Equal Opportunities Commission (Hong Kong)
| 平等機會委員會 | |
| Abbreviation | EOC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1996 |
| Type | Statutory Body |
| Headquarters | 16/F., 41 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang |
| Location | |
Chairperson | Alfred CHAN Cheung-ming |
|
Cecilia CHAN Lai-wan | |
Budget (2017) | HK$112,510,994 |
| Expenses (2017) | HK$115,380,579 |
| Equal Opportunities Commission | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 平等機會委員會 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is a government-funded statutory body in Hong Kong, established in 1996, responsible for implementing the various anti-discrimination ordinances in Hong Kong. The Commission is committed to promoting diversity and equality, fostering an inclusive society in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.[1]
Mission
The Commission's mission is to eliminate discrimination, to promote equal opportunities, and to help people understand their rights and obligations under Hong Kong's anti-discrimination legislation and provide redress for discrimination. At present, the anti-discrimination ordinances in Hong Kong are:
- the Sex Discrimination Ordinance
- the Disability Discrimination Ordinance
- the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance
- the Race Discrimination Ordinance
The main functions of the EOC are to: investigate complaints and issues related to its mandate to uphold the anti-discrimination ordinances and act as an intermediary between affected parties, to issues codes of practice and guidelines for implementing the ordinances, to propose legislative amendments relevant to the elimination of discrimination, and to provide educational services to promote awareness of the ordinances.[2]
History
List of Chairpersons
| Name | Photo | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna WU 胡紅玉 |
 |
1 August 1999 - 31 July 2003 | |
| Michael WONG Kin-chow 王見秋 |
1 August 2003 - 6 November 2003 | ||
| Patricia CHU YEUNG Pak-yu 朱楊珀瑜 |
15 December 2003 - 15 December 2004 | ||
| Raymond TANG Yee-Bong 鄧爾邦 |
12 January 2005 – 28 February 2010 | ||
| LAM Woon-kwong 林煥光 |
 |
1 February 2010 – 31 March 2013 | |
| Dr. York CHOW Yat-Ngok 周一嶽 |
 |
1 April 2013 – 31 March 2016 | |
| Prof. Alfred CHAN Cheung-ming 陳章明 |
11 April 2016 – |
Controversies
The 'Michael Wong Kin-chow incident'
In 2003, Michael Wong Kin-chow was removed as the Chairman of the EOC after an investivation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) revealed that Mr Wong had deliberately made improper applications to the HKSAR government for reimbursement of several first-class flights between 1998 and 2001, valued at HK$171,666.[3] It was also reported that Mr Wong had continued to draw his pension as a former High Court judge while he was employed at the EOC. The ICAC's report was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in November 2005 who ultimately decided not to proceed with prosecution.[4]
Statements by Alfred Chen
On 1 June 2016, a concern was raised by some legislators that the newly appointed Chairperson, Prof Alfred Chen, had expressed views which suggested he was not suitably aware of the key issues necessary to execute his duties as head of the EOC. These included a dismissal of the need to address the lack of any anti-discrimination ordinance to protect sexual minorities, confusion of concepts such as gender identity and sexual orientation, and declaring that the EOC should echo the views of the government.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ Information Services Department " The Equal Opportunities Commission", Hong Kong: The Facts, Hong Kong, June 2015. Retrieved on 6 December 2017.
- ↑ Community Legal Information Centre "What are the functions and duties of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)?", University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2017, Accessed on 6 December 2017
- ↑ The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. "Statement by the Director of Public Prosecutions on the case of Mr Michael Wong Kin-chow", Press Release, Hong Kong, 25 January 2006, Retrieved on 6 December 2017
- ↑ Legislative Council Secretariat. "Background brief for the meeting on 23 October 2006: The case of Mr Michael WONG Kin-chow", Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services, Hong Kong, 20 October 2006, Retrieved on 6 December 2017
- ↑ The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. "LCQ2: Appointment of Chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission", Press Release, Hong Kong, 1 June 2016, Retrieved on 6 December 2017
External links