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chinas one child policy
000166-XXX 1

China’s One-Child Policy: an Infringement of Human Rights

Extended Essay: Human Rights
School: Seoul Foreign School
Name: XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
Candidate Code: 000166-XXX
May 2012
Word Count: 3,835

000166-XXX 2

Abstract
On January 1st 1979, the Chinese communist government implemented a policy of birth-control. This is referred to as the ‘One-Child Policy’ which limits each couple to having just one child. The policy aimed at modernizing China by promoting social reconstruction and economic prosperity. However it also implies and results in a sacrifice of rights for the Chinese population who no longer have the freedom of choice regarding their family planning.
This paper attempts to analyze and evaluate the question “To what extent can
China’s one-child policy be seen as an infringement of human rights, and how can it be justified?”. This is done by considering both the cultural relativist theory and the Universalist approach regarding the implementation of Human rights to understand the different interpretations. Furthermore, and most importantly, focus is placed on the foundation and execution of the policy, in regards to emphasize the notion that the right to family, life, security and liberty is denied as a result of the policy. Although the Chinese government claims that the policy is merely an advocated guideline which has gained mass support, the reality is that consequences of not complying to the policy results in punishments such as forced sterilization and abortions, or overwhelming fines. In addition, the consequences of the policy are discussed including the inequality of the gender ratio, along with the development of a hidden population, as these aspects trigger further infringements upon human rights.
Although the policy may be justified through an economic and political aspect, it is a clear infringement of human rights and cannot be justified through a human rights perspective, hence


Cited: Web. 25 Sept. 2011. . Greenhalgh, Susan. Just one child: science and policy in Deng 's China. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008 Sep. 2011. Women 's Rights Without Frontiers, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2011. "Missing Girls." NBC. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. "One Child Policy Statistics." All Girls Allowed. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. Sept. 2011. . Aird, John S. Slaughter of the Innocents: Coercive Birth Control in China. Washington D.C.: American Enterprise Institute, 1990 Web. 15 Oct. 2011. White, Tyrene. China 's longest campaign: birth planning in the People 's Republic, 19492005. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2006. Print. Abortion - China 's War on Women!. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2011.
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