China consider passing law which forces youngsters to look after elderly parents... or face jail
* Eighth of China's population is over 60 years old
* More than half of them live alone at the moment
* 167 million people aged over 60 and one million over 80
China is considering a new law to force people to visit their elderly parents.
Under the terms of the draft legislation, pensioners who are ignored by their children will have the right to take them to court.
In traditional Chinese culture, it is a moral requirement for children to take care of their ageing parents, but work pressures and growing migration have frayed family ties. Soon young relatives could be made to look after their elders
Soon young relatives could be made to look after their elders
Decades of enforcing a law restricting families to just one child has also left fewer workers supporting more elderly relatives.
If the law is passed, children could face fines or even jail if they snub court rulings to physically and mentally look after their parents.
The Chinese are struggling to cope with the demands of a growing demographic.
An eighth of its population is over 60 and more than half of them live alone.
Wu Ming, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said the change is being ushered in as an amendment to the 1996 Law on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Aged.
‘Elderly parents can resort to law according to the amendment if their adult children do not visit or spend enough time with them,’ he said.
‘In the past, such cases might not have been accepted by the courts, but now things will be different,’ he added.
However, a Chinese lawyer said the new ruling would be difficult to uphold.
‘It would be better to strengthen moral education than to force people to do something legally,’ Qian Jun told state media yesterday.
The amendment also encourages local governments to give pensions and free medical services to people over 80.
China has nearly 167 million people aged over 60 and one million over 80.
According to a recent study, 130 million Chinese have moved to cities searching for jobs, leaving nearly 60 million growing up apart from one or both parents.
Read more: China consider passing law which forces youngsters to look after elderly parents... or face jail | Mail Online
China drafts law to empower and support seniors
China is drafting a law to allow senior citizens to sue their children who don't fulfill their filial duties.
According to the new law, the elderly who don’t reside with their children or get routine visits are entitled to regular visits from family members, and must not be neglected or isolated from the family.
Seniors who had previously filed lawsuits against their children for neglect had seen courts reject them because of insufficient legal backing. The new law empowers seniors to sue their children.
According to Wu Ming, an official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, as a law concerning family disputes, it needs relevant institutions such as community administrative offices and neighborhood service centers to follow up and mediate after a verdict.
China has 167 million people over 60, which is 10 percent of the population. Among them, half live without their children. The new law is intended to make the living conditions of the elderly a priority for society.
According to Wu, currently, a young couple generally takes care of four aging parents, so their ability to do this should be taken into consideration. When young people lack the means to look after parents, home service companies, communities and volunteers should shoulder the responsibility to provide the services for seniors.
In addition, the amended draft law encourages local governments to allocate subsidies for those over 80 and provide free physical exams and other healthcare services. Currently, a number of local governments don't issue any subsidies for seniors, yet it’s anticipated that the new law will stipulate that seniors nationwide receive subsidies.
China drafts law to empower and support seniors - China.org.cn
* Eighth of China's population is over 60 years old
* More than half of them live alone at the moment
* 167 million people aged over 60 and one million over 80
China is considering a new law to force people to visit their elderly parents.
Under the terms of the draft legislation, pensioners who are ignored by their children will have the right to take them to court.
In traditional Chinese culture, it is a moral requirement for children to take care of their ageing parents, but work pressures and growing migration have frayed family ties. Soon young relatives could be made to look after their elders
Soon young relatives could be made to look after their elders
Decades of enforcing a law restricting families to just one child has also left fewer workers supporting more elderly relatives.
If the law is passed, children could face fines or even jail if they snub court rulings to physically and mentally look after their parents.
The Chinese are struggling to cope with the demands of a growing demographic.
An eighth of its population is over 60 and more than half of them live alone.
Wu Ming, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said the change is being ushered in as an amendment to the 1996 Law on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Aged.
‘Elderly parents can resort to law according to the amendment if their adult children do not visit or spend enough time with them,’ he said.
‘In the past, such cases might not have been accepted by the courts, but now things will be different,’ he added.
However, a Chinese lawyer said the new ruling would be difficult to uphold.
‘It would be better to strengthen moral education than to force people to do something legally,’ Qian Jun told state media yesterday.
The amendment also encourages local governments to give pensions and free medical services to people over 80.
China has nearly 167 million people aged over 60 and one million over 80.
According to a recent study, 130 million Chinese have moved to cities searching for jobs, leaving nearly 60 million growing up apart from one or both parents.
Read more: China consider passing law which forces youngsters to look after elderly parents... or face jail | Mail Online
China drafts law to empower and support seniors
China is drafting a law to allow senior citizens to sue their children who don't fulfill their filial duties.
According to the new law, the elderly who don’t reside with their children or get routine visits are entitled to regular visits from family members, and must not be neglected or isolated from the family.
Seniors who had previously filed lawsuits against their children for neglect had seen courts reject them because of insufficient legal backing. The new law empowers seniors to sue their children.
According to Wu Ming, an official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, as a law concerning family disputes, it needs relevant institutions such as community administrative offices and neighborhood service centers to follow up and mediate after a verdict.
China has 167 million people over 60, which is 10 percent of the population. Among them, half live without their children. The new law is intended to make the living conditions of the elderly a priority for society.
According to Wu, currently, a young couple generally takes care of four aging parents, so their ability to do this should be taken into consideration. When young people lack the means to look after parents, home service companies, communities and volunteers should shoulder the responsibility to provide the services for seniors.
In addition, the amended draft law encourages local governments to allocate subsidies for those over 80 and provide free physical exams and other healthcare services. Currently, a number of local governments don't issue any subsidies for seniors, yet it’s anticipated that the new law will stipulate that seniors nationwide receive subsidies.
China drafts law to empower and support seniors - China.org.cn
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