14 June 2013
Issue 80
14 June 2013
Issue 80
Many ethnic minorities struggle to access equal opportunity, stemming in large part from insufficient support provided to assist them to learn Chinese during their school years. In an article published in Ming Pao on 7 June 2013, Dr. York CHOW Yat-Ngok, the EOC Chairperson, argued that these obstacles “have devastating implications for generations of ethnic minorities and their ability to pursue their aspirations. By not taking prompt action to ensure equal opportunities in education, the government is damaging ethnic minority children's prospects over their entire lifetime.” Dr. Chow urged the government to take concrete action to address this systemic injustice, beginning with the introduction of an alternative standardised Chinese-language curriculum and assessment framework for non-Chinese-speaking students. The EOC also encourages those who face race discrimination or harassment in their pursuit of education to approach us for assistance.
Read the full article (in Chinese only)
Read the South China Morning Post article on this issue on 25 May 2013 (in English only)
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On 10 June 2013, the EOC issued a statement to welcome the Government’s decision to set up an Advisory Group on Eliminating Discrimination against Sexual Minorities. The Commission looks forward to co-operating with the Advisory Group in mapping out strategies and measures to eliminate discrimination against sexual minorities. Dr. York CHOW Yat-Ngok, the Chairperson of the EOC, said, “We are pleased to note that the Government has taken concrete steps to address the issue of discrimination and prejudice faced by members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Hong Kong…The EOC will continue to advocate for the rights of the LGBT community to equal protection under the law.” Dr. Chow further noted that the Commission has already begun to lay the ground work through discussions and liaison with stakeholders to raise awareness about the needs of the LGBT community.
Read the full statement
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The EOC condemns the racial abuse occurring at the football match between Hong Kong and the Philippines on 4 June 2013 at Mong Kok stadium. Such inappropriate and xenophobic behaviour has no place in our international city; it runs contrary to our core value of opennesss and is destructive to social harmony. It may also be in violation of the Race Discrimination Ordinance (RDO). Under the RDO, it would constitute unlawful racial harassment if a person engages in an unwelcome conduct on the ground of another person’s or his/her near relative’s race, in circumstances where a reasonable person would have antipated that the latter person woule be offended, humiliated or intimidated; racial harassment also occurs if a person creates a racially hostile environment for another person because of his/her or his/her near relative’s race. The RDO also prohibits racial vilification, which is defined as an activity in public which incites hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of a person because of his/her race. The EOC urges members of the public to refrain from using racially derogatory language in the interest of promoting an inclusive society for all.
Learn more about the Race Discrimination Ordinance
Related News Highlights
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Looking for an easy way to stay updated on equal opportunities issues? The EOC has launched a mobile application which enables iPhone users to quickly stay informed about news and information on the anti-discrimination ordinances as well as the EOC’s work and contact information. A significant feature of the app is that it provides users with “Barrier-Free Access Support” to cater to the special needs of different users. For instance, the app provides accessibility functions of large text, large icon and yellow-on-black version and supports Traditional Chinese and English. In addition, the app features a mini-game which can be played by everyone, including people with visual or hearing impairment. The game enables users to experience a simulated aspect of the life of persons with visual impairment and better understand their needs in a relaxed way. In line with the EOC’s commitment to advancing access for all, the principle of “web accessibility” has been adopted and emphasized in the design of our smart phone app in order to facilitate access to online information and services by all segments of the community, including people with disability.
Read New Highlights: EOC shows vision on app (The Standard)
See the EOC iPhone App from iTunes Store
Read the press release
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To effectively spread the messages of equal opportunities among persons with visual impairment as well as elderly people, the EOC has produced videos with audio descriptions in collaboration with the Hong Kong Society for the Blind (HKSB). In these videos, the actions and scenes are verbally described, in addition to the original sound effects and dialogues. As a start, videos with audio descriptions were produced for one winning entry from the EOC’s past short video competition and 5 episodes of “A Mission for Equal Opportunities,” the EOC’s TV docu-drama in collaboration with RTHK. Dr. York CHOW Yat-Ngok, the EOC Chairperson, said, “Our videos with audio descriptions will provide people with visual impairment easy access to information about discrimination cases. In addition, they widen opportunities for people with visual impairment to share happy memories of viewing infotainment shows with their friends and families.” The videos have been uploaded for public viewing on the EOC’s YouTube channel. Please click on the link below for more details.
The EOC’s YouTube channel
Read the press release
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The second batch of the Community Participation Funding Programme (CPFP) 2013/14 is now open for application. The CPFP aims at encouraging eligible organisations to carry out projects which promote public understanding of equal opportunities, foster anti-discriminatory attitudes and encourage members of the public to support and apply the principles of equal opportunities in everyday life. Over the past 16 years, the EOC has supported over 890 projects by non-governmental organizations, community groups, and schools to promote public understanding of equal opportunities. The application deadline is 31 July 2013, and all applications should clearly state how the planned activities will promote equal opportunities, and/or advance anti-discriminatory attitudes and behaviours in order to be eligible for consideration. The maximum funding limit of each project is $50,000.
See more details on the CPFP
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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.