National Bureau of Statistics of China, December 2019

In order to assess the implementation of China National Program for Child Development (2011–2020), hereinafter referred to as the NPA for Children, the National Bureau of Statistics conducted a comprehensive analysis in five areas, including health, education, welfare, environment and legal protection in 2018 based on statistics and data provided by the relevant sectoral departments. The results indicated that the implementation is progressing smoothly overall, and most targets have been achieved in advance. However, there is still further work to be done for a few targets, and the protection of children's rights and interests in related areas still needs to be strengthened.

I. Implementation Progress of the NPA for Children in Five Areas

1) Children and Health

The health status of children has been steadily improving. Since 2010, the national infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate have continued to decline (see Figure 1). In 2018, the infant mortality rate was 6.1‰ and the under-five mortality rate was 8.4‰, both were 0.7 millesimal points lower than the previous year, and significantly lower than the 10‰ and 13‰ targets set out in the NPA for Children, respectively. The continuous improvement in children's health status has played an important role in extending the life expectancy in China. The China Maternal and Child Health Development Report (2019) shows that from 2000 to 2015, the life expectancy in China increased by 4.9 years, and 23.5% of this increase was attributable to the decline in the under-five mortality rate.

Figure 1 Infant Mortality Rate and Under-five Mortality Rate, 2010–2018

The overall nutrition status of children remained good^[1]. In 2018, the prevalence of low birthweight among children in China was 3.13%, well controlled within the NPA target of 4%. The exclusive breastfeeding rate for infants aged 0–6 months reached 74.9%, much higher than the NPA target of 50%. The prevalence of anemia, stunting, and underweight among children under-five were 5.44%, 1.11%, and 1.43%, respectively. This was 0.02 percentage points, 0.02 percentage points, and 0.03 percentage points higher than the previous year, but still far better than the NPA targets of 12%, 7% and 5%, respectively.

Disease prevention and treatment for children has achieved remarkable results. By continuously advancing grassroots medical and health institutions’ capacity to provide free immunization services to children, the reported coverage rates of age-appropriate vaccinations included in the National Immunization Programme for children in 2018 were all over 95%. In line with an increased understanding of the characteristics of children at different developmental stages and through physical examination, growth and psychological development assessment, hearing and vision screening, and health guidance for parents, health management of children has been steadily improved in China. In 2018, the national coverage of systematic management for children under three was 91.2%, and the coverage of health-care management for children under seven was 92.7%, both were 0.1 percentage points higher than the previous year, and were 9.7 percentage points and 9.3 percentage points higher than that in 2010, respectively.

Injury-related mortality rate of children has steadily decreased. Since 2010, the injury-related morality rate among children under age 18 has continued to decline. It was 11.74 per 100,000 in 2018, a 10.9% decrease over the previous year, and a 47.6% decrease from 2010. The decline was significantly higher than the NPA target of “a 1/6 decrease from the 2010 figure”.

2) Children and Education

The development of pre-primary education has been steadily advancing. In 2018, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Opinions on Deepening the Reform and Standardizing the Development of Pre-Primary Education to further promote the reform and development of pre-primary education. Pre-primary education accounted for 4.8% in the government appropriation for education in 2018, an increase of 0.2 percentage points over the previous year. There were 267 thousand kindergartens across the country (see Figure 2), of which 101 thousand were public and 166 thousand were private, and this was 4.6%, 6.7%, and 3.4% higher than the previous year, respectively. Of the public kindergartens, 19 thousand were in urban areas and 82 thousand were in rural areas, an increase of 5.4% and 7% over the previous year, respectively. Moreover, there were 2.58 million full-time kindergarten teachers across the country, and 46.56 million children in pre-primary education (including kindergartens and pre-primary classes attached to schools), an increase of 6.1% and 1.2% over the previous year, respectively. The national gross enrollment ratio of pre-primary education was 81.7%, an increase of 2.1 percentage points over the previous year. The NPA target of 70% national gross enrollment ratio for pre-primary education was achieved in 2014, and the figure has been increasing ever since.

Figure 2 Number of Kindergartens and Gross Enrollment Ratio in Pre-Primary Education, 2010–2018

The universalization of compulsory education has been continually expanded. In 2018, the survival rate of the national nine-year compulsory education reached 94.2%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points over the previous year, approaching the NPA target of 95% (see Figure 3). The net enrollment rate of primary school-age children reached 99.95%, an increase of 0.04 percentage points over the previous year. The gross enrollment ratio of junior secondary education was 100.9% ^[2], and the population coverage of nine-year compulsory education reached 100%.

Figure 3 Survival Rate of Nine-Year Compulsory Education,

 2010–2018

The advancement of senior secondary education has been accelerated. In 2018, the national gross enrollment ratio of senior secondary education reached 88.8%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points over the previous year, and one step closer to the NPA target of 90%. The total number of full-time teachers in regular senior secondary education and vocational secondary education ^[3] was 1.81 million and 834 thousand, respectively. Moreover, there were 23.75 million regular senior secondary students and 15.55 million vocational secondary students in school. The public expenditure on educational operation expenses per student in regular senior secondary education and vocational secondary education was RMB 15,000 and RMB 14,200, and this was an increase of 8.6% and 7% over the previous year, respectively. The public expenditure on education per student in regular senior secondary education and vocational secondary education was RMB 3,600 and RMB 5,200, an increase of 7.4% and 6.1% over the previous year, respectively.

The coverage of special education has been further expanded. In 2018, there were 2,152 special education schools nationwide with 59 thousand full-time teachers. This was an increase of 45 schools and 3 thousand teachers, or an increase of 2.1% and 4.8% over the previous year, respectively. There were 124 thousand new entrants enrolled in special education schools, and a total of 666 thousand students attending special education schools, an increase of 11.4% and 15.1% over the previous year, respectively. Nationally, there were 655 thousand students in special education at the compulsory education stage, an increase of 15.2% over the previous year.

3) Children and Welfare

The number of child protection institutions are decreasing steadily. As the Government strengthens its efforts to improve child protection, the number of orphans has decreased year by year, thus the number of child protection institutions has decreased accordingly. In 2018, there were 651 child adoption and assistance service institutions in China (see Figure 4), a decrease of 12 institutions from the previous year. This included 475 child welfare institutions and 176 child protection centers. Moreover, there were 97 thousand beds available in the child adoption and assistance service institutions, a decrease of 6 thousand or 5.9% over the previous year.

Figure 4 Number of Child Adoption and Assistance Service Institutions, 2018

The number of orphans has continuously decreased. In China, the number of orphans has continued to decrease for six consecutive years. In 2018, there were 305 thousand orphans nationally, a decrease of 105 thousand or 25.6% over the previous year. 16 thousand or 5.3% of the total number of orphans were adopted by families. This was an increase of 0.7 percentage points over the previous year, indicating that more orphans got to enjoy the accompany of families. A total of 93 thousand children were under the care of adoption institutions, of which 49 thousand children were cared for by child welfare institutions, and this was a decrease of 12.3% and 16.9% over the previous year, respectively.

The quality of professional rehabilitation services for children with disabilities has been gradually improved. In 2018, the State Council issued the Opinions on Establishing a Rehabilitation System Aiding Children with Disabilities, which stipulated the targeted population, support content, work flow, and division of responsibilities for rehabilitation assistance of children with disabilities, further improving the capacity and efficiency of rehabilitation services. There were 9,036 service organizations for people with disabilities in 2018 that provided rehabilitation services to children with disabilities, an increase of 702 or 8.4% over the previous year (see Figure 5). Nationally, 157 thousand children with disabilities aged 0–6 received basic rehabilitation services, an increase of 16 thousand or 11.2% over the previous year.

Figure 5 Number of Rehabilitation Service Organizations for Children with Disabilities, 2011–2018

4) Children and the Environment

The living environment of children in China has been improved continuously. The Government has continued to advance environmental governance and prioritized environmental protection for the healthy development of children. In 2018, the park and green space per capita in urban areas across the country was 14.1 square meters, an increase of 0.1 square meters over the previous year. The greenery coverage was 41.1% in the urban built-up area, an increase of 0.2 percentage points. The sewage treatment rate in urban areas was 95.5%, an increase of 1 percentage point. The rate of harmless disposal of household solid waste in urban areas was 99%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points. Lastly, the proportion of rural residents benefiting from centralized water supply reached 86%, an increase of 1 percentage point.

The social environment for children has also been improved steadily. In 2018, there were 227 thousand Children's Places (or Children's Centers) in the country, an increase of 42 thousand or 22.6% over the previous year. There were 176 thousand community service centers (or stations), an increase of 9 thousand or 5.1% over the previous year. There were 47 thousand certified professional social workers in grassroots organizations, an increase of 9 thousand or 22% over the previous year (see Figure 6).

Figure 6 Number of Certified Professional Social Workers, 2010–2018

The number of cultural products and activity venues for children has become more abundant. In 2018, there were 44 thousand types of children's books, and 890 million children's books were published, an increase of 4.1% and 8.4% over the previous year, respectively. There were 3,176 public libraries and 114.66 million copies of children's literature in these libraries, an increase of 0.3% and 14.7% over the previous year, respectively. The total broadcasting time for children's radio programs, children’s television programs, and animated television programs were 266 thousand hours, 573 thousand hours, and 374 thousand hours, respectively, an increase of 6.4%, 0.4%, and 3.2% over the previous year (see Figure 7). In 2018, children visited museums 269.66 million person times, and science and technology museums 34.46 million person times.

Figure 7 Broadcasting Hours of Children’s Radio Programs, Children’s Television Programs and Animated Television Programs, 2011–2018

5) Children and Legal Protection

The legal system has been enhanced to ensure the protection of children's rights and interests. China's efforts to protect the rights and interests of minors has been continuously strengthened. On the basis of the Constitution, and with the Law on the Protection of Minors at its core, a protection mechanism to safeguard the rights and interests of minors that is supported by joint involvement of families, schools, governments and society has been initially established, alongside with other administrative regulations and laws such as the General Provisions of the Civil Law and the Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, as well as local regulations and international treaties that are supplementary to the legal system.

The crackdown on crimes against children has achieved remarkable results. In order to strengthen child protection and prevent trafficking of children, China has used a new "Internet + anti-trafficking" model to continuously improve the online alert platform of the Ministry of Public Security to find missing children, which has achieved positive legal and social impact. Over the past two years, the platform has released more than 3 thousand pieces of information about missing children and successfully helped more than 3.3 thousand children find their way home. In recent years, with further development of the National Plan of Action on Combating Human Trafficking (2013–2020), the crime of child trafficking has shown a significant decline. In 2018, 606 cases of child trafficking were solved across the country, a 19.8% decrease from 2015, and a 78.6% decrease from 2010 (see Figure 8).

Figure 8 Number of Child Trafficking Cases Solved, 2010–2018

The quality of legal aid services for children has been improved continuously. In recent years, China has actively promoted legal aid support for minors, improving the legal aid and service delivery mechanisms and further expanding the scope and enhancing the quality of legal aid. In 2018, minors across the country received assistance from legal institutions 136 thousand person times, an increase of 49 thousand person times or 55.6% from 2010.

The proportion of juvenile criminals has continued to decrease. The proportion of juvenile criminals and the proportion of adolescent offenders in China has continued to decrease (see Figure 9). In 2018, the total number of juvenile criminals was 34 thousand, and this figure was about the same as the previous year. This was a decrease of 34 thousand juvenile criminals or 49.6% from the figure in 2010. The proportion of juvenile criminals among all criminals in the same period was 2.41%, a decrease of 0.17 percentage points from 2017 and a decrease of 4.37 percentage points from 2010. The proportion of adolescent offenders among all offenders was 17.2%, a decrease of 2.1 percentage points from 2017 and a decrease of 18.7 percentage points from 2010.

Figure 9 Proportion of Juvenile Criminals and Adolescent Offenders,

2010–2018

II Key Challenges Encountered during Implementation of the NPA for Children

1) The infant and under-five mortality rates vary between urban and rural areas and by region.

Since 2013, the national infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate have reached the NPA targets, but the gaps between urban and rural areas and by region are still significant. In 2018, the infant mortality rate was 3.6‰ in urban areas and 7.3‰ in rural areas, indicating the rate was more than doubled in rural areas. The under-five mortality rate was 4.4‰ in urban areas and 10.2‰ in rural areas, indicating that the rate was 1.3 times higher in rural areas. The regional differences of the under-five mortality rates were also noticeable, with the rate in the western region 2 times higher than that in the eastern region (see Figure 10).

Figure 10 Under-five Mortality Rate by Region, 2017–2018

2) The survival rate of nine-year compulsory education and the gross enrollment ratio of senior secondary education are still below the targets set out in the NPA for Children.

In recent years, China has achieved remarkable results in promoting educational equity, ensuring equal and age-appropriate access to compulsory education for children, and universalizing senior secondary education. The survival rate of nine-year compulsory education and the gross enrollment ratio of senior secondary education have shown a year-on-year increase. In 2018, the survival rate of nine-year compulsory education and the gross enrollment ratio of senior secondary education reached 94.2% and 88.8%, respectively, but compared with the NPA targets of 95% and 90%, there is still room for improvement.

3) The proportion of children in public kindergartens is still relatively low.

Since 2010, the number of children in public pre-primary schools (including pre-primary classes attached to schools) has steadily increased, reaching 20.16 million in 2018, an increase of 2.8% from 2015 and an increase of 27.9% from 2010. Although the number of children in public pre-primary schools has been increasing year by year, their proportion has decreased gradually during the same period (see Figure 11).

Figure 11 Number and Proportion of Children in Public Pre-Primary Schools, 2010–2018

Notes:

[1] Data for nutrition indicators in this paragraph are from the annual reporting on maternal and child health by the National Health Commission.

[2] Based on the calculation method of the gross enrollment ratio in junior secondary education, as the numerator includes those outside of the official school age of 12–14 years old, the gross enrollment ratio may exceed 100%.

[3] Vocational secondary education includes regular and adult specialized secondary education, senior secondary vocational school, and vocational-technical school.

*In case of any difference between English translation and the original Chinese text, the Chinese edition shall prevail.