12 March 2014
Issue 93
12 March 2014
Issue 93
In celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD), observed annually on 21 March, the EOC and Caritas Youth and Community Service will be co-organising a public event on 16 March 2014 (Sunday). We are delighted to have The Hon Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration, to be the Guest of Honour at this activity. The event’s theme, “Hong Kong for All: Vision 2020,” was formulated with the aim of encouraging the public to envision racial inclusion in Hong Kong and what is needed to achieve this goal by the year 2020. The event will feature speeches and sharing on issues relating to racial discrimination and equality, prize-giving ceremony for winners of our IDERD 2014 Youth Writing Competition, as well as cultural performances, and information exhibitions. Public seating will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis so register now by clicking on the link below.
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Date: |
16 March 2014 (Sunday) |
| Time: | 1:00pm – 5:00pm (Note: the official ceremony will take place between 2:00pm and 3:00pm) |
| Venue: | Community Hall, Caritas Community Centre - Kowloon 3/F, 256A Prince Edward Road West, Kowloon (Prince Edward MTR Station Exit B2) |
| Language: | Cantonese (with English summary) |
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International Women’s Day is observed every year on 8 March. It offers an opportunity to reflect on women’s achievements and the progress of our work to promote gender equality. The EOC is dedicated to ensuring that men and women have a level playing field and equal opportunities to achieve their aspirations. On 28 February 2018, the EOC Chairperson, Dr. York CHOW, was a speaker at the launch of “Work to do: Women in Male-Dominated Industries in Hong Kong”, a report compiled for the Women’s Foundation by the Economist Intelligence Unit. “We need the commitment and partnership of both the public and private sector to ensure that women are given the opportunity to bring their unique skills and talent to the development of these sectors and in turn Hong Kong,” said Dr. Chow at the event.
On 20 February, the EOC released the findings of the “Sexual Harassment and Discrimination – Questionnaire Survey for Flight Attendants”, the latest in our series of events and activities forming the Commission’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Campaign, one of our ongoing major undertakings. The EOC will continue to work with our stakeholders and the public to raise awareness on ensuring equality between women and men.
See the findings from the “Sexual Harassment and Discrimination – Questionnaire Survey for Flight Attendants”
See the EOC’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Resource Page
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Many people with disability still face difficulties in finding employment despite their talents and abilities. On 24 February 2014, the EO Club organised a seminar on “Enhancing Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities” for its members, human resource practitioners, and employers to facilitate them to tap this talent pool, particularly in the face of looming manpower shortage in Hong Kong driven by intense regional competition and the ageing population. The afternoon featured experience-sharing by employers, Intercontinental Hong Kong and Angel Cosmetics, as well as New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, a non-governmental organisation. Speakers from the Labour and Welfare Bureau, Social Welfare Department, and the Labour Department also discussed the available support measures given to employers and other initiatives by the Government in this area, including the Talent-Wise Employment Charter and Inclusive Organisations Recognition Scheme. To get access to special workshops and other membership privileges, we welcome you to join the EO Club. Please see the link below for more details.
Join the EO Club
Learn more about the Talent-Wise Employment Charter and Inclusive Organisations Recognition Scheme
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The ageing population of Hong Kong is presenting plenty of new business opportunities for enterprises, as elderly people of future generations will be consumers with high purchasing power. To show appreciation to merchants or SMEs for their understanding of the needs and wants of elderly people and for providing more products or services tailored for silver hair market, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) launched the “Silver Emblem Recognition Scheme.” Funded by the SME Development Fund of the Trade and Industry Department of HKSAR Government, the scheme is supported by the EOC, Hong Kong Retail Management Association, small and medium enterprise associations, universities, NGOs and business associations. At the kick-off ceremony on 3 March 2014, the EOC Chairperson, Dr. York CHOW, was one of the officiating guests. In his remarks, Dr. Chow urged participants to avoid discrimination on the basis of age and to consider the needs of elderly people, particularly in areas such as ensuring accessibility.
See the press release on the EOC’s planned exploratory study on age discrimination in employment
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To promote the messages of inclusion and equal opportunities for all, the EOC is organising a roving exhibition with the theme “An Inclusive Society Starts with Respect.” The exhibition will include an introduction to the EOC and the four anti-discrimination ordinances, as well as information on pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, removing the stigma of mental illness, education for all, and the EOC’s various publicity projects. In the first two months of 2014, this roving exhibition already toured around the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of History, Tin Yiu Plaza, Tsuen Wan Town Hall and Kwai Tsing Theatre.
Please see the schedule below and come visit us:
| Venue | Exhibition period | |
| 1. | Oi Tung Shopping Centre (Shau Kei Wan) | 10-14 March 2014 |
| 2. | Hong Kong Cultural Centre (Tsim Sha Tsui) | 25 March – 3 April 2014 |
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To facilitate information on various services offered by the EOC, two special workshops will be organized in April and May 2014 at the Commission’s office (19/F Cityplaza Three, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing). On 17 April 2014 (Thursday) at 4:00pm, the Commission will organize an English-language briefing on the Community Participation Funding Programme (CPFP), which aims at encouraging eligible organisations to carry out projects on promoting public understanding of equal opportunities, with funding of up to HK$50,000 from the EOC. A similar briefing conducted in Cantonese will be held on 12 May 2014 at 4:00pm. For more details or to register, please call 2106-2253.
Furthermore, to widen understanding about the EOC’s statutory function to handle complaints of discrimination, a training on the Commission’s complaints handling mechanism will be organized for community workers who provide service to ethnic minority communities on 5 May 2014 (Monday). For enquiries, please call Ms Leung at 2106 2155.
More on the CPFP
The EOC’s Complaints Handling Procedures
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Stay updated on the EOC's work and positions by referring to our press releases, speeches, media interviews, and calendar training on our website. Also, stay tuned on other equal opportunities issues and community initiatives by visiting our community resources and community events pages for information from our community partners, including publications, survey reports, publicity campaigns, and upcoming conferences.