https://www.scmp.com/rss/323094/feed Professor Alfred C. M. Chan is the chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission. He has been both a practitioner in welfare services for older persons and an academic in social gerontology. He was a member of the Hong Kong World Health Organisation Quality of Life Instruments (Elderly) Study Team (2002-6), and a consultant on ageing and social development issues for the United Nations Economics and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (2001-2015). en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Before I took the helm of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) in 2016, I was a gerontology professor and had for years worked closely with undergraduate and postgraduate students on a daily basis. This experience tells me that young people in Hong Kong are in fact talented, wise and passionate about shaping our society’s future.  Which is why I was dismayed by the findings of our latest study on sexual harassment of local university students: almost one in four students (23 per cent) were... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2184661/hong-kongs-universities-have-sexual-harassment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2184661/hong-kongs-universities-have-sexual-harassment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Feb 2019 03:00:00 +0000 Politicians try to be popular; leaders try to do the right thing. I cannot help but dwell on this saying as celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights spring up across the world this month. Adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948, the declaration proclaimed that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”, with the hope of ending injustice, allaying fears of oppression, and reigniting faith in humanity in the aftermath of the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2176763/true-leaders-fight-prejudice-social-progress-so?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2176763/true-leaders-fight-prejudice-social-progress-so?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Dec 2018 01:00:45 +0000 Most arguments against any advocacy for minority rights boil down to this: “You’re doing just fine the way things are. There’s no need for change.” One could facilely wield the same logic against LGBTI people in Hong Kong, who seem to be in no immediate danger, at least not when compared to those living through ridicule and life-threatening ordeals elsewhere – in Ecuador, for instance, where gay men have been subject to “corrective rape” at unlicensed rehab clinics, or in Indonesia where... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2146219/hong-kongs-lgbti-community-needs-legal-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2146219/hong-kongs-lgbti-community-needs-legal-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 May 2018 09:33:58 +0000 As we approach another International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, it is a good time to take stock of the racial landscape in Hong Kong. Though still predominantly homogenous, the demographic mix in Hong Kong has seen an increase in the number of non-Chinese in the past 10 years. According to the 2016 population by-census, the number of ethnic minorities increased significantly, by 70.8 per cent, over the past 10 years, with increases owing to the higher numbers of Filipino... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2137821/hong-kong-must-see-its-young-ethnic-minorities-asset-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2137821/hong-kong-must-see-its-young-ethnic-minorities-asset-not?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Mar 2018 06:45:55 +0000 The #MeToo global social media movement, triggered by allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, generated little noise in this part of the world. A district councillor who shared her account of being sexually harassed with an online newspaper was even criticised for joining the “Me Too” conversation to gain publicity. But, then, sexual harassment has never been an easy topic to discuss. On the one hand, as a product of power imbalance, it instils fear in the victims, the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2121880/why-hong-kong-needs-join-metoo-movement-against-sexual?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2121880/why-hong-kong-needs-join-metoo-movement-against-sexual?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Nov 2017 06:18:12 +0000 The discussion about employment benefits for part-time employees has been ongoing for some years as part of a wider discussion of the system of employment benefits. Under the Employment Ordinance, continuous employment is defined as working for the same employer for four weeks or more, and for at least 18 hours a week. Only employees engaged under a continuous contract are entitled to most benefits, including sick leave, annual leave and annual pay, rest days, maternity and paternity leave and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2106470/give-hong-kongs-part-time-workers-their-due-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2106470/give-hong-kongs-part-time-workers-their-due-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Aug 2017 05:00:40 +0000 Mental health has been in the news lately. After the World Health ­Organi­sation last month announced a year-long campaign to raise awareness about depression, Britain’s Prince Harry spoke openly about his stifled grief and near-mental breakdown following the death of his mother. Then there was Hong Kong’s much-discussed film Mad World , with its young protagonist struggling with bipolar disorder. As his family disintegrates, he crumbles under the strain of having to care for his ailing,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2094100/mental-health-care-hong-kong-falls-woefully-short-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2094100/mental-health-care-hong-kong-falls-woefully-short-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 May 2017 03:33:06 +0000 In July last year, non-profit organisation CareER conducted a survey to examine the employment situation among highly educated people with disabilities. Only 59 per cent of the 206 interviewed were employed at the time of the survey, whereas 28 per cent had never held a job. Over a third said it had taken them over six months to land their jobs. Founded by Walter Tsui Yu-hang, who was born with visual impairment and had experienced the woes of finding employment despite his economics degree and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2088204/hong-kong-employers-know-benefits-diverse-workplace-so-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2088204/hong-kong-employers-know-benefits-diverse-workplace-so-why?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Apr 2017 09:27:51 +0000 Hong Kong is at a tipping point for securing equality for its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community. More than half of Hongkongers support legislation against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status. And now, for the first time in Asia, such legislation has been called for by a diverse group of companies representing Hong Kong’s thriving business sector. With a new leader and government due to be in place in July, now is the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2080789/its-time-laws-protect-workers-all-sexual-orientations-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2080789/its-time-laws-protect-workers-all-sexual-orientations-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Mar 2017 07:52:10 +0000 Too often, society views disability as an individual deficit, and people with disabilities are often presumed to be less capable. Much like Wilbur the black cat in the 1980s children’s book series, Winnie the Witch – who was turned multicoloured for a while so his owner could spot him better in her black house – it is assumed that unless their impairments are “fixed”, people with disabilities would not be able to function “normally”. This limited view of people with disabilities is deeply... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2069073/closed-minds-biggest-barrier-people-disabilities-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2069073/closed-minds-biggest-barrier-people-disabilities-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Feb 2017 08:18:21 +0000 The fact that income inequality is serious in Hong Kong is not news. The Gini coefficient of this global financial centre is a scathing 0.537, placing it among the ranks of developing countries like Namibia and Haiti. Ever-rising living expenses, especially sky-high rents, have left nearly one million people, or one in every seven, in poverty, according to the Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report 2015. Life is even harder for people with disabilities, who make up 7.4 per cent (499,400) of the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2065247/people-disabilities-hong-kong-need-jobs-not-just-handouts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2065247/people-disabilities-hong-kong-need-jobs-not-just-handouts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jan 2017 04:11:14 +0000 In seemingly the blink of an eye, the Equal Opportunities Commission has completed 20 years of serving the Hong Kong community. On December 20, 1996, the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, under which the commission was established, came into full force when its employment-related provisions became effective. Since then, the EOC has been implementing the four related ordinances to give voice to those facing discrimination on the grounds of their sex, marital status, family status, pregnancy,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2055718/20-years-and-fight-against-prejudice-and-bias-continues-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2055718/20-years-and-fight-against-prejudice-and-bias-continues-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Dec 2016 07:11:21 +0000 Does the name Lung Wai-hin ring a bell? She was the girl who appeared in a memorable TV commercial more than a decade ago that uplifted the spirits of people in Hong Kong in the midst of the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic. Her cheerful face and “happy dance” are still at the back of many minds today. Lung is also remembered for her inspiring story. She lost her sight as a baby due to a tumour in her retina but never grew despondent. She studied at Hong Kong’s Ebenezer School and Home... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2049159/help-students-special-needs-succeed-hong-kong-universities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2049159/help-students-special-needs-succeed-hong-kong-universities?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Nov 2016 03:59:36 +0000 In the midst of the cheers and glory of the Rio Olympics, a friend forwarded to me the trailer for the Paralympic Games, produced by British broadcaster Channel 4, which completely blew my mind. In the three-minute video, titled We are the Superhumans , we see individuals with disabilities doing extraordinary things. The message is clear: people with disabilities can achieve no less, at times even more, than their able-bodied counterparts in all areas, including competitive sports. Going for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2017081/hong-kongs-paralympic-stars-offer-real-eye-opener-extent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2017081/hong-kongs-paralympic-stars-offer-real-eye-opener-extent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Sep 2016 05:59:58 +0000 For most people, the natural thing to do when nature calls is to go to the bathroom. But, for transgender people and especially those going through gender transitioning, a visit to a public bathroom often entails jitters, embarrassment and even encounters with the police. In May, the media reported that a transgender woman was stopped by law enforcement officers after using the female bathroom in a shopping mall, and then advised to have the “gender” indicator on her identity card changed and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2014839/going-public-bathroom-should-not-be-trial-anyone-least-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2014839/going-public-bathroom-should-not-be-trial-anyone-least-all?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Sep 2016 06:13:08 +0000 Since taking up the chairmanship of the Equal Opportunities Commission in April, I have emphasised my commitment to advancing equal opportunities for marginalised and underprivileged groups in society. One such group is ethnic minorities. Of particular concern are their education and employment opportunities. I recently heard the case of a Pakistani mother who went to a local kindergarten to get an admission form for her son. She spoke to a staff member through the intercom from outside the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2005089/free-kindergarten-education-hong-kong-welcome-step-towards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2005089/free-kindergarten-education-hong-kong-welcome-step-towards?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Aug 2016 06:34:08 +0000