XN000022-1992-06-08 — Page 4

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WOMEN STATUS IN HK

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MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1992

WOMEN IN HONG KONG ENJOY A HIGHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS IN MOST ASIAN COUNTRIES, THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MICHAEL SZE, SAID TODAY (MONDAY),

SPEAKING AT THE INSTALLATION OF ZONTA CLUB HONG KONG SAID EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT FOR WOMEN IN HONG KONG HAD BEEN MUCH FASTER THAN FOR MEN.

EAST,

THAN

MR

HE

IMPROVING

FORMS IN THIS IS

It

HR

"THE NUMBER OF FEMALE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION CURRENTLY EXCEEDS THAT OF MALE STUDENTS. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MORE MALES IN THAT AGE GROUP, SAID.

FEMALE.

AMONG STUDENTS RECEIVING TERTIARY EDUCATION, 20,000 OR 37% ARE

MR SZE SAID THE NUMBER OF WORKING WOMEN HAD INCREASED BY 20.7% DURING THE LAST DECADE AND NOW COMPRISED 38% OF THE WORKFORCE.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WAS IN THE 20-29 AGE GROUP WHERE OVER 80% WERE EMPLOYED.

"HOWEVER, IT IS IN THE FIELD OF EMPLOYMENT THAT WE SUSPECT THAT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEX EXISTS AND GOVERNMENT ATTENTION IS REQUIRED," HE SAID.

"IN RECOGNITION OF THIS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ESTABLISHED A WORKING GROUP UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF JOHN CHAN, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM AND то IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS, MR SZE SAID.

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"OTHER MATTERS THAT ARE DESIRABLE BUT ITS ACHIEVEMENT DOES HINGE ON GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION MUST THEREFORE BE ACCORDED LOWER PRIORITY," MR SZE ADDED.

MR SZE ADMITTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN CAUTIOUS IN ITS RESPONSE TO CALLS TO ACCEDE TO THE CONVENTION FOR THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN AND THE SETTING UP OF A WOMEN'S COMMISSION.

THIS WAS BECAUSE WOMEN IN HONG KONG ALREADY ENJOYED A HIGHER DE FACTO STATUS THAN WOMEN IN MOST ASIAN COUNTRIES AND GOVERNMENT RESOURCES MUST BE CONCENTRATED ON IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION TO ENSURE THAT THE WAY OF LIFE REMAINED UNCHANGED.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN THE LEAD IN EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES BY PROVIDING EQUAL TERMS OF APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR WOMEN AND MEN.

"PARITY OF PAY WAS ACHIEVED TOTALLY ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL BENEFITS IN 1981, HE SAID.

IN 1973 AND EQUAL

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