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Media Report 87
Source: | Author:hkb980dd | Published time: 2013-09-27 | 369 Views | Share:
 
Source: Edge
 
On Sept. 21 in Beijing, IBM and Goldman Sachs helped launch a new guide to LGBT inclusion in the workplace. According to Gay Star News, the Asian workplace diversity non-profit group Community Business created the "Creating Inclusive Workplaces for LGBT Employees in China" resource guide, which highlights the business case for addressing the needs of LGBT employees and provides the cultural and legal context of LGBT issues in China.
 
"As companies in China continue to operate and compete in a globalized and interconnected world, the need for companies to distinguish themselves as industry leaders means that there is an increasing need for driving innovation, diversity of thought and better corporate governance," Community Business CEO Fern Ngai told Gay Star News. "Creating a workplace that is free from bias, stigma and where all employees, including LGBT employees, can bring their full selves to work, is good for creativity, innovation and ultimately a company’s bottom line."
 
The guide provides a set of recommendations on how companies can create inclusive workplaces for LGBT employees, including a number of examples of good practice. In preparing it, Community Business set up a group of experts on LGBT issues in China and enlisted the support of groups including the Aibai Culture and Education Center, the Beijing Gender Health Education Institute, the Beijing LGBT Center, the British Council, Common Language, the Health Governance Initiative, Nvai, PFLAG China and UNAIDS. They also engaged with corporate stakeholders to gain insights into some of the issues for LGBT employees in China.
 
"Through working with a vibrant group of local LGBT organizations and the enthusiasm shown by the corporate participants in our stakeholder engagement sessions in Beijing and Shanghai, we see the enormous potential for China to treat LGBT individuals with respect, openness and equality," Community Business senior program manager and co-author of the guide Amanda Yik said. More…
 
22/09/2013
 
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs News
 
 
China's Progress Towards the Millennium Development China's Progress Towards the Millennium Development Goals 2013 Report was officially released recently. The report gives a full picture of China's implementation of the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) since 2010. According to this report, China has already met 7 targets under MDGs ahead of schedule, including halving the proportion of people suffering from poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education, reducing the under-five mortality rate, combating Tuberculosis and Malaria, access to safe drinking water. Significant progress has also been made in the fields of promoting full employment, combating HIV/AIDS and other targets. At the same time, China has provided help to other developing countries within its capacity under the framework of South-South cooperation. The report also points out that, with a big population living in poverty and the problems of imbalance, uncoordination and unsustainability in its development, China remains to be a developing country, and has a long way to go for the full implementation of the MDGs.
 
The Chinese Government has already formulated the grand goal of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, advancing the construction on ecological civilization and the concept of "Beautiful China", and striving to make the "Chinese Dream"come true. China's development is inseparable from the world's and an opportunity for all. China will continue to push forward the implementation of the MDGs and devote itself to the development agenda beyond 2015. More…
 
13/09/2013
 
Source: CRI
 
Although the lives of children affected by HIV and AIDS in China has improved in recent years, they still need a tremendous amount of support.
 
Experts at the sixth Beijing Forum on Human Rights are calling for new laws to protect these children and move towards eliminating social prejudices.
 
Social services designed to help children affected by HIV/AIDS do exist here in China, but providing full access to such services remain a major challenge.
 
Liu Huawen, is Vice Director from the Center for Human Rights Studies affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
 
He believes that government should accelerate the implmentation of a new law that protects children in disadvantaged situations.
 
"In a strict sense, there is no such a law in place in China for the protection of children with HIV. The present laws also fail to address ensuring the rights of those children who suffer from other disadvantaged situations. So we urge relevant authorities to speed up the law-building process to protect children's well-being."
 
Children living with HIV/AIDS also face discrimination in their communities.
 
They often drop out of school and shy away from seeking the social support they need.
 
Zhou Qingan, is a famous commentator and columnist. He thinks discrimination is one of the biggest challenges these children face.
 
"Social prejudice remains a big obstacle and trouble in China's work of AIDS control. The loneliness, which comes from discrimination, confines the children infected by HIV/AIDS to an environment without a future and sunshine."
 
Since 2004 when China brought in child patient treatments, workers devoted to AIDS control have constantly highlighted the importance of other services such as mental and emotional therapy.
 
However, such comprehensive services were not currently available. More…
 
12/09/2013
 
Source: Global Times
 
A red ribbon is seen on the chest of a worker for an AIDS control and prevention NGO in Beijing. Photo: CFP
 
For grass-roots groups involved in HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy, this year marks a turning point as many of them conclude the final phases of projects funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
 
Since entering China in 2003, the Global Fund has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to the country. Its decision to stop handing out new grants to China last year dealt a heavy blow to grass-roots groups who have been dependent upon such overseas grants. Some of them might even disappear as a result, while the rest try to figure out what to do next.
 
The Global Fund is a financing institution created in 2002 and brings together resources from the "government, civil society, civil society, the private sector and communities living with the diseases," to prevent, treat and care for people with those diseases.
 
Global Fund in China
 
The Global Fund has approved a total of over $800 million for China and disbursed over $775 million to date, according to its website. About 40 percent of the money went to HIV/AIDS programs. It has provided four rounds of funding as well as the RCC (rolling continuation channel) program.
 
In 2012, the Global Fund decided to cancel the next round of funding for China, as the country has become a middle- and upper-income country within the G20 group and the pandemic situation is no longer at a level of extreme severity. As a result, about $680 million of the approved budget of $1.814 billion for the 2010-15 period will not be allocated.
 
Most of the grants have been used for purchasing drugs and medication for patients. With HIV/AIDS grants, each round of program requires that a certain percentage of the money be used to support grass-roots groups. Round six of the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS programs, which started in 2007, focused heavily on strengthening the capabilities of grass-roots groups and NGOs to help the most vulnerable and inaccessible target populations.
 
In 2011, the Global Fund temporarily froze grants to China as it had not allocated 20 percent of the funding to grass-roots groups as previously agreed. Chinese authorities later responded that they had different definitions about what exactly constitutes a grass-roots organization.
 
Strictly speaking, grass-roots groups need to be registered at the civil affairs department with a government agency acting as a supervisor. But it has always been difficult for grass-roots groups and NGOs, devoted to any cause, to get registered.