You may want to read this to learn more about chattel slavery in the US and the political struggle by reformers to change this: http://www.pobronson.com/factbook/pages/100.html

In China, these changes took place in one day in 1949 when Mao said women hold up half the sky. In the US it took about 150 years of struggle and the job is still not completed because GOP dominated states are blocking the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment. Why? fundamentalist Christians do not want women to have total control over their bodies due to the hot-button political issue of abortion.

After governments pass laws, it takes time to change the people that grew up under the old ways. Cultures do not change over night.

The global war on Islamic terror is an example of that fight. Islamic Fundamentalists want to hold on to the old ways and resist changing. These terrorists that want to destroy Western civilization see the West as the influence that is leading changes in Islamic countries to change the way women and children are treated.

And there are other countries struggling to change their own cultures that treat women and children brutally. India is another example and the government there has passed laws but does little to enforce them so not much has changed. But in China, changes are taking place in both urban and rural China–faster in urban China though.

However, when the topic of China comes up, critics in America expect China to make such changes in an eye blink. There are so many ignorant people in American that hate or fear China that US politicians every major election make sure to bash China so he or she does not lose votes from that segment of adult voters. No politician wants to be seen as soft on China. Then after the election, the government is back to dealing with China as it did before the election meaning what has been the norm for the last thirty years or more since China opened its doors to world trade and joined the WTO.