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Chapter 10

Social Welfare

The Government is committed to maintaining a caring and just society. To engender a social environment that promotes harmony, it continues to place emphasis on family solidarity, fosters mutual care in the community and promotes partnership among different segments of the community. While ensuring a safety net of last resort for those in need, it also encourages them to be self-reliant and actively participate in economic and social life.

The Social Welfare Advisory Committee, the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee, the Elderly Commission and the Women's Commission advise the Government on social welfare policy. The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau is responsible for formulating welfare policies and overseeing their implementation which is executed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD).

In 2006, the total recurrent expenditure of the SWD was $32.2 billion, of which $23.1 billion (71.7 per cent) was for financial assistance payments, $6.4 billion (19.9 per cent) for recurrent subventions to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the remaining $2.7 billion (8.4 per cent) for departmental expenditure, including $500 million for hire of services.

Major Achievements

Targeted Efforts to Strengthen Support for Families in Need

The Government focuses its efforts on promoting family harmony. It adopts a family-oriented policy and is committed to preserving and strengthening family units, nurturing caring interpersonal relationships among family members and empowering individuals and families to resolve their problems.

Apart from continuing its normal welfare service, the Government reaches out to needy families, especially those who are socially isolated or unwilling to approach welfare units. The SWD launched the Family Support Programme in various service units to maintain regular contacts with these vulnerable families through home visits, telephone contacts, and other outreach services.

Over the year, the SWD has implemented a series of measures to strengthen its services and support for victims of domestic violence. In providing specialised