Over 20% live in poverty in Q1: Expert calls for support for low-skilled workers
Professor Paul Yip, Chair Professor of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong, stated on a radio program today (Oct. 5) that HK's poverty problem is being exacerbated by population growth, an aging population, and an increase in divorced families.
Yip emphasized the need for the government to support low-skilled workers and revitalize the economy. As the city undergoes economic transformation, poverty, which was once more concentrated in certain areas, is now widespread across the city. Low-skilled workers are particularly vulnerable, facing unemployment or being forced into part-time work, he said.
He also stressed that the government has already undertaken numerous initiatives on poverty alleviation. But addressing poverty requires collective effort and should not be seen as the sole responsibility of the government, he added.
Earlier, HK Oxfam released a report on HK's poverty situation, revealing that more than 1.39 million people were living in poverty in the first quarter of this year, with the poverty rate reaching 20.2%. The report also highlighted that the wealth gap has widened further in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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