Women speak up
When Wu Wenjia heard that the local women’s federation was organizing a job fair exclusively for female graduates, she was excited. After all, on the verge of graduation, it is not easy to find a job especially for female graduates.
当听说当地妇联组织了一场大学毕业生女性专场招聘会时，吴文佳(音译)惊喜不已。毕竟临近毕业，要找一个专门为女大学生量身定做的工作绝非易事。
She has been turned down two times in a row by potential employers for the reason that the job was not “suitable” for female.
此前她已经连续两次以岗位“不适合”女生为由，被用人单位拒之门外。
Wu’s story reflects the formidable barrier that women face in the job market. Experts say that although new regulations are tackling gender discrimination in employment, women still need to speak up.
吴文佳的经历恰恰反映了现今女性就业难以跨越的障碍。专家表示尽管新出台的相关法规已经涉及到就业性别歧视问题，但女性仍然需要站出来疾呼平等。
In a 2011 national survey conducted by the All-China Women’s Federation, one in 10 women have encountered gender discrimination in the job market, with female graduates affected the most.
全国妇联2011年进行的一项调查显示，有十分之一的女性曾在就业过程中遭遇过性别歧视，尤以女大学生所受的影响最为严重。
“Nearly a quarter of female graduates reported having encountered unequal treatment,” said Song Xiuyan, vice president of the federation.
全国妇联副主席宋秀岩表示：“近四分之一的女大学生表示自己曾遭受过不平等对待。”
The figures indicate that more than 90 percent of female students experience gender discrimination in the job market, while more than 40 percent believe it is harder for women to get an offer than men.
数据显示，超过90%的女大学生就业时遭遇过性别歧视，超过40%的人认为女性比男性更难找到工作。
A job fair held recently at the National Agriculture Exhibition Center in Beijing echoed these numbers. “Men only” signs appeared frequently on employers’ stands.
前不久，在北京国家农业展览馆举行的人才招聘会也证实了这些数字的真实性。在用人单位的展位前，“只招男生”的告示随处可见。
“It is very frustrating when I spot a suitable job, only to be told that the vacancy is open to male applicants only,” said Zhu Qian, who graduated from Beijing Union University last year.
去年毕业于北京联合大学的朱倩(音译)表示：“当我好不容易找到一个合适的职位，但得到的答复是只招男生时，我觉得特别沮丧。”
According to a report by China Daily in January, new regulations in Shenzhen rule that employers who discriminate against job applicants based on their gender will be fined up to 30,000 yuan. In February a new draft of similar regulations has also been released in Beijing.
今年一月，《中国日报》报道称，深圳市出台的新规规定，用人单位涉嫌对求职者性别歧视，最高可处以三万元罚款。北京市也于二月份出台了一则类似的法规草案。
Huang Yizhi, a Beijing-based lawyer, added that efforts by labor authorities to fine violators could serve as a deterrent and encourage victims to seek protection of their rights.
来自北京的黄奕知(音译)律师补充说，劳动部门对违规者的处罚不仅可以起到制约作用，同时也鼓励那些受害者为自身权利去寻求保护。
“The key is to pursue full implementation of these regulations,” she said.
“关键在于使这些规章制度能全力贯彻落实，”她说。
To Wu Wenjia’s disappointment, however, the job fair was cancelled due to there not being enough employers to participate.
然而，令吴文佳失望的是，这场女生专场招聘会最终还是被取消了，因为报名参加的用人单位寥寥无几