TNAG-2808-FCO40-4053-Future-of-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IR-1994 — Page 102

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

18 JN 1993

DESK OFFICER

ROM: R A J Bunten

Hong Kong Dept

REGISTRATE: 8 January 1992

INDEX

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PA

Action Taken

cd:

Mr Pinnock, HRPU

PS/Mr Goodlad

LETTER FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN FOR ACTION AND RESEARCH

A

Problem

1. How to respond to a letter from a group of women in Hong Kong calling for HMG to encourage the Governor to act on behalf of

women in Hong Kong.

Recommendation

2. That the Minister should reply in sympathetic terms while supporting the position of the Hong Kong Government. I

submit a draft.

Background and argument

3. Women's rights have traditionally not been an issue in Hong Kong. However pressure has been growing, particularly from expatriate women, for an extension to Hong Kong of the UN

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

Against Women (CEDAW). In 1988 the Hong Kong Government began consideration of the extension of CEDAW to Hong Kong. Occasionally there is some parliamentary interest in this question. Ministers have asked to be kept informed of developments to see if any pressure could be applied to Hong