In supporting the International Women’s Day, Mr. Raymond Tang, Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) said that gender equality and gender dignity are important issues. “The recent incident of online circulation of indecent photos has led us to reflect upon the issues arising from the objectification of the human body and its use for commercial gain,” said Mr. Tang. “We believe that there should be mutual respect between individuals and between genders, which is a vital pre-requisite for social harmony. Our society needs to be more accommodating and less prejudiced. It is incumbent upon us to properly address the issue of gender dignity in earnest so that we may move forward to a healthier and more caring society. ”

 

Apart from gender dignity, the EOC is also concerned about gender rights and employment issues facing women. Mr. Tang said, “Although women’s status has improved steadily over the past decades, and the government and society have provided different kinds of support, there are still many hurdles in employment that women have to overcome.”

 

Mr. Tang continued, “Many grassroots women in Hong Kong are faced with problems such as low-level jobs, low wages and working poverty. Some of these women are single parents who assume dual roles. Their situation warrants our attention.” Pregnancy-related complaints have accounted for the majority of the sex discrimination complaints received by the EOC. In view of this, the EOC has launched two TV APIs about pregnancy discrimination a few months ago, in order to remind employers that they should not discriminate staff or applicants on the ground of pregnancy. The EOC is stepping up its promotional efforts to enhance awareness. The TV APIs about pregnancy discrimination have been uploaded to the EOC website (www.eoc.org.hk) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/HKEOC).

 

The EOC has recently introduced a new webpage entitled “Reflections in Brief”, containing articles on topical issues that facilitate discussions, including reflections on the recent online circulation of indecent photos, and the mainstreaming of equal opportunities. The articles outlining the EOC’s views and reflections can be used as teaching materials for liberal studies and Chinese/English language studies.

 

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