I refer to the article headlined 'Hong Kong's blind spots on women's rights' (June 12), by Lam Wai-ha. Arising from the domestic violence case in Tin Shui Wai, Ms Lam expresses concern over an apparent lack of gender perspective in policies, including those aimed at women, such as family services. We are keenly aware of the importance of integrating gender needs and perspectives into policy-making. The Women's Commission, set up to advise the government, has made gender mainstreaming - or taking into account women's needs, concerns and experiences in policy-making - a top priority area of action. To facilitate gender mainstreaming in policy-making, we have developed an analytical tool - the 'gender mainstreaming checklist'. This helps officials conduct gender mainstreaming and evaluate the gender impact of public policy, programmes and legislation. It represents a significant change from the conventional policy-making process, in which it is often assumed that applying one policy to women and men would affect or benefit both genders in the same way or result in gender equality. Such assumptions are no longer accepted. The checklist requires policy-making officers to consider key issues, such as whether sex-disaggregated data has been compiled and analysed, whether community groups have been consulted, whether women's specific needs have been assessed, and whether staff have sufficient training on gender issues. The checklist was tested in five policy areas in 2002-03: health-care reform, family education, enhancing home and community care for the elderly, the allocation of secondary school places, and district council reviews. With feedback from the participants, the checklist and accompanying guidance notes were revised. In 2003-04, the checklist was used in these areas: IT education in the community, review of advisory and statutory bodies, and design of facilities in public buildings. The move towards gender mainstreaming was given further impetus early this year, when the chief executive pledged in his policy address that policies would take into account gender perspective, and that we would gradually introduce the use of the checklist in different policy areas. All bureaus and departments have now designated a directorate officer as the 'gender focal point'. To facilitate the gender mainstreaming process, training is being organised for civil servants to raise their awareness and equip them with basic gender analysis techniques. So far, more than 600, including staff in the Social Welfare Department and police, have been trained. As Ms Lam mentions the handling of domestic violence cases, I wish to point out that the safety of the victims is our prime concern. Each case is handled carefully, with regard given to the actual circumstances involved and what is in the best interests of those in question. As regards the seven-year residence requirement for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, the director of social welfare can exercise his discretion to waive the residence requirement in cases of genuine hardship. SALLY WONG for Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Fears of KCRC repeat Six months after it opened, the daily patronage of the KCRC's $46 billion West Rail is way below projection and seriously under-used. Would the KCRC care to explain why its proposed $8.3 billion Kowloon Southern Link, which connects West Rail with East Rail, will be economically viable given that there will be only one station, in relatively undeveloped West Kowloon, and no stops in high-density catchment areas such as Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui? And what is the Transport Bureau's stance on this? Let's pray that the company is not repeating its mistake of poor station planning as in the case of West Rail. TONY HO, Mid-Levels Hitting the rich I refer to the article 'Plugging profits tax loophole to give budget windfall', (June 17), about a new law that will close a loophole that had allowed the well-off to evade taxes. One legislator opposing the law called it 'discriminatory against the rich'. Funny, but I don't recall such lawmakers describing as 'discriminatory against the less fortunate' the levy on domestic helpers. Oh, hang on, that's because it was these discriminated-against rich people who proposed it. RENNIE MARQUES, Mei Foo Tussle with Singapore In response to Vicky Davies' letter ('Small-mindedness', June 18): I love to tease, I love it even better when the subject goes for the bait. There is nothing wrong with a bit of healthy rivalry or competition. That is what our great city is based on; that is how business grows. Besides, Wee Kek Koon was nice to say we had the better marketing and I had some nice words for Singapore's achievements. Enjoy Singapore next time you go there. JEFFRY KUPERUS, Clear Water Bay Extradite Dalai Lama I congratulate the Indian people on their wise and sensible choice in the elections last month. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is, as far as anybody can tell, a wise leader who will help steer the great nation of India towards prosperity and stability. It is important, however, not to get carried away. Unlike Pakistan, which, by its unrelenting assault on al-Qaeda, has demonstrated a sincere commitment to ending terror, Mr Manmohan has yet to prove his credentials. As a Chinese patriot, I suggest he extradite the Dalai Lama to the motherland, where he can face a fair trial by his peers. PAUL ZHU, Cheung Chau Citizenship switch An acquaintance named Tom recently told me that he and his Spanish wife were nine-year residents of Shanghai, and that two days beforehand, at age 59, he had become the proud father of his first child, a daughter. He and his wife had decided to come to Matilda Hospital in Hong Kong for the delivery. But Tom was unhappy about one thing. He had just left the American consulate after a lengthy, difficult and non-productive meeting. He had gone there to get his daughter her passport. An American, he thought this would be a standard procedure. He had produced his passport, the marriage certificate, and his daughter's birth certificate, but was told by a clerk that he did not have sufficient documentation. Tom requested a meeting with a higher official. He was granted a meeting with an assistant to the consulate's general counsel, who told Tom the US government had put in place new regulations covering the granting of passports to, among others, newborn children of American parentage. Tom must provide the past year's income tax filings, proof of residence in the US (driver's licence or utility bills), and court documents proving he was divorced 25 years ago. Astounded, Tom told the official that some, but not all, of these documents were at his home in Shanghai. The official indicated that due to Homeland Security and the events of 9/11, Tom would need to get these documents for his daughter to be granted a passport. Tom told the official this was not how the game would be played out, and promptly tore up the application forms. He went straight to the Consulate of Spain. He produced his wife's passport (she was still in hospital), their marriage certificate and the daughter's birth certificate. Within three hours, Tom's daughter was granted a Spanish passport. Tom and I recalled that Spain had endured a terrorist attack some weeks back, but that this tragedy had had no effect on his daughter gaining citizenship. Tom wondered aloud if President George W. Bush and company thought his newborn daughter was actually a threat to the safety of the US. I, too, am an American and thought that Mr Bush had, as on other occasions, gone too far. JAMES A. BARNES, Mid-Levels Considerate smoker? So Vince Pinto thinks he is a considerate smoker ('Compromise on smoking', June 13). Is he considerate enough to refrain from smoking at home so that his domestic helper and others who live with him do not smell his cigarettes and breathe in his exhaled smoke? He might argue that his helper can choose to leave his employment, but we all know this is not a serious option for most domestic helpers. Smokers have a nicotine addiction, which tends to prevent them from being considerate to the other 88 per cent of Hong Kong's population. They will always find ways to justify their habit and are constantly in denial about the dangers to themselves and others. Mr Pinto, the only considerate smoker is an ex-smoker. HELEN PLUMBLY, Mid-Levels
