A new edition of the Equal Opportunities Casebook was released last week. This print includes some new complaint cases handled by the EOC in recent years together with legal cases in which the EOC provided assistance or was involved in other ways. The publication also outlines the procedures which the EOC follows in handling complaints and legal assistance applications.
Many community members are unaware of their rights under the anti-discrimination law, such as what constitutes discrimination and what actions can be taken in the event of unlawful discrimination. We hope the booklet would provide some reference and deepen public understanding on the subject.
Read the new Equal Opportunities Casebook
In the previous e-news we spoke about the Government’s support for breastfeeding by requiring property developers to include breastfeeding and lactation facilities in newly sold Government land used for commercial purposes.
Riding on the official announcement and the upcoming World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August), EOC Chairperson Professor Alfred CHAN Cheung-man wrote an article in his am730 online column in support of a breastfeeding-friendly culture.
Citing a study which showed that many new mothers feel uncomfortable breastfeeding or expressing milk at work due to insufficient facilities and oftentimes hostile attitudes from colleagues, Prof Chan encouraged businesses to respect the right of breastfeeding mothers through necessary policies and facilities. He also reiterated the EOC’s Discrimination Law Review recommendation on including an express provision in the legislation that will make discrimination on the ground of breastfeeding including milk expression unlawful to better protect the women concerned.
While rolling out its own initiatives, the EOC has been reaching out to the wider public through the networks of its friends, partners and allies. One initiative in this area is the Community Participation Funding Programme, under which the EOC subsidises eligible NGOs to run projects that are aimed at promoting discrimination prevention/elimination and/or public education on equal opportunities.
The funding programme is open for applications twice a year. Applications are now accepted for the second batch of the 2017/18 programme until 15 September 2017. Two briefing sessions will be held in August. Interested parties can refer to the EOC website for details such as eligibility and submission requirements, sign up for the briefing sessions and download the application form.
Important dates
| 9 August 2017 |
Briefing session conducted in Cantonese |
| 16 August 2017 |
Briefing session conducted in English |
| 15 September 2017 |
Application deadline |
Learn more about the funding programme
Are men supposed to be good at changing light bulbs and never cry in public? Should all women be slim, know how to dress up and love cooking? As organisms with complex cognitive and psychological functions, we are supposed to be able to choose how we want to live our lives. But as social beings, we are influenced massively by others without even knowing it.
Tired of being your own gender role secret police? This summer, the Jockey Club Equal Opportunities Drama Project, of which the EOC is the supporting organisation, invites you to rethink what society tells you about gender and to rediscover your individuality and identity at “Dancing Together”, a Youth Theatre Showcase production.
Fixed seating is not required at the show, as the performers will move around and interact with the audience. There will be four shows and tickets are now on sale at Urbtix outlets. Get yours before they sell out!
