As we approach the Year of the Rabbit, the Equal Opportunities Commission wishes you good health and good fortune in the New Year.

The EOC welcomes the motion passed by the Legislative Council on 26 January 2011: “That this Council notes the Equal Opportunities Commission’s Formal Investigation Report on Accessibility in Publicly Accessible Premises and the Government’s response to and follow-up action on the 23 recommendations in the Report.”

The Government has committed to spending $1.3 billion on improving access with an extensive retrofitting programme covering 3,900 premises and facilities, with 85.1% of the improvement works to be completed by mid-2012. The Link has also announced its plan to invest $200 million on its Total Improvement Plan for the next 5 years, with over 90% of the improvement planned to be completed by July 2014. These commitments will benefit hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities and elderly people, representing an important step towards building an inclusive society.

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Hong Kong youths now have a new way to learn more about equal opportunities issues – through Facebook. To maximize our reach, the EOC is launching new Facebook pages for our youth programmes, “Career Challenge” (in Chinese/English) and “Uniquely Me!” (in English). On these pages, our programme participants can stay in touch, keep updated on the issues, share ideas, and learn about upcoming events. Join us on Facebook and find out more.

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The Government’s Development of Assistive Technology for Persons with Disabilities Fund (ATDF) is now open for application until 21 February 2011. Proposed projects should aim to facilitate ICT (information and communications technology) access for people with disabilities through the development of assistive technologies and applications. Click on the link below to learn more.

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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Louvre Museum in Paris have joined hands to organize “Touching Art: Louvre’s Sculptures in Movement” at the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Gallery. Visitors are encouraged to touch the exhibits – replicas of famous sculptures at the Louvre- to experience a new sensorial dimension to art. The organizers also facilitate greater access to the exhibits through measures for persons with visual impairment such as Braille, guided path and audio guide. You can enjoy this exhibition from now until 20 February 2011.

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