Action urged on discrimination
ACTION is needed to curb discrimination against the handicapped and the elderly and to stop sexual harassment, according to a poll.
The survey, commissioned by the South China Morning Post, found most of the 600 respondents believed there was discrimination in the territory.
A total of 81.9 per cent of the respondents said either ''much'' or ''some'' action was needed to stop discrimination against the handicapped. Only 11.8 per cent said no action was needed.
Some form of action by the Government was also needed to curb discrimination against the elderly, according to 78.7 per cent.
On sexual harassment at work, 34.9 per cent said much government action was needed while 40.9 per cent said some was needed.
The Government announced draft equal opportunities legislation last week, but it was criticised by women and anti-discrimination groups as being too narrow.
The poll, by Asian Commercial Research, showed 40 per cent of women thought there was ''much need'' for action on sexual harassment, compared with 30 per cent of men.
Fifty-one per cent of the respondents said either much or some government action was needed to curb sex discrimination, while 41.4 per cent thought otherwise.
A total of 54.9 per cent said no action was needed to tackle the problem of racial discrimination.
This compared with 39.2 per cent of the respondents who thought there was much or some action needed.
Similarly, 53.7 per cent said no action was needed to curb discrimination for political beliefs.
Only 32.4 per cent held the view that much or some action was needed.
Ninety-nine respondents, or 16.5 per cent of the 600 people interviewed, said either they had been subjected to discrimination or they knew of people who had. They reported a total of 152 acts of discrimination.
