Plans to rejuvenate Hong Kong must include a focus on child rights
- Readers urge the government to address the needs of the city’s children who have been adversely affected by the 2019 unrest and the pandemic, discuss the mental health toll of China’s zero-Covid policy on the youth, and argue that Hong Kong NGOs should focus on the local elderly
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification.
Our beloved city has suffered greatly in recent years, especially children in their crucial developmental years. We need a committed government to lead in rebuilding the city by collaborating with the child welfare community and listening to children and youth directly.
As child rights experts, we have witnessed the harm done to children and the youth in recent years; if not addressed properly, the social cost could be very high. We have urged the government to form an expert-led task force to look into the harm caused to children and young people by the 2019 social unrest and Covid-19 pandemic.
During the 2019 unrest, many children were traumatised by exposure to conflict and social insecurity. Since the unrest, 1,754 children under 18 have been arrested, and around 500 charged. The government needs to allocate funds to help them receive rehabilitative care to support their return to school and society, by collaborating with experts, professional groups and NGOs. Failure to do so would be a costly and unconscionable waste of the next generation.
Lockdowns, school closures, virtual learning, disruption of social interaction and a lack of play space and activities have affected children’s physical and mental development. These years have been particularly challenging for children with special needs and in poverty.
The community has been shocked by the recent string of child abuse cases. The government proposal to introduce mandatory reporting of child abuse is not a panacea, but an essential first step. It must not delay conducting a comprehensive review of child protection laws to codify the “best interests of the child” principle.
The Commission on Children has operated in Hong Kong for over four years as an advisory body. But it hasn’t been able to function with sufficient speed and force due to its structure and absence of clear powers. We urge the government to redesign the commission, following the minimum international standards and drawing reference from the over 200 independent human rights institutions in more than 70 countries.
Public engagement is key to public policy formulation. We urge the government to devise special consultation programmes, channels and imaginative communication strategies to consult and communicate with children. It should begin with the bureaus and departments directly related to children.
We hope the new government will reach out to children and young people more often, and listen to and interact genuinely with them. As child rights advocates, we promise to continue to share our views, represent the interests of children in Hong Kong, and share their views as we understand them.
Billy Wong, executive secretary, Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights
Toll of lockdowns on youth mental health needs attention
In recent months, there has been concern that China’s stringent zero-Covid measures are taking a heavy toll on youth mental health.
As a student, I agree that Covid-19 measures have affected our mental health negatively. Your report, “China’s strict zero-Covid measures take a large-scale toll on youth mental health”, (August 30) highlighted the case of a 20-year-old who had a breakdown in December. She found herself sobbing on the stairs of her university dormitory after repeated campus lockdowns. She was diagnosed with depression and anxiety.
I identify with her experience. In August, I was subject to a Covid-19 isolation order. I didn’t leave my room for a week. By the second day, I felt anxious. The week felt like a month. I am a lively person who loves outdoor activities. I can understand how someone subjected to repeated lockdowns would feel.
In 2020, China’s Education Ministry estimated that some 220 million Chinese children and young people were confined for prolonged periods under Covid-19 restrictions.
Around a fifth of Chinese junior and senior high school students grappling with online learning during lockdowns contemplated the idea of suicide, according to a survey of 39,751 pupils conducted in April 2020 and published in US journal Current Psychology. Baidu searches for “psychological counselling” more than tripled year on year in the first seven months of the year.
While the government needs to impose measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, it must also attend to people’s mental health. Perhaps schools on the mainland could set up counselling services for both students and teachers, while universities should strengthen these services.
Karen Zhou, Tseung Kwan O
Hong Kong’s elderly deserve more aid
I write in response to the letter, “More must be done to end inequalities Hong Kong’s elderly women face” (September 30). Perhaps more NGOs could consider raising funds for the elderly by getting people to sign up to make a small monthly contribution, in the same way some organisations do to save the polar bears or children in countries affected by war.
I have always wondered why our NGOs seem, strangely, to care so much about something or someone a million miles away instead of focusing on the vulnerable lives around us. Those who support local residents in need can see their reactions when they receive help. We need more NGOs to focus on improving the lives of our elderly, such as delivering meals to them and taking steps to ensure they don’t have to labour at their advanced age.
Those working in this area need the same momentum and determination of the medical professionals on the front lines of the fight against Covid-19. We need a sustainable approach, including when it comes to funding, to helping elderly Hongkongers.
Edmond Pang, Fanling