ENG-2007 — Page 73

The Legal System 1 37

Race Relations

The Race Relations Unit

The unit was established in June 2002 to promote the interests of the ethnic minorities. It produces publicity materials, operates a hotline for complaints and enquires, conducts an outreach education programme in schools, and serves as the secretariat to the Committee on the Promotion of Racial Harmony. It maintains close liaison with ethnic minority communities and their representatives, and started in 2007 to organise a series of cultural events to promote integration of ethnic minorities into the community and better public understanding of their traditions and cultures.

The Committee on the Promotion of Racial Harmony

The Committee was established in 2002. It advises the Government on promotion of race relations and oversees a funding scheme to subsidise publicity and public education activities by non-governmental organisations.

Children's Rights

To enhance the awareness of children and adults of children's rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to provide children with opportunities to express their views, the Government has supported various awareness-raising initiatives, established the Children's Rights Forum as a direct communication channel with children and children's rights advocates, and provided financial support to non-governmental organisations via the Children's Rights Education Funding Scheme.

Equal Opportunities Commission

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is an independent statutory body established under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance in 1996 to implement the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, the Disability Discrimination Ordinance and the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance. Its functions include handling complaints, encouraging conciliation, providing assistance to aggrieved persons, and undertaking public education, research and training programmes to promote equal opportunities and eliminate discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, pregnancy, disability and family status. In 2007, the commission received 3 525 enquiries and 811 complaints relating to the three anti-discrimination ordinances; 195 complaint cases were conciliated.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) was established in 1996 as an independent statutory body under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO) to monitor, supervise and promote compliance with the ordinance.

The PCPD launched the 'Privacy Awareness Week 2007', a promotional campaign to raise awareness of the importance of protecting privacy in the Asia- Pacific Region, jointly with its counterparts from Australia, New Zealand and South Korea in August 2007. In addition, the PCPD organised monthly seminars on