Not to be left behind

Holding a summer camp to reunite 30 children from rural areas of Anhui province with their parents in Beijing this week is heartening and thought-provoking. Thanks to the All-China Women's Federation, the children can stay for a few days with their parents, who work in the capital.

The 30 boys and girls are a lucky group, even though their reunion is short. The majority of their 58 million peers, left behind in rural areas across the country by their migrant parents, cannot even dream of getting such a chance.

Compared with other children, the ones that are left behind by migrant workers are more likely to become victims of crime and a significantly higher proportion of them suffer from psychological and behavioral problems created by long-term separation from their parents.