XN000022-1985-02-05 — Page 9

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1985

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WOMEN'S GROUP MORE ACTIVE

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THE YIN NGAI SOCIETY MOVEMENT, A WOMEN'S ORGANISATION, WAS GATHERING MOMENTUM AND A SENSE OF BELONGING AND PRIDE HAD EMERGED SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES SAID TODAY.

+THIS YEAR THE ORGANISATION WILL MOVE INTO A NEW PHASE WITH THE FORMATION OF A CENTRAL COUNCIL TO CO-ORDINATE ACTIVITIES FOR ALL YIN NGAI SOCIETIES AND TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER WOMEN'S ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

SPEAKING AT THE PO LEUNG KUK DIRECTORS' LUNCHEON MEETING,

MR AKERS-JONES SAID: THE STRENGTH OF THE YIN NGAI, WHICH SYMBOLISES TRADITIONAL VIRTUE, DETERMINATION AND DRIVE, LIES AMONG THE PEOPLE AND ITS DOWN-TO-EARTH APPROACH IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF HOUSEWIVES.

+SINCE THE INAUGURATION OF THE FIRST YIN NGAI IN 1981, THE NUMBER HAS INCREASED TO A TOTAL OF 24 WITH A MEMBERSHIP OF MORE THAN 3 000, AND MORE SOCIETIES ARE IN THE PIPELINE, MR AKERS- JONES SAID.

HE SAID THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN HONG KONG HAD CHANGED CONSPICUOUSLY OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, AS SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUED TO BE IMPROVED.

+WE HAVE COMPRESSED DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN MANY TENS OF YEARS TO MATURE IN OTHER COUNTRIES INTO A DECADE IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

+ THE INTRODUCTION OF PRIMARY EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN IN 1971 WAS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE PROCESS OF THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN HONG KONG, BECAUSE, FROM THEN ON, EVERY GIRL WENT TO SCHOOL.

+EVERY GIRL HAS A SECONDARY EDUCATION AND MANY AFTER COMPLETING THEIR YEARS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS GO ON TO OUR TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, AND OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 9 800 STUDYING FOR A FIRST DEGREE AT OUR UNIVERSITIES, 3 500 ARE GIRLS, HE SAID,

MR AKERS-JONES SAID THAT EVEN THE ROLE OF HOUSEWIVES HAD CHANGED OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, AS MODERN LIVING, WITH ITS MANY NEW DEVICES AND FACILITIES, HAD BECOME A COMMON FEATURE OF MOST FAMILIES BRINGING ABOUT A PROFOUND EFFECT ON FAMILY LIFE.

+THERE ARE 1.7 MILLION PEOPLE IN HONG KONG OVER THE AGE OF 20 WITH A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF 78, LONGER THAN MANY COUNTRIES IN THE WESTERN WORLD, HE SAID,

+DIET HEALTH-CARE, AN INCREASING INTEREST IN PHYSICAL FITNESS AND RECREATION HAVE NOT ONLY GIVEN AN ADDED ZEST TO LIFE BUT HAVE INCREASED THE HOPE OF LIVING A LONG LIFE, HE ADDED,

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