Desirée Viteri Almeida

Opinion | How Hong Kong’s safe streets empower women to thrive

The city’s steadfast commitment to protecting women offers essential lessons for the global community in turbulent times

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A woman takes selfies at a lantern fair marking the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day at Victoria Park on September 12. Photo: Xinhua

Desirée Viteri Almeida

Published: 9:30am, 25 Sep 2024Updated: 10:30am, 25 Sep 2024

Hong Kong recently celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, a cultural event marked by reflection and family unity. This year, it serves as an apt moment to assess a more profound aspect of the city’s culture: women’s safety.

As the world becomes more turbulent, the ability of women to walk freely at night, pursue careers or partake in late-night festival celebrations without fear is a rare privilege. It is also one Hong Kong offers in abundance.

Having lived in Hong Kong for just a few weeks, I’ve had the chance to experience this safety first-hand. Whether strolling through the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations or grabbing something to eat late at night, I’ve never felt the anxiety many women experience in other global cities. The ability to go for a jog at any time of day or evening is liberating. It speaks volumes about Hong Kong’s commitment to safety and gender equality in public spaces.

This feeling of real freedom is new to me since I come from Latin America, where gender-based violence is an endemic issue. For instance, more than 3,700 women were murdered in 2021 in Mexico alone, while in Ecuador femicide rates have surged with more than 300 cases recorded in 2023. Brazil’s statistics are equally grim, with more than 1,400 femicides reported in 2022.

Latin America faces systemic challenges that exacerbate these issues, including weak enforcement of protective laws, corruption and under-resourced police forces. Public spaces often become zones of fear for women, restricting our freedom and limiting our full participation in society. The disparity between Hong Kong and Latin America highlights the need for governments to invest in public safety and gender-sensitive policies.

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Hong Kong’s reputation as one of the safest cities globally provides an example of how safety underpins not just individual well-being but broader social and economic development. Living in a safe environment allows human potential to flourish. Hong Kong stands out in this regard.