Members of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) met today (Thursday, 15 March 2007) and discussed matters related to the Commission's business as listed in the following :

1. Update on Progress of Formal Investigation on Accessibility in Certain Publicly Accessible Premises
2. EOC's Work Plan for 2007/2008
3. Endorsement of Co-opted members of the Public Education and Research Committee (PERC)
4. Six-monthly Review of EOC's Work (July – December 2006)
5. Reports of the Legal & Complaints Committee, Community Participation & Publicity Committee and Administration & Finance Committee
6. Report on New Survey Studies Endorsed by the PERC

Commission Members reviewed the work progress in the latter half of 2006, and discussed the work plan of the Commission for this year and 2008. According to the EOC's corporate statement of values, strategies and objectives for the achievement of its vision and mission, major work functions have been mapped out to deal with public enquiry and complaints handling; to provide promotion, education and publicity; to conduct policy and research; to provide legal service and corporate support. 

Reports of the Legal and Complaints Committee, Community Participation and Publicity Committee and Administration and Finance Committee were presented to raise key information and decisions made at the meetings of these committees established under the EOC.

Members were also updated on two new surveys that have been endorsed by the Public Education and Research Committee. The first survey 'Study on Public Perception of Portrayal of Female Gender in the Hong Kong Media' was initiated in response to requests raised during the 63rd EOC Meeting that a survey be undertaken to examine public attitudes towards the treatment and coverage by the print media on women, its effect on people's behaviour and how the society perceive gender equality.

The second survey 'EO Awareness Survey 2007' was secured to evaluate public awareness and perception of the EOC's work, anti-discrimination ordinances and customer satisfaction levels.

Statistics for the first two months of 2007

From January to February 2007, a total of 108 complaints were received compared with 100 in the same period last year, representing an increase of 8%. An increase of 28% was recorded for complaints received under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance (DDO), 72 cases were received in the first two months of 2007, compared with 56 in the same period last year. Up until the end of February this year, 31 complaints were received under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO), a decrease of 23% over the same period in 2006, when 40 were received. Complaint cases received under the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance (FSDO) totaled 5 cases so far this year, 4 cases were received in the same period last year. By respective Ordinance, 67% of the complaints were on the DDO, 29% were on SDO and 4% on FSDO.

The Commission has recorded a significant increase in the number of pregnancy discrimination complaints in the first two months of 2007. 15 complaints on pregnancy discrimination were received compared with 10 in the same period last year, representing an increase of 50%.

Minutes of the 65th EOC meeting will be uploaded to the Commission's website at http://www.eoc.org.hk following Members' confirmation of its content at the next meeting on 14 June 2007.

Statistical Annex

Media enquiries : Ms. Mariana LAW (Tel : 2106-2226)