On the afternoon of March 8, Associate Professor Hu Junhong was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the International Women’s Day celebration hosted by the European and American Alumni Association. Her presentation, titled “New Regulations on Marriage and Family Law and the Protection of Women’s Rights,” was well received by the audience.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women. A recent report released by UN Women to commemorate the 50th International Women’s Day, titled “Review of Women’s Rights 30 Years After the Beijing World Conference,” reveals that nearly a quarter of governments worldwide reported a regression in women’s rights in 2024. Globally, the rights of women and girls are facing unprecedented threats, manifested in rising discrimination, weakened legal protections, and reduced funding for supporting institutions. Against this backdrop, the Women’s Committee of the Alumni Association called on returned overseas scholars to advocate actively for the rights advocate actively for the empowerment, and equality of women and girls.

Representing the education sector at the event, Professor Hu provided an in-depth analysis of the recently issued “Interpretation (II) of the Marriage and Family Section of the Civil Code” and the new “Marriage Registration Regulations.” She navigated through complex judicial challenges, structuring her talk around critical issues such as marital property division, parental financial contributions to children’s housing, and breaches of spousal fidelity obligations. Furthermore, she addressed severe violations including the abduction and concealment of minor children, bigamy, and “fraudulent divorces.” The session also covered the intricate legalities of dividing jointly owned property, assets transferred to extramarital partners, and the allocation of shares in jointly held enterprises. By combining statutory analysis with illustrative case studies, Professor Hu’s presentation sparked active engagement and enthusiastic discussion among the attendees.