The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) welcomes the application of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) following the Convention coming into force for China on 31 August 2008.

 

“I am very pleased with the application of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the HKSAR,” said Mr. Raymond TANG, Chairperson of the EOC. Mr. TANG welcomed the government’s reaffirmation of its commitment to protect and promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.

 

In Hong Kong, the number of people having some kind of disability is expected to increase with the ageing of the population.

 

“As we get older, more and more of us will have reason to hope that our society really does put universal access and inclusion for people with disabilities into practice ---- whether it is a matter of being able to fully use and access housing, public transport, buildings or just basic services,” Mr. TANG said.

 

“In Hong Kong, we have in place the Disability Discrimination Ordinance which provides equality and non-discrimination protection for persons with disabilities, but there is much more to be done before full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in our society can be achieved,” Mr. TANG pointed out. “We must strive to remove barriers to physical and information access, ensure equal opportunity in employment and education, as well as provision of goods and services.”

 

“The Convention is only likely to make a real difference if its implementation is actively monitored and pursued,” Mr. TANG said.

 

In fulfilling the obligations of the Convention, Mr. TANG urged the government to undertake all necessary measures to ensure equality of rights to persons with disabilities. He pointed out that an important strategy for achieving the goal was mainstreaming the needs of the disability community at policy level.

 

“Mainstreaming equal opportunities means that equal opportunity considerations are fully incorporated at all stages of the policy formulation and implementation process. The policy making process should take equal opportunity perspectives into account and equal opportunities principles should be integrated into the everyday work of government from the outset,” elaborated Mr. TANG.

 

Mr. TANG pledged that the EOC would continue to work closely with the disability groups of the community in eliminating discrimination. The EOC is committed to achieving equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.

  

  

For media enquiry, please contact Ms. Mariana LAW at 2106-2226.

 

 

Equal Opportunities Commission
3 September 2008