A top Chinese political adviser has sounded the alarm on forced marriages of women with mental disabilities in rural areas, calling for a prevention mechanism and a nationwide investigation campaign.

Jiang Shengnan, a writer and member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China’s top political advisory body, warned that tackling the issue presented multiple challenges.

There was a lack of support for such women when it came to marriage-related decision-making, Jiang told the state-run China News Service on Tuesday, ahead of the “two sessions” – China’s annual top legislative and advisory meetings.

She said some parents forced their daughters into marriage for profit amid weak legal penalties for rights violations.

Homeless women with mental abilities fared worse, as timely help was lacking and mandatory reporting obligations were not fully enforced, Jiang said.

She proposed a wide-ranging year-long campaign against forced marriages of such women, spanning preventive education, case discovery and rescue, placement, rehabilitation and judicial relief.