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Following is a speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Dr E K Yeoh, in attending the Closing Ceremony for Global Summit of Women 2001 today (September 15):

Honorary Co-Chairs, Summit Director, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to have the opportunity to join you this evening and speak to so many distinguished guests here who are leaders of business or government from all over the world. I hope you all find that the last three days at the Global Summit were meaningful, productive and inspiring. I understand that the co-organiser has arranged some lively performances, so I will keep my speech short.

Amidst many sessions on trade, business, financing and IT, I am glad to note that you also had plenary sessions on balancing work and family, health, as well as women's leadership. The wide range of topics discussed by the Summit reflects well on women's active participation in all sectors of the community.

Women make an ever increasing and important contribution to the development of Hong Kong's economic, political and social life. They contribute directly to the economy by making up 42% of Hong Kong's labour force. They also contribute through their unremunerated work in looking after their families and voluntary work. Women now make up 33% of all civil servants in Hong Kong and they are taking up many jobs traditionally regarded as men's jobs. Women now hold 30% of the civil service's 24 most senior positions, or 'Principal Officials' as we call them.

The status and role of women in Hong Kong have certainly come a long way in the last few decades. However, more work has to be done. The Women's Commission was set up in January this year to serve as a dedicated central mechanism to promote the well-being and interests of women in Hong Kong. The establishment of the Women's Commission is a milestone which underlines Government's commitment to promote the advancement of women in Hong Kong.

After listening to the many views and concerns expressed by women groups and community members about the challenges faced by women, the Women's Commission has laid down its vision and mission as 'enabling women to fully realize their due status, rights and opportunities in all aspects of life'. The Government will lend its full support to the Women's Commission in its work.

To meet the challenges and grasp the opportunities of the new era, it is important for women, and men also, for that matter, to engage in lifelong learning, to keep abreast of trends and developments, to update their knowledge and skills, and to be prepared to embrace change.

I am aware of the multiple and important roles that women play today - as wife, mother, carer of the family and breadwinner, to name but a few. To enable women to fully realize their potential, not only do women have to strive to equip themselves, the Women's Commission will seek to create a more congenial societal environment for women's development. Suitable support services such as child care are being provided to enable women to take care of their family and work at the same time. Women's needs and perspectives will be duly taken into account in the policy making process, where applicable. We will raise public awareness on gender issues through a series of educational and promotional programmes. An important objective of these programmes and that of the Women's Commission is to change society's traditional concepts of gender roles which tend to restrict the growth and development of women.

Our ultimate goal is that, in future, individual women and men would have a genuine choice to cut out their own path in life. Removing the artificial social barriers like set 'gender roles' and stereotypes would certainly help women (and men) to fully realize their potential. This would not only benefit the women but also society as a whole in making further progress.

We are also looking at ways to increase women's participation in the community's social and political life. At present, women make up about 20% of the membership of Government's advisory and statutory bodies. Given the high level of education attained by so many women in Hong Kong and their expertise and experience, there is certainly room for them to play a more active role in Government's consultative machinery and society's decision making processes. It would be beneficial to the community as a whole, as well as the women themselves, for gender perspectives to be factored in the decision making process. I would also like to encourage women leaders to come forward to participate in this important and meaningful work.

Lastly, may I take this opportunity to congratulate the organizers and those who have been working non-stop for the last few days on hosting a very successful event. I hope you have enjoyed your stay in Hong Kong and I look forward to meeting you all again in Hong Kong or elsewhere in future.

Thank you.

End/Saturday, September 15, 2001

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