The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) will organize an Equal Opportunities Day at the Exhibition Gallery of the Tuen Mun Town Hall on 24 July 2011, from 1:45 to 5:30pm to advance public understanding of equal opportunities and the anti-discrimination ordinances. The event features various activities including informative talks, cultural performances, and sharing sessions with guest mentors. Organisations who serve the ethnic minority community will also hold booths to promote their available services. Please come join us!

*********************************************

The EOC has joined the Home Affairs Bureau and the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education to hold a Civic Education Exhibition at the Hong Kong Book Fair from 20 to 26 July 2011 in Booth Number C36 of Hall 3B of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to promote the theme of “Cherish Yourself and Your Family, Love Hong Kong and Your Country”. The messages of equal opportunities and the four anti-discrimination ordinances will be introduced in the exhibition.

*********************************************

In recognition of the various challenges faced by EM students in academic attainment, of which learning Chinese remains the greatest, the EOC presented on 11 July 2011 the Report of its Working Group on Education for Ethnic Minorities and called on the Education Bureau (EDB) to ensure equal access to quality education for ethnic minority students. The Report and its nine recommendations were compiled from information gathered by the Working Group, who organized three sharing sessions with stakeholders such as NGOs, EM parents, and teachers to ascertain their views, as well as a meeting with the EDB to exchange views on enhancing equal education opportunities for EM students.

*********************************************

The application deadline for the EOC’s “Community Participation Funding Programme on Equal Opportunities” is fast approaching on 31 July 2011. The EOC has supported over 750 non-governmental organizations and schools in the past to carry out projects that promote public understanding of equal opportunities and the anti-discrimination laws through the funding programme. The maximum funding limit for each community project is $50,000. We urge all interested organizations to submit applications.

*********************************************

The grace period for small employers under the Race Discrimination Ordinance (RDO) expired on 17 July 2011. This exemption, in effect for the first three years after the enactment of the RDO in July 2008, was applicable to employers with no more than a total of five employees. Small employers, like all other employers, must observe the employment-related provisions of the RDO. The EOC urges all employers, regardless of size, to take steps to advance equal opportunities and promote a positive work environment.

*********************************************