In observance of the United Nations' International Women's Day, Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Mr. Raymond TANG said, "Today, we are aware that many more opportunities and choices are open to women, but challenging issues remain in realizing women's rights to ensure a fair and equitable environment for all. The Commission is focused on advocating gender equality, so that both genders can work together to transform their traditional roles in order to meet the different needs of women and men in Hong Kong."

Mr. TANG continued, "The EOC has taken active steps to address such concerns. In conjunction with the Women's Commission, we are undertaking a survey on family friendly policies to improve parenting and caring roles for men and women to achieve a better work/life balance. Overseas studies have shown that family friendly policies reduce retention costs for employers and increase productivity, as more committed staff enjoy a higher job satisfaction rate."  

"In the coming weeks, we shall be launching an e-training module on preventing sexual harassment in the workplace, and one of the new themes of our annual community participation funding scheme for 2006 is promoting gender equality. As education is crucial in raising awareness about equal rights, the Commission is working with numerous partners to eliminate sex stereotyping in our next generation. We are cooperating with the Curriculum Development Institute of the Education and Manpower Bureau to enhance understanding and acceptance of gender equality in the school curriculum," Mr. TANG said.  

"Promoting equality between men and women is one of the cornerstones of building a harmonious society for everyone," the Chairperson concluded.