Chinese e-commerce giants' 'men only’ job culture slammed

According to the report, discrimination in hiring practices is contributing to a drop in the female workforce and a widening gender pay gap.

Leading Chinese firms including e-commerce giant Alibaba were heavily criticised for gender discrimination in job adverts in a new report which said the landscape for the female workforce in China was deteriorating.

The report by campaign group Human Rights Watch, entitled "Only Men Need Apply: Gender Discrimination in Job Advertisements in China", details a host of offences by private companies and public bodies, from issuing "men only" job ads to requests for women applicants to be "trim" and "aesthetically pleasing".