Press Releases
Women's Commission celebrates International Women's Day 2005
The following is issued on behalf of the Women's Commission:
The Women's Commission (WoC), together with guests from women's groups and
various sectors of the community, celebrated International Women's Day 2005 at a
reception today (March 8).
At the reception, the WoC also presented awards to 16 winners of the "Women in
Hong Kong: Harmony and Balance" Creative Competition organised jointly by the
commission, Hong Kong Education City Limited and Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio 2.
Speaking on behalf of the WoC chairperson, Mrs Sophie Leung, WoC member
Professor Fanny Cheung said that advancement of women's status, rights and
opportunities was a long-term process.
"The commission will press on with its work and is confident of meeting
challenges ahead in promoting mutual respect and harmony between the sexes," she
said.
In reviewing the work of the WoC in the past four years, Prof Cheung said the
WoC had focused its work on the three priority areas: gender mainstreaming,
empowerment of women and public education with the aim to create an enabling
environment and promote capacity building for women.
"The commission will continue to adopt a strategic approach in developing its
priority of work," she said. Prof Cheung pointed out the commission would focus
its attention on women¡¦s safety, nurturing of a caring family, and gender
awareness this year. These are basic areas affecting women that would need
further sustainable actions.
The commission sees domestic violence as a major threat to women's safety that
warrants priority action. Building on its catalytic and central coordinating
role, the commission is planning to roll out a declaration/booklet on zero
tolerance of domestic violence, and to enhance community support through
development of a district focal point network.
Recognising parenting education as an important element in developing nurturing
and caring families, the WoC is formulating strategies to promote and raise
public awareness on the importance of quality parenting in Hong Kong.
On gender awareness, the commission believed that elimination of gender
stereotyping should start early in life in order to be effective and enduring.
It is championing collaborative efforts to enhance gender awareness in school
education, the media and the general public.
The "Women in Hong Kong: Harmony and Balance" Creative Competition, targeted at
primary and secondary school students, was held last December to encourage and
stimulate the younger generation to think more about women-related issues and
express ideas on how they see the roles, challenges and barriers of women
nowadays.
Forty primary and secondary schools had joined the contest and more than 160
submissions, including static and animated contents, were received.
"We are glad to see that the creative competition has received favourable
response from the students. We are particularly impressed by the creativity and
ideas of the contestants," Prof Cheung said.
Also officiating at today's reception were the Secretary for Health, Welfare and
Food, Dr York Chow, and the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food,
Mrs Carrie Yau.
Ends/Tuesday, March 8, 2005
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