XN000022-1992-12-16 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1992

BEFORE WE HAVE SORTED OUT THE ABOVE PROBLEMS AND ARE ABLE TO CONCLUDE THAT THERE ARE OVERALL PRACTICAL BENEFITS TO BE GAINED FROM THE EXTENSION OF CEDAW TO HONG KONG, IT WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO RECOMMEND THAT CEDAW BE EXTENDED FORTHWITH. ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION IN ITSELF IS A GOOD THING AND IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY NOT TO SUPPORT ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN IS NOT THE SAME THING AS ACCEDING TO CEDAW.

IT. HOWEVER, SUPPORT FOR

WE WOULD LIKE TO ASCERTAIN WIDE PUBLIC VIEWS ON THE WHOLE QUESTION OF THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY, AND WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE DIFFERENT SECTORS AND INTEREST GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY IN OUR CONSULTATION. WE THEREFORE RECOMMEND THAT A GREEN PAPER EXERCISE SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN. ON ISSUES WHICH INCLUDE BUT ARE WIDER THAN JUST THE QUESTION OF EXTENSION OF CEDAW TO HONG KONG.

BEFORE I CONCLUDE, I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THE POINTS MADE BY MEMBERS. THE QUESTION OF THE SO-CALLED DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN THE AREA OF SUCCESSION AND ELECTORAL RIGHTS APPLICABLE TO THE NEW TERRITORIES IS NOT AN ISSUE IN OUR CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER CEDAW SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO HONG KONG. TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE BASED ON LAW, THEY FALL UNDER THE REMAINS OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE. THIS IS, OF COURSE, NOT TO SAY THAT THEY ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS. INDEED, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS EXPLAINED ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS IN THIS COUNCIL THAT WE DID NOT BELIEVE SO. IT IS SIMPLY THAT THEY ARE NOT ISSUES AFFECTING OUR CONSIDERATION OF THE CEDAW QUESTION.

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT, IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS FROM WHAT MY COLLEAGUE THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER AND I SAID THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DOUBTS THE WISDOM OF EXTENDING CEDAW TO HONG KONG FOREWITH. THE ADMINISTRATION IS THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THE HON EMILY LAU'S MOTION. BUT AS WE HAVE REPEATEDLY SAID WE DID NOT TAKE ISSUE WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN. HOWEVER, LEST THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANY MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT ARISING FROM THE HONOURABLE MR MARTIN LEE'S REMARKS, I WISH то CLEAR THAT I CERTAINLY SYMPATHISE WITH THE WELL-MEANING OBJECTIVES OF THOSE WHO ADVOCATE EXTENSION OF CEDAW TO HONG KONG.

MY SYMPATHIES

MAKE

MR. DEPUTY TRESIDENT. WE DO NOT THEREFORE WISH TO TAKE A POSITIOΝ WHICH MIGHT BE CONSTRUE AS THE ADMINISTRATION OPPOSING THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN. THE EX- OFFCIO MEMBERS WILL THEREFORE ABSTAIN FROM VOTING.

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