A deputy to the Hunan provincial people's congress said that mothers who have children under 3 years old should not leave home for extended periods of time, gmw.cn, a website owned by the Guangming Daily, reported on Friday.

Xiao Bailing, head of the provincial women's federation, was quoted as saying during the local sessions that it is urgent to protect the rights of children whose parents moved out of their hometowns to seek better job opportunities.

Up to May 2012, 3.5 million rural children had been left behind by their parents who moved to work in other places, according to data provided by Xiao. The number represents 44 percent of the total number of rural children in the province.

Studies by the federation found that the left-behind children are likely to suffer psychological problems and safety hazards.

Xiao suggested that parents should take their children with them if they work outside the province. Otherwise, mothers should avoid leaving home for more than six months if their children are too young.

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