The Impact of Social Inequality and Gender Inequality on Rural-to-urban Migrant Workers in China

With the rapid urbanization and the increasing willingness of Chinese people to pursue higher wages and better living standards, there has been a significant increase in the rural-to-urban migration population since 1980s. However, the process was not as smooth as people previously expected. Migrant workers face challenges and inequalities in both daily lives and workplaces. This review paper explores the impact of social inequality and gender inequality on migrant workers, focusing on access to health services, social integration and female migrant workers’ experience. Migrant workers suffer from unequal access to medical services due to Hukou registration system, lack of information about healthcare services and rural-urban disparities in medical services quality. Regarding social integration, they also encounter inequalities and challenges in the divisions of labor and compensation, legal protection and their children’s development. Finally, this paper reviews the impact of gender inequalities on female migrants’ lives, emphasizing income disparities, discriminations in the workplace and mental health issues. It also touches upon positive trends facilitated by migration including increasing level of independence and growing opportunities in the workplace. This review paper provides more perspectives for academic community and readers, promoting social equality and gender equality for migrant workers in China. While this paper has not discussed every aspect regarding the inequalities faced by rural-to-urban migrant workers, the discussion may be broadened with future academic research and studies.