics,garments,andhealthcare.
Xinjiangwomenhavelongbeenadmiredfortheircraftskills.Theclothes,homedecorations,andbeddingtheydesignandsewaredaily-lifenecessities,butalsoworksofartsoughtafterbypeoplearoundtheworld,sobringingthemanextrasourceofincome.
JamalMirzamamat,ayoungTajikwoman,isabeneficiaryoftheCharmProject.UpongraduatingfromtheEnglishschoolofXinjiangInstituteofLightIndustryTechnologyin2008,shebecameateacherinherhometown.Oneday,atourist,fascinatedbythefolkhatshewore,askedwherehecouldbuyone.“Accordingtoourtradition,allclothingitemsarehomemade.Soweneverbuythemfromothers,andthereisnomarketdemandforthem.Uponlearningthis,thetouristofferedtobuytheoneIwaswearing,”Jamalsaid.Thisincidentinspiredher.Uponreturninghome,shetoldherfatherthatsheintendedtoopenabusinesssellingtraditionalTajikhandicrafts,andimmediatelywonhissupport.InMarch2009,sheregisteredacompany,thefirstoneinthelocalitytomanufactureandmarketTajik-styleproducts.
YaoQinzhang’sdrugstorechainemploys72people,mostofwhomareformerlaid-offfemaleworkersandhousewives.Toobtainfinancing,Jamalappliedforandreceivedsmallgovernmentloans.Shestockedherstorewithembroideredhats,clothes,bagsandpillowcoversboughtinruralcommunities.Later,shedecidedtosetupherownworkshoptoproducetheseitems,butcouldnotfindworkers,asfewbelievedthatthisventurebyanewgraduatehadanychanceofsuccess.Eventually,threeotheryoungwomenjoinedher,withouttellingtheirfamilies.
ThestrokeoffatecamewhenJamalparticipatedinastart-upplancompetitionsponsoredbytheregionalgovernmentforcollegegraduatesin2010.Afterherstorywascoveredbythemedia,jobapplicationstohercompanyincreased.Sofar,shehasastaffofmorethan40,andherclientelehasexpandedfromBeijingandShanghaitoothercountriesandregions,includingPakistanandTajikistan.InMay,shesealedanotherorderofRMB1millionwithacompanyinShenzhen.
UndertheCharmProjectXinjiangwomenareempowerednotonlytocelebratetheirphysicalbeauty,butalsobringintoplaytheirintelligenceandcreateamorefulfillinglife.
Aishan(center)openedabakerystorewithagovernmentmicroloan.Sheoffersfreetrainingforwomenwhoareinterestedinthisbusiness.Employmentgiveswomenmoreexposuretothebroadersociety,booststheirincomesandimprovestheirlivelihood.HalfoftheSky
ThemultitudeofsuccessfulwomenIinterviewedduringthejourneyacrossXinjiangepitomizewomen’sdevelopmentintheregionsincethefoundingoftheautonomousregion61yearsago.
GenderequalityisoneofChina’sbasicnationalpolicies.XinjiangwasamongthefirsttoendorsetheLawofthePeople’sRepublicofChinaontheProtectionofRightsandInterestsofWomen.IthasmoreoverformulatedandadoptedtwoOutlinesforWomen’sDevelopment,whichtouchonallaspectsofwomen’sworkandlife,backinggenderequalityinallregards,includingpolitics,economy,culture,andeducation.Theseendeavorscontributetothecultivationofwomanleadersandwomen’sparticipationinpolitics.
GulnarhanKurbanisavillageheadinYengisarCountyofKashiPrefecture.Hercommunityof1,240peoplewaslongplaguedbypovertyduetoinsufficientfarmland–0.1hectareperperson.AfterbeingelectedPartysecretaryofthevillagein2013,Kurbantooktheissueofpovertyreductionheadon.
Afteranextensivestudyoflocalconditions,sheproposedashifttofruitproduction.“Wehavetherightsoilandclimateforgrowingfruit,andmostvillagershavecertainexperienceinthisaspect.Besides,themarketforfruitsisgood,sowecansoonseethebenefits,”Gulnarhanexplained.Underheradvocacy,thevillageplantedapricottreesontwothirdsofitslands.Itispredictedthatthisyear’sharvestwillbringinatleastRMB6,800ofpercapitaincome.
“Howdotheguysfeelaboutawomanincommandofthevillage?”IposedthisquestiontoGulnarhan.
Afterthinkingforamoment,shereplied,“Theoldnotionischangingthathomeisthewoman’sdomainandanyaffairsbeyondshouldbelefttomen.Aslongasapersonisfair,unselfish,andreadytoservethepeople,thevillagersarewillingtoaccepthimorherastheirleader.”
Theregionalgovernmentlaysgreatstoreontheselectionandpromotionoffemaleofficials,andoffersmultipleopportunitiesfortheirgrowth.Asaresult,thenumberoffemaleofficialskeepsrising,andwomen’sparticipationinlocalgovernanceisexpanding.
OneofthemisMehriayAbdukadir,vicechairpersonoftheIliWomen’sFederation.Startinghercareerasanagriculturaltechnician,sheworkedatseveraljobs,includingvillagehead,townshipmagistrate,anddeputycountygovernor,beforetakingthecurrentposition.Sheattestedfromherpersonalexperiencethattheregionalgovernmentpayscloseattentiontothecultivationoffemaleofficials,inparticularthoseofethnicminoritygroups.“IwasthefirstfemalechiefofatownshipandthenofatowninYiningCity.Nowoverseeingwomen’sprograms,Iamgladtosetanexampleforotherwomen,influencingthemandleadingthemtohigherself-esteem,self-confidenceandambitions.Theymaythenstandonequalfootingwithmen.”
AccordingtoHouHanmin,aremarkablechangeamongXinjiangwomeninpastyearsisthestrongerself-awarenessamongthemandtheirbroaderpresenceinsocial,economicandculturalundertakings.“Adifferentgenderperspectiveisneededforbetterpolicy-makingandgovernance.TheregionalgovernmentofXinjiangattachesgreatimportancetowomen’sparticipationinpolitics.Amechanismhasbeenputinplacefordeputiestothelocalpeople’scongressandmembersoflocalcommitteesoftheChinesePeople’sPoliticalConsultativeConferencetosolicitadviceandopinionsofdifferentgroups,includingwomen,asregardslegislationandconsultation.Everysectorhasawomanrepresentativeinthegovernmentorpolicy-makingprocess.Thisallowswomentoplaytheirdueroleof‘bolsteringhalfofthesky,’andsignifiessignificantsocialprogress,”Houremarked.
Thenumberoffemaleofficialshassoaredtoitspresent419,000fromamere7,700atthebirthoftheautonomousregion.Twothirdsofthemaremembersofethnicminoritygroups,andaccountfor51.7percentofalllocalofficials.Thepresenceandcloutofwomeninthepolicy-makingprocessandinstitutionsisanessentialmeasurementofwomen’ssocialstanding.
“Womenhavetremendouspower.Onlywhenbringingthispowerintofullplaycanweadvancehumansocietyandcivilizationtowardsabetterstate,”Houconcluded.