As Hong Kong grapples with a third wave of COVID-19 infections, the responsibility is now on everyone to observe social distancing and mask-wearing rules. We are all in this together, and while we fight for better days to come, we must not let our fear and anxiety give way to prejudice and undue discrimination against others.

Back in March 2020, the EOC created a dedicated webpage to address discrimination and other issues of concern sparked by the pandemic, featuring statements and articles released by the Commission, highlights of press interviews given by EOC Chairperson, Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin, as well as information on relevant NGO services. The platform has since expanded to include a set of FAQ for foreign domestic workers and their employers, which is available in six languages, namely Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, English, Nepali, Tagalog and Thai. Check in on our webpage as we provide updates based on the Government’s announcements and other developments.

The Spring 2020 issue of the EOC’s journal Equality Perspectives, released in May, also offers an explainer of Hong Kong’s anti-discrimination laws and how they may apply to scenarios arising from the outbreak. Click the link below to learn more.

The EOC is now calling for a second batch of applications for the 2020/21 Community Participation Funding Programme.

The programme, launched in 1997, has benefited close to 1,200 projects designed to promote equal opportunities and raise awareness of Hong Kong’s anti-discrimination laws, namely the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, Disability Discrimination Ordinance, Family Status Discrimination Ordinance and Race Discrimination Ordinance.

Each approved project will receive a maximum of HK$50,000 in funding. From schools to NGOs and workers’ unions, past grantees have organised sign language singing contests, talks for migrant domestic workers, and experimental theatre performances about carers, among other initiatives.

Apply on or before 18 September 2020 if you already have an idea in mind and just need a helping hand to get it off the ground. A Cantonese briefing session will be held on 5 August 2020 (Wednesday) from 11am to 12:15pm, and an English session on 7 August 2020 (Friday) from 4pm to 5:15pm. Both will take place on Zoom.

For enquiries, please contact the EOC Office at 2511 8211 or eoc@eoc.org.hk.

Is discrimination a civil or criminal offence? How does the EOC handle complaints? What does conciliation mean?

If you are eager to find out the answers to these questions, be sure to check out a recent interview given by EOC Chairperson, Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin on RTHK Radio 1’s programme “Mediation Mission” on 18 July 2020. In addition to the Commission’s work on complaint-handling, Mr Chu shared his take on some of the hotly debated questions amid COVID-19, and touched on the legislative review work in the EOC’s pipeline. Click the link below to listen to the interview.

This coming week, 1-7 August, marks the annual World Breastfeeding Week launched in 1992 to generate public awareness and support for breastfeeding around the globe.

Here in Hong Kong, we recently saw a major milestone in the city’s legal protection for the rights of breastfeeding women, as the Discrimination Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2020, gazetted on 19 June 2020, has outlawed direct and indirect discrimination on the ground of breastfeeding in various domains of public life (effective from 19 June 2021).

Every member and sector of society can play a part in fostering a breastfeeding-friendly culture in Hong Kong. To educate the public and staff of public premises on how to support breastfeeding women, the Department of Health has released a series of animated videos on its website and YouTube channel. Click the link below to watch the videos.