Women lawyers queue up to help 'drugged' kindergarten pupils
Legal experts across country volunteer advice to families of children allegedly fed antivirals by kindergartens to maintain school attendance
Dozens of women lawyers from around the country have offered to give free advice to parents whose children were allegedly given antiviral drugs by their kindergartens to ensure high attendances and payments.
Liu Wei, a lawyer from Zhengzhou, in Henan, has set up a network of lawyers to offer help to the families. So far 22 women lawyers from 10 provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, Shandong and Hainan , have signed up.
"As a mother, I feel for the families who are affected," said Liu. "Child protection lacks legal safeguards in China. It is challenging to file a lawsuit relating to these incidents."
Evidence that nursery schools had given children a flu treatment without their parents consent first surfaced at two kindergartens in Xian , in Shaanxi province, earlier this month.
As a mother, I feel for the families. Child protection lacks legal safeguards
About 10 kindergartens in Xian, Jilin city, Jilin province, and Yichang , in Hubei , are now thought to have handed out the drugs. Parents claim their children have suffered symptoms including headaches, body aches and itching.
Other children have reported more severe problems including stomach aches, swollen genitals and kidney problems.