The number of complaints received by the Equal Opportunities Commission from January to August 2009 increased by 21% to 640, compared with 531 in the same period last year. In the past 8 months, complaints under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance accounted for the majority of complaints received. A breakdown by ordinance shows:
- 379 complaints under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance (DDO) (59%)
- 235 complaints under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO) (37%)
- 19 complaints under the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance (FSDO) (3%)
- 7 complaints under the Race Discrimination Ordinance (RDO) (1%)
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We have stepped up our outreach activities to enhance public understanding of the Race Discrimination Ordinance (RDO) which has become fully effective since 10 July 2009. An outdoor advertisement campaign has been launched to promote the Race Discrimination Ordinance and the messages of racial harmony. In addition to advertisements placed at MTRC stations and buses, other promotional activities include advertisements on local and ethnic minority newspapers, information leaflets in eight languages, TV and radio Announcements of Public Interest, radio programmes, exhibitions and the Community Participation Funding Programme to promote the principles of the RDO and equal opportunities for all.
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A series of workshops on the RDO targeting different ethnic minority communities will be held between October and December 2009. The first will target the Filipino Community and will be conducted in English with interpretation in Tagalog. The rights and protections under the anti-discrimination ordinances, role and functions of the EOC will be explained during the workshops.
