The number of rural Chinese women living in abject poverty was reduced to 12 million by the end of 2005, a major improvement from the estimated 35 million in 1994, according to a senior official with the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

The group's deputy director Wang Guoliang made the remarks at a forum in Beijing on gender, poverty alleviation and the building of new socialist countryside.

Wang said women's federations at all levels have provided small loans to help poor women through practical training, enabling them to be financially independent.

As a result, rural women are enjoying more education and employment opportunities and engaging in more social activities, he said.

Wang said that China still needs to do much more to protect women's legitimate interests and rights, including ensuring equal access to education and engaging their equal participation in policy making.

The group's director Liu Jian said earlier this month that China had 23.65 million people living in poverty with per capita annual incomes below 683 yuan (US$85.4), a mere 20 percent of the average annual income of the country's rural population.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2006)