The Legal System ❘ 35
the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) require governments to submit periodic reports to the United Nations (UN) treaty monitoring bodies plus other information requested by them. Hong Kong normally submits its reports as part of corresponding reports submitted by China, with the exception of the ICCPR which China has not yet ratified.
The UN Human Rights Council conducts a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights in all UN member states. Hong Kong's report is submitted as part of China's report for the review.
With the exception of the ICCPR, Hong Kong Government representatives attend hearings of relevant treaty bodies as part of the Chinese delegation. In the case of the ICCPR, Hong Kong attends it under the leadership of the Chinese Permanent Ambassador to the UN.
During the year, Hong Kong submitted its second report on ICERD as part of China's report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In November, Hong Kong's second report on CAT was examined by the UN Committee Against Torture, as part of China's fourth and fifth reports. The report of Hong Kong under the UPR mechanism was submitted to the UN as part of China's report in November.
Promotion of Racial Equality and Harmony
The Race Discrimination Ordinance
The Race Discrimination Ordinance was enacted in July to protect the rights of individuals against discrimination, harassment and vilification on racial grounds. Sections of the Ordinance empowering the Equal Opportunities Commission to carry out its work were implemented in October. Full implementation of the Ordinance is expected to take place in 2009.
The Committee on the Promotion of Racial Harmony
The Committee was established in 2002. It advises the Government on promotion of racial harmony and equality, formulates proposals for race related public education and publicity, and oversees a funding scheme to subsidise publicity and public education activities by non-governmental organisations. Secretariat support is provided by the Race Relations Unit of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB).
The Race Relations Unit
The unit was set up in 2002 to promote the interests of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. It operates a hotline for complaints and enquires about race relations, runs an outreach education programme in schools, sponsors language classes conducted by non-governmental organisations, produces radio programmes in different ethnic minority languages in collaboration with the Government's radio
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