PH Participates in Asia-Pacific Equality Conference in HK

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ South-East Asia Regional Office Deputy Regional Representative Katia Chirizzi speaks on the overview of progress toward equality in the Asia Pacific and Hong Kong on the first day of the Conference on Equality in the Asia Pacific 2018 at The Harbourview Hotel in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district. (Hong Kong PCG photo)

HONG KONG 11 October 2018 – To discuss progress, challenges and best practices for advancing equality in the region, representatives of the Philippines attended the 2018 Conference on Equality in the Asia Pacific held at The Harbourview Hotel in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district on 20-21 September 2018.

Consul General Antonio A. Morales, Commissioner Gwendolyn Ll. Pimentel-Gana of the Commission on Human Rights, and Attaché Atty. Charlene A. Beriana attended the conference entitled “Progress and Challenges,” which was co-organized by the Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF).

Participants tackled progress and challenges in the pursuit of equality of women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. They also discussed, in particular, equality in the workplace for women, barriers to ethnic minorities in education and work, as well as challenges faced by persons with disabilities in ageing societies.

The conference, which was opened by EOC Chairperson Prof. Alfred Chan Cheung-ming and APF Chairperson Dr. Sima Samar, was divided into lectures and panel discussions on the minorities—women, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities.

In a panel discussion on ethnic minorities with focus on migrant workers, education and poverty, Consul General Morales noted that although the Consulate General does its part for Filipino migrant workers, local support is indispensable in helping them eliminate discrimination against them.

Over 270 participants from national human rights institutions, UN agencies, government and non-governmental organizations, the legislature and the academia in Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific region attended the conference. END

For more information, visit www.hongkongpcg.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinHK/.

The several speakers present a variety of topics on the progress and challenges in the pursuit of equality of women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities at the Conference on Equality in the Asia Pacific 2018 at The Harbourview Hotel in Wan Chai on 20-21 September 2018. (Hong Kong PCG photos)

(Left photo) Consul General Antonio A. Morales (left), Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana (center) and Attaché Charlene A. Beriana smile for a group photo during a break at the Conference on Equality in the Asia Pacific 2018; (right photo) Consul General Morales (second from the right) and Commissioner Pimentel-Gana (second from the left) pose with national human right institution representatives from Indonesia (leftmost) and Jordan (rightmost). (Hong Kong PCG photos)