Half the Sky Foundation
Encyclopedia
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's welfare institutions.
Half the Sky operates four nurture and enrichment programs designed to prevent or reverse the ill-effects of institutionalization. The programs address the needs of orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
ed children from birth through adolescence. It is named for the Chinese adage, "women hold up half the sky," to emphasize the fact that almost all of the healthy babies abandoned in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
are girls.
The influx of healthy infant girls into China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's welfare institutions began in the 1980s when China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
introduced strict family planning policies in order to control its burgeoning population. As the traditional, especially rural, Chinese family's preference for boys collided with population controls, healthy girls were often abandoned in hopes of the birth of a son.
In recent years, China's "floating population" of migrant worker
Migrant worker
The term migrant worker has different official meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. The United Nations' definition is broad, including any people working outside of their home country...
s has meant an increase in the number of healthy boys, as well as girls, given up by their birth parents. Rising health costs have contributed to an influx of children who have medical needs that poor families cannot meet.
While the Chinese government
Government of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
takes responsibility for the basic care and education of orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
ed children living in welfare institutions, their well-being and likelihood of a bright future remains at risk.
See also
- List of non-governmental organizations in the People's Republic of China
- List of charities in the People's Republic of China
External links and references
- Half the Sky Foundation (The Official Site)
- Johnson,Kay (1993). "Chinese Orphanages: Saving China's Abandoned Girls." The Australian Journal of Asian Affairs(30), 61-87
- Cannon, Carl M (2005). "Too Spoiled, Too Male." National Journal 37 (32), 2514-2517