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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1992
SEX DISCRIMINATION NOT SERIOUS IN HK
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A
WORKING GROUP CHAIRED BY THE SECRETARY FOR
EDUCATION AND MANPOWER HAS FOUND THAT SEX DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT IS NOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN HONG KONG.
"AS THE LABOUR MARKET IS TIGHT AND THERE ARE FEW IMPEDIMENTS TO MOBILITY OF LABOUR, THERE IS LITTLE SCOPE FOR EMPLOYERS TO ADOPT DISCRIMINATORY EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES UNRELATED TO THE WORK CAPACITY OF EMPLOYEES", A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
BETWEEN
HE ALSO SAID STATISTICS SHOWED THAT WAGE DIFFERENTIALS MEN AND WOMEN HAD PROGRESSIVELY NARROWED AS A RESULT OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT IN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.
THE RATIO OF WOMEN'S MEDIAN INCOME TO MEN'S 1S ABOUT 78 PER CENT, COMPARED WITH 69 PER CENT IN 1981.
THE CURRENT RATIO IS COMPARABLE TO THOSE IN WESTERN COUNTRIES, FOR EXAMPLE THE UNITED KINGDOM.
THE WORKING GROUP ALSO FOUND THAT ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
MAY OFFER AVENUES FOR REDRESS TO THOSE WHO HAVE
LEGISLATION DISCRIMINATION.
IT WOULD GIVE RISE TO RIGIDITIES IN EMPLOYMENT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE.
THE
WORKING
SUFFERED
PRACTICES AND
GROUP HAS
NOTWITHSTANDING THESE FINDINGS, RECOMMENDED THAT THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY SHOULD BE FURTHER EXPLORED THROUGH PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON A WIDE BASIS.
PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATION, THE WORKING GROUP DOES NOT RECOMMEND THE EXTENSION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW) TO HONG KONG.
**THE EXTENSION OF CEDAW ΤΟ HONG KONG WOULD
THE REQUIRE
WHICH ENACTMENT OF MAJOR ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG, MAY GIVE RISE TO PROBLEMS IN THE EMPLOYMENT FIELD. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE BILL, OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE HAS GONE A
WAY TOWARDS CONSIDERABLE MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF CEDAW, THE SPOKEMAN SAID.
IT
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