XN000022-1993-08-06 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1993

GREEN PAPER ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN THE MAKING

LIVELY ISSUE

DISCUSSION

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND MEN WILL BE A DEBATE FOR

WHEN A GREEN PAPER IS PUBLISHED FOR PUBLIC WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

INTERNATIONAL

WOULD SUBJECT.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SOROPTIMIST

FEDERATION

THE CONFERENCE, SIR DAVID SAID

GOVERNMENT ΤΟ TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAD LISTEN CAREFULLY

SAY ON

THE

-

THE 'AGAINST

CONTINUED

ECONOMY

BACKGROUND OF A FAST GROWING

AND THE PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND EDUCATION SYSTEMS, WOMEN ARE PLAYING A MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT ROLE IN MANY FACETS OF OUR COMMUNITY LIFE.

"SO THERE IS NO DOUBT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE IN THIS BUT COMPETITIVE SOCIETY, FOR WOMEN TO REACH THE TOP," HE SAID.

OPEN

WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF UNIVERSAL SECONDARY EDUCATION A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO

AND PLACES AT UNIVERSITIES AND A DOUBLING OF THE POLYTECHNICS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A HEALTHY INCREASE IN WOMEN MANAGERS, PROFESSIONALS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN HONG KONG.

OF THE PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING LAWYERS, DOCTORS, NO FEWER THAN 32 PER CENT ARE WOMEN.

ACCOUNTANTS,

SIR

WOMEN, AS REGARDS THE GAP OF PAY DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN MEN AND

COMPARISON WITH DAVID SAID HONG KONG WAS NOT DOING TOO BADLY IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN THE LEAD BY INTRODUCING EQUAL PAY WOMEN AND MEN 18 YEARS AGO, HE SAID.

FOR

THE MEDIAN INCOME OF WOMEN IN RELATION TO THAT OF MEN INCREASES APPRECIABLY FROM 69 PER CENT IN 1981 TO 77 PER CENT IN 1991.

THE TIGHT LABOUR EMPLOYERS

WAGE

MARKET TO PAY FEMALE

NARROW DIFFERENTIALS WILL CONTINUE TO

IN THE TERRITORY WILL LEAVE EMPLOYEES DIFFERENTLY

BECAUSE

THE

LITTLE FROM THEIR MALE

SCOPE FOR

COUNTERPARTS FOR JOBS OF EQUAL VALUE, HE ADDED.

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