中文版

 
                    Happy 2017

  1. Reliving moments of the EOC’s 20th anniversary celebration

 
On the left: header of an op-ed in the SCMP written by EOC Chairperson, on the right: A group photo from the EOC’s 20th anniversary

As we ring in 2017 with new hopes and plans, we are pleased to look back on 2016 in which the EOC not only accomplished much fruitful work, but also celebrated its 20th anniversary.
 
On 17 November 2016, we held a reception to commemorate the anniversary with Government officials, Executive Councillors, legislators and leaders from various sectors. We have recently uploaded a 15-minute video capturing the highlights of the event, including the speeches by the Guest of Honour The Hon Jasper TSANG Yok-sing and EOC Chairperson Professor Alfred CHAN Cheung-ming, a light-hearted chit-chat among four former EOC chairpersons, best-practice sharing by business stakeholders, and vignettes of guests mingling with one another joyfully.
 
On a separate note, Prof. Chan wrote about the history and major achievements of the EOC in the past 20 years and his vision for the Commission in the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and his am730 column, with a view to deepening the understanding of the general public on the EOC’s work. In particular, the article in the SCMP was published on 20 December, the date on which the Sex Discrimination Ordinance came into full effect in 1996.

Watch the EOC 20th anniversary reception video
Read Prof. Chan’s SCMP article

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  1. EOC Chairperson interviewed by hk01 on discrimination faced by breastfeeding mothers

An image of a mother holding and kissing a babyFollowing the outrage over the sneak video taken by a taxi driver of a woman breastfeeding, weekly newspaper hk01 published a feature on the harassment and discrimination faced by breastfeeding mothers in Hong Kong on 30 December 2016. EOC Chairperson Prof. Alfred CHAN Cheung-ming was interviewed and quoted extensively in the article. Prof. Chan stated that the EOC has been urging the Government to review existing legislation to make discrimination on the ground of breastfeeding unlawful. He also explained that sexualisation of the female body by the media might be one reason behind some people’s unfriendly attitude towards women breastfeeding in public.

Earlier, Prof. Chan expressed his anger over the sneak video incident in his am730 column. He later wrote an English article on the same topic, which was carried in The Standard, for the English readers.

Read Prof. Chan’s new article in The Standard
Read the reforms proposed by the EOC to the anti-discrimination legislation in the Discrimination Law Review

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  1. Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities open for applications (until 20 January)

Accessibility iconsThe Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities, run by the Social Welfare Department, is accepting applications until 20 January 2017. The programme aims at subsidising employers who have hired people with disabilities (PWDs) to purchase assistive devices and/or make workplace modifications. The maximum amount of subsidy is HK$20,000 per employee with disability and HK$40,000 in special cases. Employers wishing to apply need to be nominated by the designated referring organisations. For details, please refer to the website of the Social Welfare Department.

Details on the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities

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  1. 2017 Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Index and Awards open for submissions (until 24 February)

Banner of the Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Index organised by Community BusinessThe Hong Kong LGBT+ Inclusion Index is making a comeback after its inauguration in 2015. Created by Community Business, the index serves as a benchmark for assessing employers’ effort in promoting inclusion for their LGBTI employees. In addition to the index is an awards programme recognising individuals and organisations that have helped advance LGBTI rights. Eligible parties are encouraged to make submissions for the index and/or the awards by 24 February 2017. For details, please visit the website of Community Business.

In last year’s awards programme, the EOC and the Gender Research Centre of The Chinese University of Hong Kong won the “LGBT Advocacy Award” together with the “Study on Legislation against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status”.

Find out more about the LGBT+ Inclusion Index and the awards
Read the “Study on Legislation against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status”

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Visit our website or download the EOC mobile app (Apple App Store / Google Play) to stay updated on the EOC’s work and positions, and to review our press releases and calendar training. 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.