Equal rights and social inclusion: actions for improving welfare access by rural migrant workers in Chinese cities1

1. This paper is part of a larger research project ‘Social policy for rural migrant workers and transitional employment in China’, funded by the Chinese Ministry of Education (04JZD0020).

Abstract

In recent years the government and the public have given more attention to formulating a social welfare policy for rural migrant workers in China's cities. However, in protecting their well‐being an inclusive policy and institutional reform will be needed. This paper explores the needs of rural migrant workers living in the cities and the basic principles upon which an institutional framework could be developed for incorporating them into the urban social welfare system. It argues that political commitments made by the government, both in welfare provisions and in making appropriate institutional reform in the current dualistic welfare system separating the rural and the urban, must be in place before their welfare needs are met and welfare benefits are accessed.

近年来， 中国政府和公众对城市中的农民工的社会福利政策给予了更高的关注。 然而， 要提高农民工的福利水平还需要有更具包容性和制度化的改革。 本文探索农民工在城市中的生活状况， 以及将农民工纳入城市社会福利体系的制度构架、基本原则和社会经济环境。 作者认为， 要从根本上解决农民工的社会福利问题， 应该将他们纳入到城市社会福利体系之中。 为达到此目标， 在政府对农民工的社会福利做出了政治承诺的基础上， 关键是要针对农民工当前和将来在对社会福利的基本需要， 以及他们在城市中就业和生活的特点而设计合理的制度安排。 同样重要的是应该采取相应的社会行动而改善其社会环境， 以便使农民工能够真正融入城市社会。

Keywords:

• rural migrant workers
• social welfare
• social policy
• China

Notes

1. This paper is part of a larger research project ‘Social policy for rural migrant workers and transitional employment in China’, funded by the Chinese Ministry of Education (04JZD0020).

2. This research is funded by the China Ministry of Education under the programme of Grand Research Projects of Philosophy and Social Sciences (2004). It will be referred to as The Five City Survey (Nankai University Research Group 2006) in this paper.

3. Tianjin: 503; Guangzhou: 509; Kunming: 497; Shanghai: 500; Shenyang: 500.

4. The Five City Survey (Nankai University 2006).