On 13 August, the EOC published the summer issue of its half-yearly journal Equality Perspectives, which was distributed to major business districts through the Hong Kong Economic Times.

This issue closes in on the subject of accessibility and encourages readers to walk a mile in the shoes of persons with disabilities (PWDs). Drawing on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the introduction reviews how accessible our city is – both the good and the bad – and stresses that disability arises not from an individual, but from barriers in the environment. It is followed by a deep-dive story on the challenges of enhancing the accessibility of public premises in Hong Kong, and a feature story about movies and matters of the heart – exploring how we could ensure equal access to art and entertainment for PWDs, and how their yearning for intimacy could be better accommodated.

The urgency for the Government to amend the Disability Discrimination Ordinance by introducing a distinct duty to provide reasonable accommodation for PWDs, as recommended by the EOC in its submission under the Discrimination Law Review (DLR) in 2016, cannot be overemphasised. By highlighting this in the journal, the EOC hopes to fulfil its commitments under its Strategic Plan 2016-19, specifically to solicit public support for the DLR recommendations, drive legislative change, and advance equal opportunities for PWDs.

• Read the journal now
• About the Disability Discrimination Ordinance
• Download the submission