III. Rights of Specific Groups

Targeted measures shall be taken to satisfy the special needs of various groups and to protect the lawful rights and interests of ethnic minorities, women, children, elderly people and the disabled.

(1) Rights of ethnic minorities

The state will prioritize the development of ethnic minorities and ethnic-minority areas, respecting and protecting the rights of ethnic minorities.

? The right of ethnic minorities to participate in the management of State and social affairs on an equal footing shall be guaranteed by the State. Their ability to participate in the deliberation and administration of State affairs shall be improved. The state will make sure that minority groups have a proportionate number of representatives in organs of State power and administrative, judicial and procuratorate organs at both the central and local levels. It will improve the work to build up the ranks of ethnic-minority civil servants, and ethnic-minority citizens shall enjoy favorable treatment in accordance with the law when they take the national civil service examination.

? The right of ethnic minorities to economic development shall be guaranteed. The state will continue to help boost the economy of ethnic-minority areas by increasing budgetary input and financial aid, improving infrastructure and supporting competitive industries and economic endeavors with distinctive features of minority areas, to see to it that absolute poverty in these areas shall be basically eliminated by 2020 and that the major indicators of economic development of these areas shall be higher than the national average.

? The right of ethnic minorities to enjoy equal access to public services shall be guaranteed. Efforts shall be made to channel public service resources to the ethnic autonomous areas, and strengthen trans-provincial/regional pair-up assistance to further narrow the gaps in the incomes of urban and rural residents, as well as in compulsory education, medical care, and social security between ethnic autonomous areas and the national average.

? The right of ethnic minorities to education shall be guaranteed. Efforts shall be made continuously to transfer more public education resources to ethnic-minority areas and strengthen pair-up assistance in education; to support ethnic-minority areas in standardized construction of compulsory-education schools, so as to realize the balanced development of compulsory education in each county by 2020; and to help ethnic-minority areas train teachers who will go and work in the rural areas. The proportion of students enrolled from ethnic-minority areas to vocational schools in central and eastern provinces and cities shall be raised appropriately. Renewed efforts shall be made to run well special classes for ethnic-minority students in hinterland areas. Importance shall be attached to the training and utilization of skilled people of ethnic minority origin in all professions.

? The right of ethnic minorities to learn, use and develop their own spoken and written languages shall be respected and guaranteed. The language education level of ethnic minorities is constantly being raised and bilingual teaching increased in ethnic-minority areas. Their right to litigate in their own languages is protected.

? The cultural rights of ethnic minorities shall be guaranteed. The State shall protect and pass on the traditional culture of ethnic minorities, and step up efforts to protect, rescue, sort out, publish and research ancient books of ethnic minorities. It shall encourage the creation of literary works of ethnic minorities, and support innovative realistic works featuring integration of ethnic cultures. It shall increase support for the ethnic-culture industry with distinctive features.

? Urban work regulations concerning ethnic minorities shall be revised to protect the legitimate rights and interests of ethnic minorities in urban areas.