Trafficking of Women and Forced Marriage in Rural China through the Lens of the SDGs: A Case Study of the "Xiao Huamei" Incident

Trafficking in women and forced marriage are serious problems in current society, especially more severe in rural areas of China. The underlying causes involve multiple factors such as gender inequality, economic disparity, patriarchy, and insufficient law enforcement. Based on the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on gender equality (SDG 5), reducing inequality (SDG 10), and peace and justice (SDG 16), this paper takes the case of the trafficked woman XIAO HUAMEI in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province as an example to explore the causes of trafficking in women and forced marriage in China. The research adopts a combined approach of case study and literature review. Through research, it conducts an in-depth analysis of the XIAO HUAMEI case and thereby analyzes the issue of trafficking in women in rural areas of China. The research indicates that promoting gender equality, narrowing the economic gap between urban and rural areas, economically and educationally empowering women, and strengthening the judicial system are effective ways to reduce trafficking in women.