CEDAw/C/SR.33 English Page 10 (Ms. Smith) indicated the percentage of women who worked, but it would be interesting to receive further data on the percentage of women who participated .in political life. The same question could be raised about all other activities - for example, the way they participated in the legal structure and the percentage of women who were judges. Although the report showed that women enjoyed the same rights as men with regard to education, it would be useful to know what measures had been taken in order to encourage women to choose non-stereotyped and non-traditional disciplines. The Constitution of China guaranteed the right to education, the question was how that right was guaranteed. 28. The report showed that the legislation relating to employment was not . discriminatory, but that was, of . course, not enough to eliminate traditional practices which were detrimental to women: she needed to know what measures had been adopted in order to promote effective equality between the sexes and what programmes there were ·for encouraging women to seek higher or more responsible positions. With regard to domestic activities, it would be interesting to know whether, in practice, fathers took part in raising children. Furthermore, it would be useful to know whether the principle of equal pay for equal work was strictly applied in practice, what types of work were predominantly performed by women, and whether those women for the most part occupied posts carrying less responsibility or an inferior status. The Constitution stipulated that all citizens had the right as well as the duty to work. · Could that be interpreted to mean that all women were obliged to work? The report stated that 36 per cent of the total urban work force were w6men1 the question was what the remaining women who lived in the cities did. 29. when considering the rights laid down in legislation, it was important to examine the existing forms of recourse which ensured that the legislation could really be applied. What could a Chinese woman do when she felt that she was being discriminated against? where and how was that fact reported? Was there a kind of Pmbudsman or was it -necessary to take the matter to court? The statement made by Mrs. Zhang Zhong-an on the provision of free legal assistance at the grass-roots level was very interesting. More detailed information on that subject would be appreciated. 30. Article 49 of the Constitution s'tipulated that marriage, the family and mothers and children were protected by the State. She wished to know how that protection was provided in practice. Article 49 also stipulated that husbands and wives had the duty to practise family planning. What happened when they did not practise it? Were they punished in any way? Article 49 prohibited maltreatment of old people, women and children, it could be inferred from the omitted reference to men that the maltreatment of men was permitted. Further information was required on the conceptual aspect of the norms which applied that constitutional principle. 31. Ms.- BERNARD, Rapporteur, expressed satisfaction at the candidness of the report, which referred to vestiges of discrimination that still existed and gave exa~ples of them. - She wished to know whether prostitution still existed in China and , if so, what measures were being taken to eliminate it and whether any punishment was imposed against it. / ...