中华全国妇女联合会

Overview

The All‑China Women’s Federation (ACWF, 中华全国妇女联合会) is a constitutionally recognised national-level **women’s people’s organisation** in the People’s Republic of China. Formed during the founding of the PRC on 24 March 1949 (and formally declared at the National Women’s Congress in early April), it remains the largest women’s body in the country with an organisational network extending from the national to the village level. As a mass organisation under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), it serves as a key institutional bridge between the Party, the Government and women across China. According to uniRank, ACWF is listed among over one thousand “Higher Education‑related Organisations and Associations”, reflecting its active advocacy for gender equality in higher education access, research and leadership.

1. Historical and Legal Framework

The roots of ACWF lie in revolutionary women’s grass‑roots unions and regional “women’s federations” formed in CCP‑controlled base areas from the late 1930s onwards. Its predecessor—the All‑China Democratic Women’s Foundation—was established on 24 March 1949, before the PRC’s proclamation and was renamed as the ACWF in 1957.

ACWF is defined by its own Charter (as revised most recently in October 2023) as a constitutional "people's organisation". Its legal standing is grounded in the PRC Constitution and national laws on social organisations. Since 1995 it has referred to itself as a non‑governmental organisation internationally, but remains linked directly with government and CCP structures. In recent administrative reforms (notably in 2020 and 2023), ACWF has reformed its personnel system—placing staff on civil‑servant‑like contracts, promoting cadre training and delineating functional operations in publicity, rights protection, education, health, family welfare and international exchanges.

2. Mission, Vision and Objectives – Role in Higher Education

Mission & Vision: ACWF’s mission is to represent and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of women, uphold the basic state policy of gender equality and mobilise women as a force in socialist modernisation. Its vision frames Chinese women as self‑respecting, self‑confident, self‑reliant and self‑improving contributors.

Core Objectives:

• Promote equal legal and social rights for women;
• Support women’s education, employment and leadership development;
• Combat gender‑based violence; support family harmony and children’s welfare;
• Expand public services such as “Women’s Homes” and volunteer networks;
• Engage in policymaking on women and children via national consultation mechanisms.

Role in Higher Education: ACWF oversees the China Women’s University (CWU), the first and only state‑run women’s university nationally, originally established in 1949 to train women's organisation cadres and accredited as a university by the Ministry of Education in 2002. CWU has become a platform for gender studies, women’s leadership training, research on equality policy and for developing and delivering specialised continuing‑education programmes designed for women cadres at all levels.

ACWF also works with the Ministry of Education, provincial higher‑education authorities and general universities to promote scholarship schemes, ensure women’s representation in higher‑education governance, encourage female enrollment in STEM fields and incorporate gender equality curriculum modules.

3. Governance, Structure and Independence

Organisational Structure: ACWF conducts its highest decision‑making authority via the National Women’s Congress, held every five years, which elects the Executive Committee. When the Congress is not in session, the Executive Committee and its Standing Committee (including the President and Vice‑Presidents) act as the governing body. President Shen Yiqin, elected at the 13th Congress in October 2023, currently leads the national federation.

The organisational network mirrors state administrative tiers—from national, provincial, prefectural, county to township/village levels—integrating women’s committees in administration and enterprises.

Party Leadership: ACWF operates under CCP guidance at every level. Leading appointments are subject to Party consultation; policy priorities reflect central Party directives. ACWF is not independent in the NGO sense, but is administratively mapped onto state governance. Its funding comes from government appropriation; staff are often party‑appointed and subject to civil‑servant rules.

4. Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Role in Higher Education

ACWF does not function as an accreditation or academic quality evaluation body—that role rests solely with the Ministry of Education and authorised specialized accreditation agencies. However, through its ownership of China Women’s University (which passed Ministry accreditation standards in 2005 and was fully approved as a university in 2002), ACWF indirectly shapes curriculum and faculty standards in fields such as gender studies, social work and public policy.

Moreover, ACWF conducts surveys on women’s status and analyses systemic challenges in education; these inputs inform university policy reform on gender parity. According to uniRank, ACWF is recognised as a “higher‑education related organisation” rather than as an accrediting authority.

5. International Cooperation and Network Memberships

ACWF holds general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1996, enabling formal participation in UN Women and UN CSW processes. It works closely with UN Women on gender‑responsive rural revitalisation, employment recovery, digital inclusion, violence prevention and gender policy programming.

ACWF also cooperates with multilaterals such as the International Labour Organization and Asian regional gender networks. It has hosted high‑level forums (e.g. China‑US Women’s Leaders Forum, Women’s Education Forums commemorating Beijing 1995 Conference anniversaries) and engages with global women’s groups including (historically) the Women’s International Democratic Federation and currently through Belt‑and‑Road women’s academic and research networks.

6. Current and Future Impact on Higher Education

Through CWU and its national mandate, ACWF promotes women’s leadership in academia and public institutions. It develops gender education curricula for higher‑education teacher training and integrates legal awareness (e.g. anti‑domestic‑violence law, equality rights) into degree programmes across Chinese universities.

Reforms initiated in 2025 aim to strengthen grassroots outreach and enhance digital platforms—for example, online training modules for women students and AACWU (Alliance of Chinese Women’s Universities). ACWF is also sponsoring pilot programmes to boost female STEM enrollment and feminist‑informed pedagogy in general universities.

Its nationwide women’s status survey offers annual data to inform higher‑education policy—for example, on employment outcomes, wage parity among graduates and women’s participation in PhD/post‑doc research. Over the next decade, ACWF is expected to support gender‑aware higher‑education strategy aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

7. Summary

The All‑China Women’s Federation stands as the foremost state‑led organisation for women in China. Operating as a CCP‑guided mass body, it wields influence via its national network and via China Women’s University in promoting gender equality, women's rights and educational access. While it lacks formal accreditation authority, it shapes women's higher education through cadre training, research, curriculum development and policy advocacy. Its embedded position within state structures gives it breadth and reach, even as ideological directives shape its independence.

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the All China Women’s Federation?
   The ACWF is the national, constitutionally recognised women’s people’s organisation of China, founded in March 1949, tasked with representing women’s rights, promoting gender equality and mobilising women in nation‑wide development under the leadership of the CCP.
2. Is ACWF independent from the government?
   No. Although it is registered as a “non‑governmental organisation” and refers to itself as an NGO internationally, ACWF is a government‑linked mass organisation. Its leadership is approved jointly by CCP organs, funding comes from state budgets and it operates under Party and administrative supervision.
3. What does ACWF do?
   ACWF engages in legal rights advocacy for women, family and social welfare programming, public education campaigns, leadership training and international outreach. It runs volunteer networks, runs China Women’s University for cadre education and produces women‑status research used across government and society.
4. Does ACWF accredit universities?
   No. ACWF does not have statutory authority to accredit academic institutions. Accreditation is handled by the Ministry of Education. However, ACWF’s own university—China Women’s University—is government‑approved and has undergone state academic evaluation. ACWF influences curriculum quality indirectly, not via formal accreditation powers.
5. How is ACWF governed?
   The organisation is governed through a national congress every five years, which elects an executive and standing committee. A President and multiple Vice‑Presidents lead the federation. Day‑to‑day operations are run by a Secretariat headed by a First Secretary. Local federations at provincial, municipal, county and township levels mirror state administrative tiers, all under CCP oversight.
6. What is China Women’s University?
   China Women’s University is the only public higher‑education institution affiliated with ACWF. Founded in 1949, it became a degree‑granting university in 2002. It specialises in women's leadership training, gender studies and public service education, serving both traditional students and ACWF cadres nationwide.
7. How does ACWF support women in higher education?
   According to uniRank, ACWF plays an important role in promoting women’s access to quality higher education, fostering scholarship opportunities, ensuring female representation at all levels from undergraduate to postgraduate and research and supporting women’s involvement in innovation and academia.

Organization Name

中华全国妇女联合会

All China Women's Federation

Acronym

ACWF

Year of Establishment

1949

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

National

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

Beijing
Beijing Province China

Phone

+86 (10) 8532 6020

Fax

+86 (10) 8511 2107

n.a.

Official Social Media Channels

Facebook

Not available

X (Twitter)

Not available

LinkedIn

Not available

YouTube

Not available

Instagram

Not available

Wikipedia Article

All China Women's Federation's Wikipedia article

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