More recently, the twelfth Five-Year Plan of China (2011-2015) and the China National Programme for Women's Development Plan (2011-2020) reaffirm the Government's commitment to gender equality by stipulating the strengthening of labour protection, social welfare, health care, poverty relief and legal assistance for women. Women have increased their educational attainment from an average of 5.5 years in 1990 to 8.4 years in 2010, and the gross enrollment ratio for tertiary education has increased from 12.5 per cent in 2000 to 34.5 per cent in 2013 (Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, 2013). According to the World Development Indicators, female labour force participation has declined from a high of 79.1 per cent in 1990 to 70.4 per cent in 2014, reaching a low of 69.4 per cent in 2010 (Figure 1).