China was recently accused of attempting to silence activists from reporting to a United Nations women’s rights panel, and preventing others from heading to Geneva to testify. Stephanie Nebehay reports for Reuters, noting that some of the female activists who testified in Geneva worry about reprisals upon returning to China:
At least one female activist was prevented from going to the Swiss city under “travel restrictions” imposed by China, and others alleged their reports had been censored by “state agents”, the panel said, calling for a halt to such practices.
The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), whose 23 independent experts conducted a regular review of Beijing’s record, also urged Chinese authorities to halt forced abortions and “infanticide of girls”.
In its conclusions, released on Friday, the panel urged China to “take all necessary measures to protect woman human rights defenders, including those who have provided information to the Committee, and take steps to ensure that in the future no travel restrictions are placed on individuals/human rights defenders”. [Source]
Read more about women’s rights in China via CDT.
