TNAG-2512-FCO40-3665-Future-of-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IR-1992 — Page 27

An Open Letter to the Governor from AWARE (Association of Women for Action and Research)

November 1992

Dear Governor,

Democracy and the Women of Hong Kong

We are told that you have more important things on your mind at the moment than women's issues; indeed, so low a priority is it that the subject was not even mentioned in the address to the Legislative Council of 7 October in which you put forward proposals for Hong Kong over the next five years.

You said in answer to a question from a woman radio listener the following morning that you had not been sufficiently lobbied by women to realise the strength of feeling. We find that hard to accept, knowing how much

own group - only one of many has put into calling for a Women's Commission and the extension of CEDAW (Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of

our

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Discrimination Against Women) to Hong Kong both before and after your arrival.

You replied to a letter from us that an

inter-governmental working party was looking into discrimination against women in the work place and that you wished to await its report before reacting. Following that reply to us, there were at least two newspaper articles expressing the opinions of other women's groups and calling into question the progress of the working party (South China Morning Post 1/9/92 and 7/9/92). There was

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also a letter from us to the press (Sunday Morning Post 4/10/92) suggesting lack of political will on the part of the working party. We had already pointed out to you other reservations such as the too narrow terms of reference - which you did not respond to; but that might have been our fault for also writing to the heads of department involved asking them, in good faith, to brief you before your address to Legco. Legco, it should be noted, had already agreed to the setting up of a Women's Commission, following an enquiry by its own working party; though they voted for one only of an advisory nature which would not have been acceptable generally to women's groups. Their positive vote seems to have got lost somewhere in the Chief Secretary's office.

Since your address, on Saturday 14 November, a piece has appeared in the South China Morning Post suggesting that the working party has concluded its work and has dismissed the need for legislation against sex discrimination at work. Even though a member of the working party has denied that their report has been finalised, women's groups can read between the lines.