March 8 marks the International Women's Day. Chinese lawmakers and advisors are using the occasion to call for a stronger voice for women in politics.

Chinese women have their say in society and the workplace, but not so much in politics. About a fifth of the lawmakers are women, and even less in the advisory body. Deputies at a reception ahead of International Women's Day want to see that changed.

Wu Qidi, NPC deputy, said, "For example, in education, there are many female lecturers, but few female presidents, or party secretaries. We feel the need to boost the female presence in decision making."

Statistics from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an international organization of parliaments, show that China ranked 60th by the end of 2011 in terms of female representation. For a long time at the NPC, the proportion of female deputies has hovered around 21 percent, well below the United Nations (UN) target of 30 percent.

Renata Dessallien, UN resident coordinator, said, "Women have a special perspective, and should be taken into account in decision making. We feel that in order for our society to be truly harmonious, we should find a balance in male and female perspective."

Chen Zhili is one of the few women on the Standing Committee. She said a change is underway. Chen said, "As China faces the change of deputies with the last plenary session, I am confident that there will be more female deputies in the 12th NPC."

Chen's confidence is based on the amendment to the election law, designed to give women a greater presence in politics. But so far no specific quota has been set.

China does not lack for examples. Women in Scandinavian countries have an average of a forty percent presence in politics. Finland, in particular, is doing so well that men have to fight for their say.

Paula Parviainen, deputy head of mission from Embassy of Finland in Beijing, said, "Like in our ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the intake of women is already bigger than the intake of men. Finnish society is turning. The opportunity will be given to men to participate."

It's a constant struggle to balance work and family, said the UN's Dessallien, but that's also the reason to forge ahead.

Dessallien said, "It's extremely challenging, you often feel that you can't do the best job at both, the work or home. But that's part of the reason why I think that women need to be in high level decision making process because men will never understand this, this need to have a harmonious life and a professional and capable work force."