Women will choose "China's Top 10 Best Men of the Times" in China.

Perhaps for the first time in the country women will choose "China's Top 10 Best Men of the Times" between December and April.

The exercise is aimed at promoting gender equality through men's participation².

"Any Chinese man above the age of 18 who respects and cares about women and is willing to shoulder family responsibilities equally can be part of the competition," China Women's News editor-in-chief Lu Xiaofei said yesterday. China Women's News is one of the nine women-centered papers organizing the event.

"Also, he should have made efforts to promote gender equality and should not have any record of domestic violence."

The competition evaluating a man's achievement by the way he treats women is a creative way to achieve gender equity³, a director of Woman's Studies Institute of China, Xiao Yang, said. Gender inequality can't end without men's participation.

In China, men hold most of the resources. Therefore, it is very crucial to have men to be part of gender equality projects.

For instance, in rural areas, 80 to 90 percent women suffer from genital infection. But despite efforts to treat them, the situation has not improved.

Only by making more men aware of the importance of safe and hygienic sex can the treatment be made to work, Xiao said.

The first selection will be held in eight cities, including Changsha, Dalian and Taiyuan.

The final 30 candidates' profiles will be published on a website on Women's Day on March 8. The winners will be declared in April.