TNAG-2808-FCO40-4053-Future-of-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IR-1994 — Page 71

(19)

Since CEDAW,

if

7

applied,

would

confer new

international rights and obligations on Hong Kong which would continue to apply after the change of sovereignty in 1997, the Chinese Government would have to be consulted.

Pros and Cons of extending CEDAW_to_Hong_Kong

(20)

The extension of CEDAW to Hong Kong would demonstrate to, the international community our commitment to the principle of equality between women and men. To the

extent that it would require the enactment of major

anti-discrimination legislation, it would also reap the

benefits of such legislation which are said to be:

(a) while it could not eliminate sex discrimination

anti-sex discrimination legislation

completely,

would help to change community attitudes for the

better by setting standards of acceptable

behavior; and

(b)

it would offer avenues for redress (through mediation and the right to seek compensation) to

those who have suffered discrimination.

(21)

There

are

no strong arguments against the extension of CEDAW per se, apart from the wide ranging obligations that it would give rise to, including the need to enact anti-discrimination legislation, and the problems likely to be encountered in complying with those obligations. As far as the problems of the introduction of anti-discrimination legislation are concerned, they are:-

(a)

anti-discrimination legislation would involve

Government intervention in

the conduct of

relationships

range

of

between private citizens in a wide

areas, including the operation of the

labour market;