CHIEF FINDINGS

1.

Economic data

3.

Appendix 5 (cont'd)

* Of the 1,000 women interviewed, 88.1 make $1,000 or less per month. If we consider all those making less than $1,500, the figure becomes 97.8%

* Half of the women interviewed (49.4) are responsible for the support

of half their family budget.

* 50.8% of the wonen interviewed have to contribute towards the support

*

of their parents or their relatives in China.

39.7% of the women have to support both t'eir family and that of their parents as well es relatives in China.

2. harital and Family data

* 75% of the women interviewed have been married for less than 3 years. * 99% are below 35 years old. 51.5% aged between 20 to 25,

**

43.5% are expecting their first child.

42.2% have one child already.

10.8% have two children already.

3. Maternity Benefits

* Only 3.9% clearly understand existing legislative provision on maternity

benefits.

35.85 have partial and confused knowledge.

60.2% are totally ignorant of legal provisions for maternity benefit. 31.2% of the woen interviewed indicated that, the company or factory they work in has some maternity benefit provision. Cut of this 31.2%, only 42 provide the full ten week of leave stated by law. 16.1% stated that their employers provide maternity subsidy.

Half of the women interviewed do not have 4 weeks leave before delivery. 32% do not have the 6 weeks leave after delivery.

4. Economic problems during maternity period and its aftermath

*

**

49.3% of the women interviewed would not return to work or have stopped working, the reason being the need to care for the baby.

30.7% of the woven interviewed did overtime during the expectancy period. One fifth of ten did wore overtime work than usual.

* 24 women workers (2.4%) indicated that they have been dismissed due to

pregnancy and received compensation below the legal requirement.

* 30.7% said maternity cost them 2,000 to 3,000.

*

29.1% between 900 to 1,100.

18.7% between 1,300 to 1,500.

Average cost is above 1,500, including medical care, nourishment,

and the immediate needs of the newly born.

58.7% indicated that, apart from loss of income due to hospitalisation, their income had also been reduced by incone loss for days spent on physical checkup.

Of the women already having one child, 88.5% expressed no desire for more children after their present delivery.

* Of the women who have had two deliveries, 79 or 27.5% have had a

miscarriage.

5.

Attitudes on Maternity Benefits

*

82.8% feel that the present qualification of 26 weeks of employment with present employer before one is entitled to maternity benefit is reasonable.

91.3 feel that the present 10 weeks of maternity leave are adecuate.

..../4

Page 45Page 46

Share This Page