On October 15, 1993, in a magnificent palace in Bangkok, Thailand, a common Chinese rural woman was awarded the Y.S. Rao, a UNFAO prize granted to those who have made outstanding contributions to human being's ecological environment. Among three such medal winners that year, Niu Yuqin was one of them. She comes from Jinjisha Village, Dong Keng Town, Jingbian County, Shaanxi Province-the site of the Mu Us Desert.
　　Ten years ago, 36-year-old Niu Yuqin was just another industrious rural woman of few words. Taking care of a family of seven, including her mother-in-law, who suffered from a mental disease, she, like other women, worked hard to make a living in the desert.
　　In spring 1985, when the forest contract system was established, everyone in the village was eager to take part. The contract allows those living in the desert to use land for a period of time, if they plant trees and help to make the area fertile. Villagers jump at the chance because they can grow fruit trees or other cash crops and so increase their income.
　　Niu Yuqin and her husband Zhang Jiawang, enthusiastically signed a contract for fifteen years. Their destiny became entwined with ten thousand mu of desert land. (Mu is a Chinese unit of area equal to 1/15 of a hectare or 1/6 of an acre.)
　　It was easier said than done. Transforming the desert into forest required an investment of 20,000 RMB yuan (around 2,500 US dollars), an enormous figure to Niu Yuqin. Besides a loan of 4,000 yuan from the bank, she also borrowed from relatives and friends. She taught herself about horticulture, while hiring workers to help her plant the trees. By the time the first lot of seedlings and grass seeds were planted in the sand, Niu Yuqin was already heavily in debt.
Soon the springtime winds and sandstorms arrived and things became very difficult. In one night, the 6,000 mu of seedlings were blown over-many were torn out by the roots. Niu Yuqin, however, was not daunted. Several days later, she decided to try again. The whole family moved to a temporary shed near their plot of land in order to allow more work to be done. Together with workers, she and other family members, worked day and night to dig holes, supply the missing seedlings, and sand them up. Her knees became grazed, and blood oozed out from the cuts on fingers. A month later, 40,000 poplars, 30,000 elms, and several thousand salix mongolica were growing out of the desert. Gradually she has gained experience in tree-planting.
　　Grass came out of the earth, and buds appeared on branches. However, no sooner had the family finished celebrating than disaster struck. Just when Nui's husband was needed most, he was diagnosed as having advanced bone cancer.
Strong-minded Niu Yuqin refused to give in to misery. She mustered up her courage and tried to help her husband fight the disease. With 6,000 yuan that she had borrowed, she sent him from one hospital to another. However, as her husband's condition worsened, his left leg had to be amputated. On the way back to the forest, with her husband on her back, Niu Yuqin comforted him by saying: "After we make money, I will send you to a big hospital." She was comforting herself as well. In May, 1988, when half of the desert land she had contracted was covered with green, her husband died.
　　Some persuaded her to sell the forest and settle down. She refused, saying: "This will benefit future generations. Jiawang has died, but our children are still living." To strengthen her resolve in afforestation, she named the forest after her and her husband-Jiayu Forestry Center. With her father-in-law and three young sons, she planted trees and grew grass in the desert sand. Every day, each one of them dug more than 100 two-feet-deep holes and planted over 100 trees. Niu Yuqin made a note with a scrawl: 3,000 mu poplar, 300 mu elm, 240 mu willows, 1900 mu salix mongolica…
　　Niu Yuqin was near exhaustion; her shoes were worn out; her voice had become hoarse. But she was determined to build a green homeland in the desert. She said: "I cherish only one wish, that is, to turn the whole Mu Us Desert into green."
Ten years have past and now Niu is the owner of 17,000 mu trees. The early trees are now full sized. She kept in mind her husband's last words: "After we earn money from those trees, do not forget to build a primary school in the village so that children can get an education." From 1992 to 1993, Niu Yuqin spent 20,000 yuan building a primary school with eight rooms. The school was also named after her and her husband: Wangqin Primary School. As a result, more than sixty children from the area are now able to go to school.
　　At present Niu Yuqin's family still lives in their shabby old house, eating glutinous millet and buckwheat flour. But she is no longer just an ordinary desert farmer, drawing water from the well and struggling through life. She is now thinking of building a water tower, erecting power transmission lines, building a road to the forest, running a wickerwork factory, and opening a timber mill. She also wants to make Wangqin Primary School the best in terms of teaching conditions and teaching quality.
　　At meetings attended by hundreds or even thousands of people, she tells the story of her trees. She said: "What I have done is just a drop in the ocean. Some one asked recently what I would like to do now. I answered that I would continue to plant trees for the rest of my life. My only wish is to turn the whole desert into a green homeland."

Ningxia Pilots the Project "Love of Mother"
　　To provide water for thirsty mothers and children living in the west, the China Women's Development Fund set up a special fund for the project "Love of Mother", which aims to aid the building of water cellars in western underdeveloped areas. Guinea-pig for the project, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region formed a leading group to monitor the project and chose Tongxin County and other three counties as the experimental counties. Now the project has been launched in Ningxia.
　　The Ningxia Women's Federation cooperated with Ningxia's Water Resources Department and Aid-the-Poor Office, who provided detailed statistics and materials. The federation was then able to draw up The Implementation Plan for the Project "Love of Mother" and The Notice to Issue the Experimental Counties' Plans.
　　Cadres and ordinary people living in the areas which had been chosen said: "The All-China Women's Federation has helped us a lot; we'll try our best to complete the initial work successfully and to maintain a high standard when building the water cellars." At the National Launch Ceremony for the Project, Ma Liwei, director of the Tongxin Women's Federation, said: "'Love of Mother' is a great project representing Chinese women and is also a charitable project which shows love between Chinese people. Choosing Ningxia as the experimental place indicates that the ACWF trusts us; we therefore feel a great responsibility. We'll make great efforts to complete the project and provide satisfactory results for all Chinese people as well as the mothers living in drought areas. "

A Symposium on Gender Equality Policy
　　On February 27, 2001, in Jinan, the capital of Shangdong Province, a symposium concerning the national policy on gender equality was held by the Shandong Women's Federation. Nearly 100 people attended the symposium including leaders from the provincial government, leading officials from provincial departments, experts and scholars, as well as women's rights workers. A consensus was reached on the importance of implementing measures to promote the development of women and how national policy could address gender equality.
　　Li Qiufang, Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, made a report on the study and implementation of the national policy on gender equality. In her report, she comprehensively analyzed the theoretical basis for the current policy, explained the policy's historical aspects and the policy's connotations in introducing gender awareness to mainstream decision-making. Making note of the reality for women today, with new situations and new problems facing the women's movement, she put forward the demand for further action and implementation of the national policy on gender equality. She said that in the process of establishing a socialist market economy, policies, institutions and machinery need to guarantee the equal development of men and women.

Week of Protecting Women's Rights Launched
　　On Women's Day, 2001, the ACWF and the Ministry of Justice launched the Week of Protecting Women's Rights in various regions around China. The aim of the event is to safeguard and protect women's legitimate rights and interests in marriage, focusing on publicizing laws, offering legal advice and aiding women at grassroots level. Many rural women have problems asserting their legitimate rights and interests within marriage and the family, and some women meet difficulties during legal proceedings when they seek help. This activity offered timely and effective help for them.
　　On February 27, the Beijing Women's Federation and Beijing Bureau of Justice held "Taking Knowledge about the Law to the Countryside", in preparation for the Week of Protecting Women's Rights. Liu Hairong, Vice President of the ACWF and Duan Zhengkun, Vice Minister of Justice personally gave legal books to the women in Angezhuang Village, Beifang Town, Huairou County. During the week, many areas in China opened the special hotline "148" to provide legal consultation concerning women's rights and interests.
　　Peng Peiyun, Vice Chairperson of the NPC Standing Committee and President of the ACWF was interviewed by CCTV during the week. She hoped the activity would strengthen Chinese women's awareness of the law and enhance their ability to protect their legitimate rights and interests. She also hoped the Week of Protecting Women's Rights would advocate the building of equal, harmonious and civil relations within the family and curb unhealthy social tendencies.

Fight Against Domestic Violence Emphasized in Law
　　The first tribunal on domestic violence in China was set up in Tianjin, early 2001. Formerly regarded as a household matter, domestic violence was publicly punished in law for the first time.
　　Since the Fourth World Conference on Women, in 1995, the issue of domestic violence and women's rights and interests, has been put on the agenda and greatly emphasized in the work of the government. Through various measures and channels, the government has been trying to help victims and reduce the increasing incidence of domestic violence.
　　In 1995, Beijing Higher People's Court became the first to provide the special service of "identification of injury" caused by domestic violence.
　　On January 10, 1996, Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, publicized the Regulations on Preventing and Curbing Domestic Violence. This was the first local regulation of its kind in China. In February 2001, the departments concerned in Liaoning Province also publicized such regulations. Later, similar practical regulations were publicized in Hunan Province, Sichuan Province and Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, successively.
　　On April 24, 1998 a Domestic Violence Injury Identification Center was set up in Qingdao City. In April, 2001 Shangdong Province also set up an identification center. These centers examine and record injuries, provide legal services and also offer a paternity test.
　　In February 2001, China's first working group against domestic violence was set up in Beijing. This group aims to strengthen awareness about preventing domestic violence, asking the police to play a leading role in the fight. It also aims to enhance the legal system and social services in regards to domestic violence. A "network" against domestic violence is being set up by hospitals, identification centers, law offices and women's federations, which intends to control domestic violence and promote the national program.
　　During the course of the revision of the Marriage Law, common people, organizations and experts proposed many practical suggestions on tackling the issue of domestic violence. The ACWF suggested that the Marriage Law should include the provision that "any form of domestic violence should be prohibited" and that spousal responsibility or duties should be clearly explained in law.
On October 23, 2000 the drafted amendments to the Marriage Law were completed. For the first time, domestic violence was addressed in the Marriage Law. The draft states that "Domestic violence and other mal-treatment within the family are prohibited."
　　Preventing domestic violence is the fundamental resolution. Besides perfecting the law, the whole of society has the responsibility to stop domestic violence. The media should further promote the idea of equality between men and women and also highlight the reality of domestic violence. The government and non-governmental organizations should cooperate with each other to set up a network against domestic violence.

Qingdao's Volunteers Safeguard Women's Rights
　　A team of volunteers to safeguard women's rights, the first of its kind in Shandong Province, was established in Qingdao City on March 9. The team aims to further strengthen social conscience in regards to protecting women's rights and interests, set up a wider network of the organizations for women's rights and interests and provide timely legal protection and aid for every woman.
　　The team consists of 58 experts and philanthropists from Qingdao, including volunteers from public security, judiciary, civil ministration, public health, education, environmental protection and social sciences. Their slogan is to "give love to women and hold up the half sky". In the future, these volunteers will play a large role in isolating and condemning unlawful practices against women within their professional capacities. They will take careful note of the policies and opinions promulgated by each of their own departments and affiliated organizations, while at the same time taking an active part in all social public welfare activities for the protection of women's legal rights and interests and promotion of women's emancipation.
　　At the inaugural meeting, noted judges, police officers, lawyers and jurists in Qingdao, were invited to explain and publicize some problems with typical cases. They explained the duty of providing evidence concerning distribution of property in divorce cases, as well as highlighting civil rights during divorce. They also dealt with the prevention and handling of domestic violence and the mutual responsibilities of husband and wife in marriage. The panel then answered questions from the floor about the revised draft of the Marriage Law, marriage and the family and women's rights.