Members of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) met on 17 December 2015 at the 112th EOC meeting and discussed various matters related to the Commission’s business, including the planned release of three major research reports in the first quarter of 2016. They are:

i)  The “Exploratory Study on Age Discrimination in Employment”, which aims to identify the types of age discrimination encountered by employees in the workplace and how serious the situation is in Hong Kong;

ii) The “Study on Legislating against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status”, which seeks to systematically understand discrimination encountered by sexual minorities and make recommendations on the feasibility of legislating against discrimination on such grounds; and

iii) The report on submissions in response to the Discrimination Law Review public consultation, along with the Commission’s recommendations to the Government on potential reforms to the existing anti-discrimination legislation.

Dr. York CHOW, the EOC Chairperson, said: “We have had a busy year in 2015. As we reflected on the various happenings through the past 12 months, we can see steady progress in our various strategic priority work areas. During the year, we implemented a range of initiatives and collaborated with different stakeholders and partners on campaigns, which will impact our future equality landscape. Looking ahead into 2016, we will continue to make further progress, such as by announcing the findings of the Discrimination Law Review and a number of studies. We hope that the findings of these studies will facilitate the open and ongoing discussions of the community on issues of discrimination, and bring us forward, as we strive to build a fairer and more inclusive society for all.”

Read the press release

On 15 December 2015, EOC Member, Dr. Trisha Leahy, represented the EOC to participate in the “Closing the science gender gap: Perspectives from the UK and Hong Kong” panel discussion organised by the British Council. The event, aiming at professionals from the education, scientific research, policy and related sectors, examined the current situation of women in science in Hong Kong and the UK, including measures for professional support, childcare, and institutional change towards equality. The panel also shared their visions on the future for women in science. In her opening remarks at the event, Dr. Leahy noted that “There is a visible gender gap in the STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] sector which is already reflected at high school and University level. There may be multiple factors combining to inadvertently steer girls and young women into other fields.” She highlighted the importance of encouraging women and girls to pursue careers in the sciences, the mainstreaming of gender into best practice work environments, and the promotion of women role models in the STEM sector which continues to face talent shortages, in light of Hong Kong’s rapidly ageing population. “Supporting more women and girls in Hong Kong to study and pursue careers in the sciences and technology fields is necessary for our continued growth and development,” added Dr. Leahy.

 

The International Migrants Day, which falls on 18 December, provides an opportunity to recognise the wide range of contributions made by migrants to the development and progress of society, and renewing our commitment to ensuring that migrants can enjoy a life of respect and dignity. In Hong Kong, migrant workers, particularly foreign domestic workers, play an important role in the city’s growth. However, many migrant workers are vulnerable to unfair treatment and harassment due to their gender, race and/or illness. To enhance the awareness and understanding of the anti-discrimination legislation among foreign domestic workers, the EOC regularly conducts outreach and activities through collaboration with major stakeholders, including the Consulates-General, NGOs and religious organisations. These activities included: six talks provided since November 2015 to migrant workers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh respectively, as well as four articles covering discrimination on the ground of disability and marital status published in newspapers for the Filipino and Indonesian communities respectively. Additionally, to foster our continuous engagement with various migrant worker groups, the EOC attended three major events of the migrant workers’ communities and distributed leaflets on the protection against sexual harassment and discrimination.

		The EOC also contributed to Justice without Borders’ newly-launched “Practitioner's Manual for Migrant Workers: Pursuing Civil Claims in Hong Kong and From Abroad”. The publication was designed for lawyers and service providers as a screening tool for civil litigation when rights of migrant workers are violated, with the aim of assisting migrant workers who have been mistreated to gain access to just compensation. Interested parties may contact Justice without Borders for more details.

Meanwhile, the EOC is working on a leaflet for foreign domestic workers and their employers on their rights and responsibilities towards a sexual harassment-free workplace. We expect the leaflet will be published in the first quarter of 2016.

The United Nations: International Migrants Day
“I am a migrant” global campaign of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
A World of Colours: the EOC’s Resource Webpage on Racial Equality
Justice without Borders

In order to promote understanding on the advantages of fostering an inclusive workplace to small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EOC participated again in Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s World SME Expo, which was held from 3 to 5 December at Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre. The EOC promoted the messages of “Want a win-win employment relationship? An equal opportunities workplace can help you” and “An equal opportunities workplace relies on the contributions of employers and employees” at the Expo. Additionally, representatives from the Commission distributed over 3,300 promotional publications and 2,600 souvenirs to Expo visitors. Positive feedback was received from attendees of the SME Expo, including for the booth’s design as well as the helpfulness of our staff members Overall, nearly 91% respondents considered the EOC booth “very good” or “good”.

More about the SME Expo

To enhance public understanding of the various types of discrimination cases received by the Commission, the EOC has updated the EO Casebook, first published in 2012, with new cases to clarify the application of the four anti-discrimination ordinances and widen the awareness of everyone’s rights and responsibilities. The new cases illustrate different situations of discrimination, including in the provision of services and management of premises that affect various groups in the community, such as breastfeeding women and ethnic minorities. The EO Casebook 2015 is now available on the EOC website to facilitate convenient viewing by members of the public.

See the EO Casebook 2015