During today's (Jan. 15) Legislative Council meeting, Member Elizabeth Quat raised various questions on women's employment and family-friendly measures. Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Chris Sun, provided a written response emphasizing the government's support and promotion of women's employment through various initiatives and encouraging employers to adopt good HR practices to create a conducive environment for women to enter the workforce.
Quat pointed out that releasing the labor force of women is crucial to meeting the human resource demands of Hong Kong's aging society. However, some women face pressures due to the need to balance work and family responsibilities, including insufficient childcare services, lack of flexible work arrangements in the workplace, and the absence of family-friendly working environments, which hinder their entry into the workforce. She inquired about the government's plans regarding relevant services, policy reviews, promotion of family-friendly employment measures, and support for women in job seeking.
In response, Sun stated that the government subsidizes non-governmental organizations to provide diversified daytime care services, including childcare centers, after-school care services, and neighborhood support childcare programs, to support parents temporarily unable to care for their children. The government is progressively increasing the number of Aided Standalone Child Care Centres to 11, doubling the service quotas to around 2,000, and expanding after-school care services for preschool children across Hong Kong, increasing the service quota for neighborhood support childcare programs to 2,500, with an expected increase in the number of benefiting children to 25,000.
Sun also emphasized that in terms of women's policies, the government has always adhered to the principles and provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, promoting women's development and progress in various fields. The Home Affairs Bureau collaborates with the Women's Commission and various sectors to adopt a multi-pronged strategy, providing a conducive environment, enhancing women's capabilities, and promoting public education to advance women's well-being and rights. The government will continue to implement various measures to promote women's development and will consider whether to further formulate a "Blueprint for Women's Development in Hong Kong."
Regarding support for women in job seeking, the Employees Retraining Board offers around 700 market-demand-driven training courses for eligible individuals, including women, covering 28 industries and generic skills training to assist participants in entering or re-entering the job market. The Labour Department provides diversified employment services to job seekers through various channels, including employment centers, industry-specific recruitment centers, telephone employment service centers, the "Interactive Employment Service" website, and mobile applications. The government will continue to provide appropriate support and engage in promotional activities to facilitate the release of women's labor force.
Additionally, the Labour Department provides diversified employment services to job seekers (including women) through various channels such as employment centers, industry-specific recruitment centers, telephone employment service centers, the "Interactive Employment Service" website (www.jobs.gov.hk), and mobile applications.
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