08 March 2017 HONG KONG — The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong’s Gender and Development Focal Point Officers attended the “Women’s Commission Conference 2017: Unleashing Women’s Potential for All-Round Development” organized by the Hong Kong Women’s Commission at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on February 21. 

Vice Consul Fatima G. Quintin and Attaché Charlene A. Beriana, attended Breakout Session 1 (Promoting Gender Mainstreaming), Plenary Session 1 (Promoting Women’s All-round Development for a Better Future), and Plenary Session 2 (“HeforShe” – The Role of Males in Initiating Change). 

Plenary Session 1 speakers were Hon. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, Chief Secretary of Administration, and Dr. Du Jie, Deputy Director and Senior Researcher of the Women’s Studies Institute of China, All-China Women’s Federation.  As Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr. Cheung enumerated the many projects/changes Hong Kong SAR government introduced to empower women in the workplace, including anti-glare floors, bulletproof vests specially made for women’s bodies, babysitting/neonatal rooms and child care services for government offices.  Dr. Jie, on the other hand, focused on the history, current status and future of gender mainstreaming and its progress in Mainland China.

Plenary Session 2 speakers were Mr. Stephen Sui, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, and Mr. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Chair of the Bureau of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.  Mr. Patriota stressed that gender equality can be fully achieved when men and boys work together. Mr. Sui elucidated that women’s rights and well-being are intertwined with those of men’s and that gender equality will not happen unless men speak up.

This is in line with the Consulate General’s efforts in strengthening its Gender and Development Unit. END