In early 2004, I was laid off by the state-owned enterprise which I had serviced for over 20 years. There is no provident or retirement fund. I only receive RMB230 from the enterprise. At the age of 48, I am no longer able to secure a permanent job. My son is 24 and due to our financial difficulty, I was not able to pay for his final year of college tuition. He therefore could not graduate. Without the appropriate qualification in China today, he can only work on temporary assignments and he is unable to bring home money regularly.

My daughter is only 12 and she is required to take extra lessons after school, which cost around RMB350 monthly. We are under tremendous financial pressure. Our normal diet includes mostly rice, corn and preserved vegetables. Fruits are a luxury! Once in a while when the children yearn for meat, I usually indulge them with sausages that cost around RMB 6.00 for 500 grams. often says: “Mother, I am very full and can eat no more. If I keep eating, I will likely suffer from stomach-ache.” She usually uses this as an excuse so that I can also have some tomatoes.”

Li is amongst the very many disadvantaged women in China. These women are living in different cities throughout China. Many of them are suffering from severe financial difficulty and broken marriage. Most of them have received secondary school education and all of them were life-long employees of the Chinese state-owned corporations. They used to be financially independent and lived as ‘Subjects’. Due to the massive privatization process throughout the country, they have become the ‘unemployed’ and are excluded from the rapidly changing economy. They are no longer in control of their lives and can only live as ‘Objects’.

When Li was asked about the goal of her life, she said: “I don’t know. I only know that I will be very happy and fulfilled if I can make RMB 1,000 per month.” Li’s ex-husband has not been offering the family any financial help since he is also jobless.

The massive privatization plan has radically changed both the economic and societal structures of the country. The ‘stability’ of women, which is the ‘core’ of stability of a society, is critically challenged every day. The most devastating impact is the deeply rooted ‘insecurity’ triggered by the dogmatic privatization policy. Due to the loss of financial independence and job opportunities, these women who were once independent, confident and positive, have totally lost their identities. They are insecure and are faithless to the future. They have become sceptical and distrustful. Many of them are divorced and abused. They have to take care of the elderly and support their children, alone. Their oppressed and desperate voices are striving to be heard. They are yearning for re-establishing their identities through self-emancipation!