TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Sarah Gao is a single mother in China who has been dealing with a court case since 2017 because she could not get her maternity benefits. The vast majority of Chinese women are unable to access public benefits, ranging from paid maternity leave to prenatal exam coverage, because their legal status is officially in a gray zone. Some may even face fines. Local levels require that a woman must have a marriage license to access public benefits. A small group of women have petitioned the National People’s Congress in hopes the government will make changes.
