Women's Commission has become about 'cocktails and receptions', blasts Anson Chan
Former chief secretary, who announced the commission's setting up in 2001, says it isn't tackling issues of vital importance to women
The Women's Commission is under fire for failing to do its duty to advance the lot of women in Hong Kong - from Anson Chan Fang On-sang, the woman who announced its setting up.
The former chief secretary said the commission had become more about "cocktails and receptions" than real initiatives.
"The most important thing is to identify areas in need of work, do basic research, collaborate. Real effort. Not just turn up for cocktails and receptions, and International Women's Day," she said. "This isn't what I set it up to do."
The Women's Commission was created in 2001, after the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women was applied to Hong Kong. Its role is to advise government bureaus and departments on ways to rid themselves of sexist policies, such as the small- house policy which grants all male indigenous villagers land rights, to conduct research on pressing matters for women and to advise the government on how policies would affect women.
The government is increasing the commission's funding by almost 17 per cent to HK$29.6 million in the current financial year after lifting it by almost 5 per cent in the last year.
Chan said it was apparent from the commission's own reports that little had been done in the last few years to identify the most pressing needs of women and to push government departments to address any shortcomings.
