CEDAW/C/SR.33 English Paqe 11 (Ms. Bernard) 32. She wished to know the percentage of women in high-level posts in the various government departments, ministries, mayoral offices, etc. The report implied that the percentage of women enrolled in universities was lower than the percentage of women enrolled in primary and secondary education. She asked what measures were being taken to encourage their enrolment in higher education. 33. Since women constituted more than one half of the workforce in rural areas, it would be interesting to compare that figure with the percentage of women in rural areas who received general or technical training. She also wished to know whether, in practice, the principle of equal pay for equal work was applied in rural areas and whether women in those areas also received paid maternity leave. 34. Lastly, the report indicated that ther~ was a difference between the diseases which affected women living in the two different areas: it was found that cervical cancer temained the main threat in the cities, while metroptosis and urethral fistula were the most frequent diseases in the countryside. It would be interesting to know what caused that difference. 35. Ms. SALEMA commended the representative of China on the remarkable report she had introduced and expressed her admiration for China's efforts to eliminate the feudal ideas of masculine superiority. Referring to the family planning measures mentioned in th~ report, she asked whether the Chinese Government provided any penalty for couples who did not observe the rule to have only one child and what happened in case·s where couples wanted to have more than one child and, therefore, did so. She also asked whether any penalty was provided for violations of the principle of freedom of marriage and requested more detailed figures on the participation of women at all levels in the country's political life. Ms. VELIZ DE VILLALVILLA joined the previous speaker in requesting more detailed information about family planning in China and about the participation of women in the country's political life • . She also asked what percentage of women belonged to the Chinese Communist Party and how women were represented in positions of leadership and decision-making at the various levels. Referring to the All-China women's Federation, she requested more specific information on the size of its membership, its structure and the type of activities it carried out, particularly in the field of education. In addition, she praised the frank way in which the report discussed the problem of the school drop-out rate in rural areas and asked what measures had been taken in that regard. She also asked whether there was any illiteracy in China and what programmes provided adult education courses. Moreover, she asked what was the duration of maternity leave and whether women were entitled to paid leave in order to care for small children when they were ill. The report stated that urban working women received retirement pensions and, in that connection, she asked whether there was any difference between the retirement rights of women in rural areas and those in urban areas. The report also indicated that, after retirement, women continued to enjoy free medical care and she therefore asked whether medical care was not always provided free of charge in China. 36. / ...