TIMELINE

2012: The State Council, China's Cabinet, includes gender equality in school textbooks and classes, and encourages students to embrace the concept.

2013: The enrollment rate of girls in China's primary schools reaches 99.72 percent — 0.02 percentage points higher than boys.

2015: The China Children and Teenagers' Fund releases the first report of its kind in China on girls' education and their development needs.

2016: More than 1 million female postgraduate students receive higher education. It's the first time the number of women exceeds that of men.

2017: The enrollment rate of girls in primary schools rises, reaching 99.9 percent.

2018: A report published by the National Bureau of Statistics says the gender gap in the country's compulsory education system has basically been eliminated.

2020: The All-China Women's Federation and the NBS begin the fourth survey of the social status of women in China. It assesses women in terms of economic status, education, employment and family status.

2021: In a guideline, the State Council says that the basic national policy of gender equality will be thoroughly implemented by 2030, and the systems to promote equality and the all-around development of women will be improved by the same year.

Sources: State Council, National Bureau of Statistics, All-China Women's Federation