Over thirty years ago, a country restricted the rights of half of its citizenship and has resumed this infringement shamelessly ever since.  China faced a pervasive population issue years ago that threatened the wellbeing of its country, and so resorted to more and more extreme policies to exert control over its people.  The most infamous of these measures is the one- (most recently the two-) child policy.  As the name suggests, this policy forced couples bear only one child.  Although it is theoretically straightforward, in reality, many complications can arise that are neither easily nor simply addressed.  The implementation of these policies has wrought strife upon the minds and damage upon the bodies of Chinese women.  From what I examine on forced medical procedures, female infanticide, and birth permits, one can see that population control policies have significant negative effects on the mental and physical wellbeing of Chinese women.

Although these policies affect the entire country, Chinese women have been disproportionately affected.  These policies affect them in a very personal and intimate way.  The procedures forced upon them are invasive and sometimes affect their bodies in a physical way for the rest of their lives.  These are not consenting medical procedures the way they are in many other countries, and most women may not opt out willingly or with a fine.  They also have profound effects on the future of women as female infanticide is on the rise.  In 2020, there are projected to be 20 million more adult men than there will be adult women in China.  Birth permits also subject a physical and emotional toll on women: children born without a birth permit essentially do not exist in the eyes of the Chinese government.  This makes selling your children a viable option for families that do not want a daughter or the burden of a kakou child.  

China’s faced incredible issues with overpopulation issues for years in the past.  They had experienced a tremendous famine in <insert year>, and it took years to recover.  In the <insert decade> their population was reproducing far too quickly and creating an immense strain on the country’s resources.  In order to encourage families to have fewer children, the government made a campaign that endorsed a flip on what it meant to have a desirable family.  The government gave rewards to families with fewer children.  This campaign ran successfully and the population took a major hit.  However, the government knew the strain on resources was still too great.  In fear of what may happen if they did not take action immediately, the one-child policy was instated.  This policy made it illegal to have more than one child and was enforceable by fines and forced abortions.  