The organization includes 14 ministries and institutions, such as the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security.

"The organization will provide a communication and cooperation channel for relevant offices to defend the rights of women and children," said ACWF Vice-Chairman Liu Haitang at Monday's ceremony on the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Liu said the ACWF was to act to share strategies for the elimination of violence against women in several selected provinces, and different provinces would put stress on different aspects.

For instance, the police in northeast China's Liaoning Province are expected to play a key role in fighting domestic violence and the police call service will be strengthened.

In Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, officers will put more efforts into promoting people's consciousness about domestic abuse, especially that of men.

Violence against women is a matter of great social concern because it not only causes mental and bodily harm but also endangers social stability.

Statistics show the Legal Department of the ACWF and its local branches received more than 150,000 letters of complaint about family and marriage matters from women last year. Some 16 per cent of these letters revealed domestic abuse of women.

"Domestic violence against women is a worldwide social problem, a violation of women's human rights, as well as a major obstacle in women's development and social growth," said Chen Lanyan, an adviser of the Development Fund for Women with the United Nations.

"Violence against women is rooted deeply in the culture, tradition and religion of a country," Chen added.

She stressed preventing and eradicating domestic violence was not a job merely for women but also an unshakeable responsibility of governments.

The cause of stopping domestic violence is clearly written in the latest amendments to China's Marriage Law.

Most of the major changes to the law helped support the rights of women and children, who are the most common victims of domestic violence.

(China Daily November 27, 2001)