Abstract

The birth of the Communist Party of China（CPC）in 1921 opened a new chapter in Chinese history. Armed with Marxism，the CPC unequivocally took on the noble mission and historic responsibility of realizing women’s liberation and promoting gender equality. The past 100 years have witnessed dramatic changes in women’s social and family status，with their intelligence and creativity unleashed freely，and spectacular achievements in the cause of women’s development and gender equality during the great historical leap of the Chinese nation from standing up，getting rich to becoming strong. Since the 18th CPC National Congress，under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era，hundreds of millions of women have become more determined to listen to and follow the Party and to uphold the socialist path of women’s development with Chinese characteristics，more fully and equally exercised their democratic rights，equally engaged in economic and social development and had equal access to the fruits of reform and development. As a result，their status as the masters of the country has been further highlighted，their power of holding up “half of the sky” released and their sense of happiness and security increased day by day.

2021 marks the centenary of the founding of the CPC and the first year of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan period. The purpose of this book is to reflect on and review the history of women’s development over the past 100 years since the founding of the CPC，to earnestly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s fundamental requirements of creating a better future by drawing lessons from history，and to promote synchronous women’s and socioeconomic development，harmonious and equal development of men and women and comprehensive development of women themselves at a higher level.

The book consists of three parts：a general report，eight special reports and three case reports. Based on solid historical materials and statistics，the general report systematically summarizes the historical process of women’s development and gender equality in China over the past 100 years，the remarkable achievements made and the important opportunities and challenges for the future，and puts forward countermeasures and recommendations to promote gender equality and women’s comprehensive development to a new level. The eight special reports review the experience in women and health，education，employment，participation in decision-making and management，social security，marriage and family，development of international exchanges and cooperation，and changes in women’s organizations over the past 100 years，and summarize the brilliant achievements and valuable experience of Chinese women’s cause under the leadership of the CPC. Chinese women have realized their liberation and achieved equal rights and development in politics，economy，society，culture，education，marriage，and family，etc. The special reports also put forward targeted suggestions for the further development of women in the great cause of marching towards the second centennial goal. The three case reports describe and analyze the women’s cause over the past 100 years in Zhejiang，Hubei and Guangxi Provinces，which represent local practices，experiences and thinking and suggestions for the new era with respect to the cause of women’s development and gender equality in eastern，central and western China respectively.

The book will further enrich the overall social understanding of the significant historic achievements made in the course of women’s development in China over the past 100 years，deepen the understanding of the significance of fully implementing the basic state policy of gender equality，and provide in-depth insights into the historic responsibility of promoting comprehensive development of women and gender equality in the new era，thus encouraging women to forge ahead towards a new journey，give fully play to their role of holding up “half of the sky” in advancing high-quality economic and social development and make new and greater contributions to realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Keywords：CPC’s Centenary；Women’s Development；Gender Equality