Rural China "Children Left Behind" Documentary

[ajtr]

Rural China "Children Left Behind" Documentary
UNICEF Awarded "Children Left Behind" in Rural China Documentary

"They have parents, but they live very lonely lives. They eat alone, they play alone."

Producer: Catherine Lee Yuk San

"Children Left Behind", a 30-minute documentary, chronicles the lives of children who are "left behind" in the villages of rural China, when their parents migrate to urban areas in search of work.

As part of China's economic boom, it is estimated that over 120 million rural migrants have moved to urban areas to work in factories and construction. A new phenomenon in China, the number of children "left behind" is now estimated to be over 22 million. Although it is their basic right to have their parent's love, concern and care, in reality you can see that they live like an orphan.

(For more info, visit http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/c...

*permission given by TVB Jade
(C) 2008 TVB Jade

 

[Ray]

I presume that this is the negative side of progress.

Small population (absolutely required) and so less social burden but then it leads to this type of problems.

Psychologically, the children possibly will not be amicable and instead quite self centred and aggressive.

 

[amoy]

yes lots of such children 'left behind' in China.

Just hours ago in a program 'Focus' it shows in Beijing's suburbs there're inadequate 'certified' kindergartens so some parents (migrant workers or merchants ) say they just 'lock' their kids for hours.

In my hometown (coastal, relatively bette-off, open and 'liberal') lots of parents emigrate abroad and also leave kids behind for years to their grandparents.

Kids in urban areas exactly like u said "self centred, aggressive" and spoilt. Under one-child policy few has brothers or sisters and parents or grandparents wanna give everything to the only kid they have. Kids usually have no idea about 'sharing' at all.

 

[samarsingh]

It seems that China's succes has come at great social cost. I oppose the one child policy on principle even though it has worked in China. The fact is that the state cannot and should not tell the parents the number of children they can have. But the centrally planned Chinese state sees it fit. In fact the only advantage India has over China as of now is the relative young population

 

[amoy]

Some social changes are profound and 'irrevocable' to a certain degree.

Years ago the govt had to enforce the one-child policy 'harshly'. For example public servants may los e job if in breach of the policy personally. With social evolvement (small-sized families) it becomes a 'norm' to have one child only in urban areas in particular. some even choose to be DINK.

Of course there're people who have more than 1 child but can get HUKOU registered after paying a 'fine' (for example, equivalent to one-year income, varying from city to city). Besides the policy has been loose a bit - if both of spouses are single-child of their family they may have 2 children (but u know, they mostly choose not to have a second baby).