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International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) 2022

21/03/2022

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD), which falls on 21 March each year, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) rolled out a number of initiatives, including a series of three panel discussions on topics relevant to racial equality and inclusion. 

The upcoming panel on 23 March, which is the second in the series, focuses on intersectionalities of race and gender and other features that define one’s identity.  The first panel on 25 February was on cultural and religious inclusion in the workplace and brought together speakers from the Sikh and Muslim communities as well as employers who have put in place measures to foster an inclusive work culture. The third and final panel discussion on 13 April will cover the topic of inclusive communication.

The EOC encourages corporate bodies and other organisations to also mark this important day in their own way. A social media campaign giving various suggestions is ongoing. Recommendations include using photo frames and banners specially created by the EOC in their communication to show support for racial diversity and inclusion. IDERD activities and events being organised by NGOs and other bodies have been consolidated into a calendar and is being publicised through social media channels which companies can choose to join.

The EOC has also used this occasion to make a submission to the Chief Executive raising various points relating to better racial integration in Hong Kong. Apart from recommendations to improve racial diversity and inclusion in workplaces, the EOC has also suggested raising interactions among different communities and celebrating the rich diversity we have, with the Government taking the lead as announced in the 2021 Policy Address.

EOC Chairperson, Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin would like to remind everyone that “racial discrimination has no place in today’s diversified and connected societies”. He urges, “Employers of all sizes and from all industries must be aware of the advantages of having a racially and culturally diverse workforce. Service providers, education institutions and other segments of society too must embrace the principles of racial equality and inclusion. This can only come when people mix and mingle and get to know each other formally and informally.” 

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Equal Opportunities Commission
21 March 2022
 

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