Beijing Qianqian Law Firm is a leading public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of women and children and promoting gender equality through legal advocacy.

Founded in 2009 by Ms. Guo Jianmei, China’s first full-time public-interest lawyer, Qianqian carries forward the mission of the Women’s Legal Research and Service Center at Peking University Law School, which was established in 1995 following the Fourth World Conference on Women of the United Nations. This pioneering center was China’s first public-interest NGO focused on women’s legal aid and research.

At the heart of our work is the commitment to “Write a public-interest life with love and build gender equality by law.” We provide legal aid to improve the legal status of vulnerable groups in society, including women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Our mission also includes advocating for the development of national legal aid systems and the enactment and improvement of laws and policies related to gender equality.

With over 30 years of experience, Qianqian Law Firm engages in the following key activities:

Nationwide Free Legal Consultation

Since its establishment, Qianqian has provided over 60,000 legal consultations from across China. Members of the public can call our hotline at 010-84833276/3270 during business hours (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM & 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM), or send a detailed description of their legal matter via email to gongyilvshi@woman-legalaid.org.cn. Consultations can also be submitted via WeChat by searching for “橙律师” and leaving a message.

Strategic Litigation on Women’s Rights

Qianqian Law Firm handles a wide range of cases related to women’s personal rights, marriage and family rights, educational rights, labor rights, and property rights, having successfully managed over 1,500 high-impact cases. Notable cases include:

Li Yan, a woman from An Yue, Sichuan, who was sentenced to death after killing her husband in a domestic violence case.

The tragic death of Dong Shanshan, a young woman from Beijing, due to domestic violence.

A landmark land rights dispute involving 38 women in Huizhou, Guangdong.

A high-profile sexual harassment case involving a professor at the Central cademy of Fine Arts.

Many of these cases have played a pivotal role in driving legal reforms, such as the 2012 case in Yingkou, Liaoning, which contributed to the removal of the crime of "soliciting sex with a minor" from the Criminal Law amendment.

Gender Awareness and Legal Training

Qianqian regularly organizes seminars and training sessions on women’s rights, gender equality, and public interest law for government departments, women’s federations, legal professionals, and the general public. These training sessions cover a wide range of topics, including gender equality, public interest, social responsibility, laws and regulations, case studies, and practical skills. Over the past 30 years, we have held more than 300 seminars, benefiting over 15,000 participants.

In collaboration with Justice4Her, a cross-sector initiative co-founded by RNW Media, an international media development organization based in Haarlem, the Netherlands, Qianqian has successfully integrated strategic public advocacy into its core activities. This partnership has led to the creation of a gender advocacy social media platform (MCN), which now boasts over 300,000 followers. Through a variety of formats, including images, articles, videos, podcasts and themed online campaigns, Qianqian continuously promotes gender equality and raises legal awareness.

Pilot Projects for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Qianqian actively advocates for comprehensive governance on issues such as rural women’s land rights, anti-sexual harassment policies in workplaces, judicial protection from domestic violence, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and multi-agency collaboration. Notably, in 2008, we partnered with a company in Hebei to develop China’s first workplace system for preventing and addressing sexual harassment. This initiative was later included in China’s report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. In 2023, Qianqian, in collaboration with Justice4Her, co-initiated a groundbreaking pilot project to address digital gender-based violence through legal aid, research, policy advocacy, and cross-sector partnerships. This project is the first of its kind in China and remains the only NGO focusing on digital gender violence in the country.

Developing Gender-Conscious Legal, Media, and NGO Talent

Since 2012, Qianqian has established a network of over 600 volunteer lawyers from 29 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, collaborating with more than 200 law firms across China. We also operate a "public interest legal talent training and practice base" in partnership with both domestic and international law schools. This initiative develops gender-conscious public interest legal professionals through internships, volunteer work, and mentorship by our full-time lawyers.

Since 2018, in collaboration with Justice4Her, Qianqian has systematically conducted capacity-building programs for media professionals, social media influencers, NGO workers, and volunteers. These programs aim to enhance advocacy skills, foster gender sensitivity, and raise legal awareness. To date, over 120 media professionals, 100 NGO workers, and volunteers have participated, expanding gender advocacy across multiple sectors.

Policy Advocacy Achievements

Through strategic litigation, expert discussions, public interest litigation, and collaboration with scholars, media, and other social organizations, Qianqian has been instrumental in advancing the enactment and improvement of gender equality laws, regulations, and policies. Since its establishment, the firm has submitted over 110 legal opinions, legislative suggestions, and research reports to national authorities. These efforts have led to significant reforms in laws and policies, including:

2005.  Advocated successfully for the Ministry of Education to abolish the rule that expelled university students for marriage or childbirth, safeguarding students’ right to education and freedom to marry and have children.
2012.  Contributed to the revision of university admission regulations, ensuring that universities cannot set gender-based quotas or reject female applicants.
2015.  Helped promote the revision of the Criminal Law to remove the crime of soliciting sex with minors and to improve sexual harassment criteria.
2020.  Provided legislative suggestions for the establishment and improvement of anti-domestic violence regulations in Inner Mongolia and Hubei Province, contributing to the development of local Anti-Domestic Violence Ordinances.

In recent years, we have also submitted modifications to important laws, such as the “Women’s Rights Protection Law” and the “Rural Collective Economic Organization Law (Draft),” which have received significant public support.

Research Contributions

Qianqian has published 16 books on women’s rights protection, gender equality, and public-interest legal aid. These include titles such as The Theory and Practice of Legal Aid in China, Domestic Violence and Legal Aid, and Survey on Workplace Gender Discrimination in China. We continue to raise awareness by sharing real-world experiences and the latest research findings on the intersection of gender and law.

Collaborations and Media Exposure

As gender equality awareness grows, Qianqian is expanding its cross-sector collaborations and working with platforms and brands committed to women’s rights. Notable partnerships include:

2023.  Launched the “Proya Public Welfare Laborer Legal Consultation Service” to provide legal assistance to workers facing gender bias in labor relations.
2023.  Partnered with the drama Imperfect Victim to offer a “Free Lawyer Public Consultation Hotline” during the airing of the show.
2023.  Executive Director Lü Xiaoqian appeared on the variety show First Person Plural, discussing legal issues related to sexual harassment.
2024.  Lawyer Xu Weihua delivered a keynote speech at the UN Women’s event “Towards Beijing+30: Together We Can End Violence,” highlighting 40 years of progress in women’s legal work.
2025.  Project Manager Lin Lixia was invited to speak at the People 2025 “Women’s Power” Speech Event, sharing typical cases of women’s land rights violations and discussing the transformation of judicial practice, as well as telling the story of standing together with landless women for their rights.

As we continue to champion gender equality, Qianqian remains dedicated to providing legal aid, advocating for vulnerable groups, advancing women’s rights, and collaborating with like-minded partners to build a more just society.

"Writing a public-interest life with love, building gender equality by law."

The Qianqian team in Beijing is always on the move 

For further insights into our work, we invite you to explore the following media reports:

Daily: In the public interest [Link]

Southern People Weekly: Guo Jianmei: Seeing Strength and the Light of Humanity in Victims [Link]

Guardian: Women's rights crackdown exposes deepening crisis in Chinese society [Link]

Marie Claire: Guo Jianmei: The Woman Behind 120,000 Chinese Women’s Rights Activists [Link]

Chinese  Philanthropist Magazine: Public Interest Lawyer Guo Jianmei: We Don’t Handle Cases, We Handle Lives [Link]

Right Livelihood: Chinese lawyer Guo Jianmei announced 2019 Right Livelihood Laureate [Link]

Nieman Reports: Domestic Violence in China: Educating the Public [Link]

United Nations: Analyzing China’s Anti-Domestic Violence Law: An Interview with Public Interest Lawyer Lü Xiaoqian [Link]

Beijing Youth Daily: 42,000 Opinions: The Debate over the Draft Revision of the Women’s Rights Protection Law [Link]

Sanlian Life Weekly: Why is it so Hard for Women to Win Cases on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Sexual Harassment? [Link]

Nanfeng Window: The Women Who Kill Their Husbands and the Lawyers Who Defend Them [Link]

UN Women: A 40-Year Journey of Women’s Rights Protection after the 95th World Women’s Conference [Link]

Yixi: When These Women Who Lost Their Land Stand up for Their Rights, They Often Become the Enemies of Their Families and Villages [Link]

Daily People: Rural Women’s Land Rights: The Longest Struggle [Link]

New York Times: In Rural China, ‘Sisterhoods’ Demand Justice, and Cash [Link]

People:Lin Lixia: Standing with Landless Women [Link]