Project explores ways to provide care and support for parents whose child has predeceased them, reports Shan Juan
After six months of self-imposed seclusion following the unexpected death of her son, Zhang Liying was determined to muster the courage to have another child.
According to Wang, more than 400,000 bereaved parents nationwide are covered by a special assistance program. Although he was unable to say precisely how many couples have lost their only child nationwide, some experts estimate the figure to be more than 2 million, and the commission's 2010 yearbook revealed that about 76,000 families on the Chinese mainland lose their only child each year.
"These people have contributed to the country's overall economic and social development by adhering to the family planning policy. Now, having lost their only child, they are encountering difficulties, so the government must lend a hand," he said.
Ding cited a November announcement that the family planning policy will be relaxed to allow some couples to have two children. "Things are improving. It's a good start, but we must not simply leave the past behind. Bereaved parents deserve consideration from the government," she said.
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