On 16 June 2011, EOC Members met at the 90th EOC Meeting and discussed various matters relating to the EOC’s work to fight discrimination and promote an inclusive society. Mr. LAM Woon-kwong, the EOC Chairperson, spoke with the press after the Meeting to elaborate on a number of issues, including follow-up actions to the EOC’s Formal Investigation on Accessibility in Publicly Accessible Premises, the EOC’s Report on Education for Ethnic Minorities, and the EOC’s Report and Refined Recommendations to the Government on the Establishment of an Equal Opportunities Tribunal.

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When Nigerian Nwosu Blessed UGOH holds his wife’s hand on the street, passersby often stare at them. “I am just like a zoo animal,” says Michelle, his Chinese wife. Although this is just one of the many instances of prejudice she and her husband experience in their daily lives, they refuse to be defeated by the attitude of others. In the EOC’s latest Youtube video, now online, the couple and others share how they overcame the discrimination they faced in Hong Kong. This video, created for our Youtube Channel, is part of our multimedia efforts to promote equal opportunities.

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The EOC’s Community Participation Funding Programme (2011/12) is again open for application. The maximum funding limit for each community project is $50,000. The EOC has supported over 750 projects of non-governmental organizations and schools in the past to carry out projects that promote public understanding of equal opportunities and the anti-discrimination laws. Application deadline is 31 July 2011 (2nd batch).

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Over the last few decades, there have been a number of important changes in the rehabilitation sector. Ms Mabel CHAU, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, has been at the forefront of this progress. On 29 June 2011 (Wednesday), she will appear on our live radio programme “Equal Opportunities Diversity Project (平等機會多元共融行動)” from 2:00 to 2:30 pm on RTHK Radio 2 (FM 94.8-96.9) to share her valuable experiences in serving this sector for more than 22 years. Ms. Chau will retire from her post in July 2011. The EOC is pleased to have worked with the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation on various initiatives, including the educational puppet performance on disability and gender equality issues “Kids on the Block”, since 1998.

Her interview will be uploaded on both the EOC (Link) and RTHK websites later for easy access by members of the public. This weekly radio programme has been on the air every Wednesday from 2:00-2:30pm on RTHK Radio 2. It features interviews on topics related to equal opportunities, promotional segments on the diverse cultures of ethnic minorities and a monthly phone-in session.

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Mia is from Lebanon and has intellectual disability. Looking into the camera, she shares her wish with the world: “I want to learn. I want to be strong.” Her video is a part of “What’s Disability to Me?”, a video series launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank to share personal narratives on disability. Mia is one of more than one billion people with disabilities worldwide, many of whom struggle to access education, employment, and other mainstream services. These barriers are highlighted in the first ever “World Report on Disability”, released on 9 June 2011 in conjunction with the multimedia project. The Report urges governments to take concrete measures to raise public awareness and open opportunities for people with disabilities.

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