China Highlights Progress in Ensuring Women’s Right to Education

China has made significant strides in guaranteeing women’s right to education across all levels, with gender equality in access to schooling effectively ensured, according to a white paper released on Friday.

The document, titled “China’s Achievements in Women’s Well-Rounded Development in the New Era,” reported that the gender divide in basic education has been largely eliminated. In 2024, girls accounted for 47.3 percent of children enrolled in kindergartens and 46.98 percent of students in nine-year compulsory education. The net elementary education enrollment rate of school-age girls remained above 99.9 percent, underscoring near-universal access.

The white paper also noted that a “rough balance” has been reached between male and female students in higher education. In 2024, women represented 50.76 percent of all students in higher education institutions—14.15 percentage points higher than in 1995. 

Notably, women made up 50.01 percent of graduate students, an increase of more than 22 percentage points compared with three decades ago.

China’s progress in education has also translated into longer schooling years for women. By 2020, the average length of education for female citizens aged 15 and above reached 9.59 years, reflecting a steady rise in opportunities for lifelong learning.

The report emphasized that these achievements form part of broader national efforts to promote women’s development and equal participation in social and economic life.