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Feng Yuan (Chinese: 冯媛; pinyin: Féng Yuàn; born 1962) is a Chinese feminist activism and women’s rights advocate known for her work supporting survivors of domestic violence and promoting gender equality. Often described as one of China’s earliest gender experts^[1], she spent two decades as a journalist reporting on women’s issues before becoming a leading figure in civil-society efforts to address gender-based violence^[1]. Feng was a founding member of the Anti-Domestic Violence Network and later co-founded Equality(为平), a Beijing-based NGO offering legal advocacy, public education, and support services for women facing abuse^[1]. She has also contributed to workplace sexual harassmentprevention and China’s emerging #MeToo movement^[1]. In 2024, she was named one of the BBC 100 Women in recognition of her contributions to advancing women’s rights^[1].

Feng was born in Yilong County, Sichuan. In 1987, she married Wang Ruoshi, a philosopher and former deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper People’s Daily; they remained married until his death from lung cancer in 2002.

In 1983, Feng graduated with a degree in journalism from Fudan University in Shanghai. She went on to obtain a master’s degree from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing in 1986. Between 1986 and 2006, Feng worked primarily as a journalist focusing on women’s issues. She wrote for People’s Daily until 1991 when she left due to disagreements over its coverage of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre and its aftermath; Feng then wrote for China Women’s News.

In 1995, Feng was a delegate at the United Nations‘ World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, following which she began working for a variety of Chinese non-governmental organisations focused on the advancement of women’s rights. These have included the Media Monitor Network for Women (1996–), the Gender and Development Network in China (2000–), the Centre for Women’s Studies at Shantou University (2009–), and the Women’s Network for Combating HIV/AIDS (2009–). Feng has been a visiting scholar at Lund University in Sweden (1998), Harvard University in the United States (2001–2002), and the University of Hong Kong (2019–2020).

Feng was a founding member of the Anti-Domestic Violence Network, and served as its president between 2000 and 2014. In 2014, she was one of the founders of Equality (为平; Wéipíng), a non-governmental organisation that aims to advance women’s rights and gender equality. It also supports victims of domestic abuse, operating China’s first Chinese and English-language helpline. Equality is funded by the United Nations Development Fund for Women. Following the development of the Me Too movement in China, Feng provided training to employers on how to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

In 2022, the Government of China announced plans to overhaul its legislation on women’s rights, including redefining sexual harassment and banning workplace discrimination and emotional abuse. Feng welcomed the move as having the potential to impose “moral responsibility and pressure” on Chinese institutions, though expressed concern that the proposals did not specify clear punishments for violating the new legislation, describing it as “more of a gesture than a specific plan of operation” to address gender-based abuse.

In December 2024, Feng was named as one of the BBC’s 100 Women of 2024 in recognition of her activism for women’s rights [Edit: considering deleting the repetitive text].

In exploring the structural dilemmas faced by China’s anti-sexual harassment and #MeToo movement, Feng Yuan points out that labeling such issues as “politically sensitive” has become a common repression tactic^[2]. She observes that although more and more victims are speaking out bravely, the media has continued to report on these issues, and the judicial system has begun to accept related cases, public awareness of sexual harassment is gradually shifting from investigating the perpetrator’s “intentions” to valuing the victim’s feelings; however, this progress continues to encounter resistance from the system^[2].

For example, the sexual harassment allegations against the Beijing Film Academy, the ‘Hou Liangping incident,’ were quickly deleted online, and public expression was severely restricted^[2]. As a survivor of the Shenyang incident at Peking University, she also revealed how the university attributed students’ actions to “external forces,” using interviews with participants and pressure to undermine the movement’s internal strength^[2]. She pointed out that this “sensitization” mechanism not only suppressed victims and supporters but also created tension and self-censorship within the feminist community^[2].

In the face of such realities, Feng Yuan advocated that the public should still insist on public expression, continue to document the facts, and gradually break through obstacles through individual cases^[2]. She believes that only through continuous efforts to desensitize can a more effective space for anti-sexual harassment advocacy be opened up^[2].

Feng Yuan pointed out that violence against women takes many forms, including harassment, physical assault, taking advantage of others, beating wives, drowning female infants, abusing housewives, involuntary pregnancy, forced abortion, economic exploitation and control, etc., but these were not named “violence against women” in China before the 1980s^[3].

In 2014, she founded the “Equality Beijing” women’s organization and launched China’s first 24/7 hotline dedicated to serving victims of gender-based violence^[3].The hotline number was first publicized via an anti-domestic violence special on China Central Television (CCTV), initially receiving most calls from rural women^[3]. Later, without sustained mainstream media exposure, it spread mainly through the internet and social media, leading to a majority of calls from urban women. Information barriers have prevented broader reach to rural women in need^[3].

Help-seekers span diverse occupations, including employed individuals, full-time homemakers, and professionals like female police officers and judges, who also face domestic violence^[3].

Key trends emerged over time: Prior to 2018, nearly all requests related to domestic violence, with few about sexual harassment or assault. Post-2018, the latter increased significantly; as of mid-October 2021, domestic violence accounted for ~70% of requests, and sexual harassment/assault for ~20%^[3].

Help-seekers’ demands also evolved: Earlier callers mainly vented, while current ones present clear requests (e.g., applying for protection orders, divorce procedures) and openly disclose abuse, recognizing that they are not at fault^[3].

Feng Yuan also did research on China’s anti-domestic violence legislation by reviewing the evolution of Chinese feminist activism since the 1980s. According to her, the fundamental reason for the success of this legislation lies in the creative nine collaborative strategies used by both Chinese and international feminists, including establishing legal frameworks, conducting multi-sectoral cooperation pilot projects, providing new services, conducting large-scale capacity building, localizing global advocacy issues, effectively mobilizing the media, continuously conducting knowledge production, using performance art to increase publicity, and actively submitting public opinions in the final stage of the legislation^[4].

Feng Yuan noted the critical role NGOs on women’s rights played in China during the mid-1980s and 90s to promote policy changes and eventually huge efforts to push for official law-making in anti-domestic violence^[4]. She argues that beginning in the early 1990s, pioneers within the All-China Women’s Federation took the first steps by raising public awareness and advocating for the first local government policies specifically targeting domestic violence^[4]. International actors, including United Nations agencies, international NGOs, and bilateral aid agencies such as the British Council and the Canadian International Development Agency, provided crucial support through funding, international expertise, and advocacy efforts. Autonomous women’s organizations, most notably the Anti-Domestic Violence Network, offered direct support to victims through legal aid and public education, effectively driving changes in social attitudes from the grassroots level^[4].

Feng Yuan proposes that the success of these organizations in promoting national anti-domestic violence legislation in China relied on a “top-down and bottom-up linkage” strategy. The All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) took the lead by piloting local anti-domestic violence policies in five provinces, Hunan, Sichuan, Ningxia, Jiangxi, and Shaanxi, from the 1990s to the early 2000s^[4]. Organizations such as ADVN deeply participated, proposed, and promoted the revision of 25 local laws. These local initiatives established institutional prototypes which provided practical experience for national legislation^[4].

Feng Yuan has been continuously involved in the monitoring and analysis of the implementation of China’s “Anti-Domestic Violence Law” since 2015. She actively participated in the preparation of the annual reports of the Beijing Equality NGO. These reports, based on thousands of media reports, official documents and social data each year, systematically summarized the responses of public institutions, media and civil society after the law came into effect in 2016.

Her monitoring report revealed several core issues in the implementation of the law: The public’s attention to the issue of domestic violence fluctuated significantly in the first five years after the law came into effect, and non-governmental organizations gradually became the main force in providing public information. She noted systemic deficiencies in the implementation of the law, including low usage rates of written warnings by the police, significant regional differences in the implementation of personal safety protection orders, and uneven collaboration levels among government departments.

In addition to media monitoring, Feng Yuan also collaborated with others to publish an academic assessment in the “Human Rights Brief” regarding the progress and obstacles during the initial implementation of the law. The article pointed out that women’s organizations are the core force supporting the implementation of the law, as they trained police officers, social workers, and legal personnel, filling the gaps in official assessments. At the same time, the research also revealed systematic limitations such as narrow legal definitions, insufficient grassroots law enforcement capabilities, and difficulties in evidence collection.

Feng Yuan also compiled a comprehensive review on gender-based violence policies (from 1990 to 2020), covering legislative breakthroughs ranging from local regulations to the national “Anti-Domestic Violence Law”, as well as the significant role of non-governmental organizations in providing crisis hotlines, legal aid and other services. The report also pointed out that challenges such as low data transparency and uneven service coverage still exist, and the pandemic has further exacerbated the difficulties faced by domestic violence victims in seeking help.

In 2009, Feng Yuan helped start the Women’s Network for Combating HIV/AIDS in China. The group supports women living with HIV and gives them a place to share their stories and speak for themselves. Feng often talks about how women face extra pressure and judgment because of social stigma, and how this keeps them from getting fair treatment. She believes that real change comes when women are not only cared for medically but also respected and included in public decisions.

Through community talks and local programs, Feng has worked to help women gain confidence, understand their rights, and take part in conversations about health and gender equality. Her efforts have been mentioned in China Development Brief and other reports that show how gender work in China is closely tied to public health and human rights.

Feng Yuan is a co-founder of Equality (Chinese:平等), a non-governmental organization that promotes gender equality in China and solves the problem of violence against women. The organization conducts various activities, such as data collection and analysis concerning the cases of domestic violence^[5], public educational programs, and legal advocacy. Equality is a research center that studies how domestic violence is manifested in media and legal organizations, increasing the awareness of people on the various types of abuse other than physical violence.

The NGO also offers consultations, legal information, and referrals to those people who are victims of violence, on top of research. It also holds trainings and workshops to journalists, students and the people of the community to enable more people to be sensitized on gender based violence and other social problems. Equality has also been involved in the social discourse of policy making and has been able to provide material and recommendation to assist in amendment of law in China regarding domestic violence^[6]. In these concerted efforts, the organization has emerged to be a significant participant in the women rights and anti-violence advocacy area in China.

Feng Yuan’s academic research and public advocacy have been deeply influenced by global feminist thought, particularly the concept of “The Personal is Political.” This concept holds that various issues experienced by women in the private sphere stem from structural inequalities in the public political domain. Feng Yuan systematically applied this perspective to the analysis of feminism in China’s context.

She’s also a public intellectual actively involved in discussions on gender issues in the East Asian region. The regional exchanges she participated in often focused on these common issues that transcend national boundaries, placing them within the broader context of gender equality in East Asia. She engaged in a transnational dialogue on East Asian feminism with the renowned Japanese feminist scholar (Chizuko Ueno) on March 8, 2024, International Women’s Day ^[7]. In the interview, Ueno discussed institutional issues such as “low birth rate, aging population, care burden, and female labor participation,” ^[7] while Feng Yuan emphasized China’s “motherhood penalty” ^[7] that includes unequal salaries and incomplete insurance. Both of them reflect that behind individual experiences lies structural inequality. Ueno stated that women’s childbirth, old age care, and family burdens are all political issues^[7]. Feng Yuan, in her research on domestic violence, sexual harassment, and workplace gender discrimination, has long emphasized that women’s experiences in the family and intimate relationships are not just private conflicts but social issues involving laws, public policies, and power structures.

By participating in the dialogues organized by UNFPA, the UN Women’s Office, and the East Asia region, she believes that China’s experience must engage in dialogue with international standards and regional experiences to promote institutional reforms.

During the process of launching feminist activities, Feng also encountered various difficulties and controversies. She stated that “if there are posts smearing or harassing me, I don’t get any response from platform operators after I make a complaint, even if I enclose legal evidence” (Zong-Han, 2005)^[8]. There are various negative comments about her, which have harmed her reputation. Some people accused her of using NGO funding to conduct overwhelming activities due to gender discrimination. She said that “you are watched if you use a certain kind of language that is not the official language used by the authorities” (Dawn Feminist) ^[9]. This is her attitude towards those controversies. It also shows the difficult truth behind the feminist activities. Nevertheless, she still holds her belief and creates more rights and chances for women.

Wu, Guoguang, Yuan Feng, and Helen Lansdowne, editors. Gender Dynamics, Feminist Activism and Social Transformation in China. Routledge, 2020.

BBC News. “BBC 100 Women 2024: Who Is on the List This Year?” BBC News, 3 Dec. 2024, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-4f79d09b-655a-42f8-82b4-9b2ecebab611. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Feng, Yuan. From Cairo to Beijing, from Beijing+25 to 2030: Progress and Prospect of China’s Civil Report for Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response. Beijing Equality, 2021. Supported by UNFPA China. PDF file.https://womensmajorgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/20210714-GBV-NGO-report-Equality-China-English.pdf. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Feng, Yuan. “Overcoming the Conundrum of Being Made ‘Politically Sensitive’: Anti–Sexual Harassment Movements and (Self-)Censorship.” Made in China Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2021, edited by Ivan Franceschini and Nicholas Loubere, ANU Press, The Australian National University, Canberra, doi:10.22459/MIC.06.02.2021.24.

冯媛 (Feng, Yuan). “在敏感和脱敏之间前行：中国民间推进妇女人权20年 [20 Years Promoting Women’s Human Rights in China].” 台湾人权学刊 [Taiwan Human Rights Journal], vol. 3, no. 2, Dec. 2015, pp. 153–166. PDF.

“In Conversation with Chizuko Ueno: What do women face in an aging society with low fertility? — Japanese women’s experience.” Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong, 23 Jan. 2024, https://jmsc.hku.hk/2024/01/chizuko-ueno/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

“Women’s Rights in China – an Interview with Feng Yuan.” China Development Brief, 22 Mar. 2017, https://chinadevelopmentbrief.org/reports/womens-rights-in-china-an-interview-with-feng-yuan/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

UN Women. “In the Words of Yuan Feng.” UN Women, 14 May 2018, https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2018/5/in-the-words-of-yuan-feng.Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Yu, Katrina. “China’s #MeToo Campaign Gains Momentum.” SBS News, 25 Jan. 2018, updated 26 Jan. 2018, https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/chinas-metoo-campaign-gains-momentum/qapb6zw64.

Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Beijing Equality (北京为平妇女权益机构). 〈中华人民共和国反家庭暴力法〉实施五周年系列监测报告——媒体信息专题篇（2016年3月–2021年2月） [Five-Year Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law of the People’s Republic of China—Media Information Special Report (Mar. 2016–Feb. 2021): Decrease then Slight Rise in Anti-DV Information; Two-Thirds Released by Women’s Organizations]. Beijing Equality, 2021. PDF, http://www.equality-beijing.org/editor/attached/file/20211208/20211208220516_8295.pdf.Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Note: This English title is a descriptive translation by me (not an official version). No official English translation or bilingual edition of this report was found.

Yang, Hao, and Feng Yuan. “Imbalanced Progress on the Implementation of Anti-Domestic Violence Law in China.” Human Rights Brief, vol. 23, no. 1, 2020, pp. 54–58. Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law, https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1949&context=hrbrief.

Gloria. “Personal is Political: Conversation with Chizako Ueno.” Orange News, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.orangenews.hk/HKEye/1207709/Personal-is-Political–Conversation-with-Chizako-Ueno.shtml.

“The Difficult Path of Feminism in China and Its Demands Towards March 8th.” Dawn Feminist, 8 Mar. 2019,https://www.dawnfeminist.org/library/the-difficult-path-of-feminism-in-china-and-its-demands-towards-march-8th

Zong-Han, Miao. “China Women’s Long March Towards Equality.” ThinkChina, 8 Jan. 2005, https://www.thinkchina.sg/society/big-read-china-womens-long-march-towards-equality.