A report by Amnesty International highlights the discrimination and abuse suffered by China’s migrant workers.
Jonathan Hursh, a founder of an NGO working with migrant communities in Beijing, describes the difficulties facing millions of migrants and the government’s approach towards an overwhelming social problem.
It was a brick home with a concrete floor with no running water and a little stove that could hardly heat them in the cold Beijing winters. A family of four were living in a room no bigger than 4 or 5 sq m.
What shocked me most was the discrimination these people suffered by urban residents. They seemed to live parallel lives in a society that has a very low regard for them and treats them like people who don’t have any value. [Full Text]