XN000022-1993-12-30 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1993

MR SUEN POINTED OUT THAT OPTIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION AT PRESENT INCLUDED THE CONVERSION OF A VACANT PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDING INTO A CENTRE FOR OVERSEAS DOMESTIC HELPERS PROVIDING A RANGE OF SERVICES AND FACILITIES.

MOVING ON TO OTHER PRIORITY AREAS, HE SAID SINCE THE FORMATION OF THE HAB ON OCTOBER 15, THE RELATED FIELDS OF THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PRESS FREEDOM HAD, FOR THE FIRST TIME, COME UNDER A SINGLE POLICY SECRETARY.

"DURING THE PAST TWO MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING VARIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, LEGAL ACADEMICS AND INTEREST GROUPS TO BUILD UP CONTACT WITH THEM AND TO HEAR THEIR VIEWS.

11 'WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO PUT VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION INTO PERSPECTIVE, STUDYING THEIR INTER-RELATIONSHIP WILL ENABLE US TO ARRIVE AT THE MOST DESIRABLE APPROACH то HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION IN HONG KONG, MR SUEN SAID.

THE THE VARIOUS KONG.

++

HAB HAS ALSO ASSUMED THE TASK OF PREPARING

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES THAT APPLY

WHICH ENHANCE

REPORTS

UNDER ΤΟ HONG

**WE

HAVE RECENTLY SUBMITTED A DRAFT INITIAL REPORT UNDER THE CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM,

" MR SUEN SAID.

"WE WILL BE SUBMITTING REPORTS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1994. THESE REPORTS WILL BE MADE PUBLIC AFTER SUBMISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS,

"

HE SAID.

DESCRIBING HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE WORK PROGRAMME, MR SUEN SAID STRONG SUPPORT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE GIVEN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION SUB-COMMITTEE UNDER THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION.

THE SUB-COMMITTEE HAS IN THE PAST YEAR LAUNCHED A WIDE RANGE OF SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION SCHEMB FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECTS, "INFOLINE" MESSAGES, RADIO PROGRAMMES, TOPICAL DISCUSSION SESSIONS, WORKSHOPS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION, AND A LARGE-SCALE EXHIBITION ON HUMAN RIGHTS.

"MORE PROJECTS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR THE COMING YEAR AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION ΤΟ MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION AND ITS WORKING GROUPS FOR THEIR HARD WORK, HE SAID.

IN THE PAST INTRODUCED INTO

TURNING ΤΟ OTHER POLICY INITIATIVES UNDERTAKEN YEAR, MR SUEN SAID THE BEDSPACE APARTMENTS BILL WAS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN JUNE 1993.

THE BILL PROVIDES FOR A STATUTORY LICENSING SCHEME TO REGULATE THE FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY OF BEDSPACE APARTMENTS. UPON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LICENSING SCHEME, THE LODGERS WILL LIVE IN LESS CROWDED PREMISES WHICH WILL MEET THE STATUTORY FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY STANDARDS.

/"AFTER THE