The growth and dilemma of women's NGOs in China: A case study of the Beijing zhongze legal consulting service center for women

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the case study of a women's nongovernmental organization (NGO) which is engaged in public-interest litigation and legislative advocacy. This study attempts to analyze the development of Chinese Women's NGOs under the influence of the international community and the state after the fourth World Conference on Women. The opportunities for the occurrence and development of these NGOs are due to transnational feminism, and may also be influenced by the agendas of developed countries; but the foreign concepts, discourses, and funding provide resources and weapons for activists in women's NGOs. These international factors also play a role as a bonding agent in the interaction between the NGOs and the domestic government. Another aspect is that, with the appearance of NGOs, some innovative elements can be seen in the dynamic interaction between society and the state. However, the relationship between NGOs and the state has not yet been institutionalized. The ambiguity and uncertainty of the status of NGOs affect their development.