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| Hong_Kong | |
 Flag of Hong_Kong | |
| Population (in Mil.) | 7.1 |
 Sex Ratio (m/f)
| 0,95 |
 Life Expectancy Ratio (f/m)
| 1.08 |
 Fertility Rate
| - |
 Income Ratio (f/m)
| - |
 Literacy Ratio (f/m)
| n/a |
 Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (f/m)
| 0,97 |
 Women in Parliament (in %)
| n/a |
| SIGI Rank | 20 |
| More information on variables | |
| Did you know that Hong_Kong ranks number 20 of 102 countries on the OECD Social Institutions and Gender Index? To learn more, see the official country note "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Hong_Kong" at genderindex.org: | |
Contents |
Social Institutions
The Sex Discrimination Ordinance came into effect in 1996 and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status or pregnancy. The existence of gender stereotyping is acknowledged, but its extent is not considered very serious and the general belief is that women can fully realise their potentials. Still, a 2004 survey showed that close to 80 percent of female workers found that they were discriminated against as, among other things, they have lower salaries and fewer promotion opportunities than men [1]. Hong Kong’s economic restructuring also appears to be hitting harder against women than men. Basic education is free and universal and women make up about 45% of the labour force.
Family Code
The Marriage Ordinance sets the minimum age of marriage to 16 years for both sexes, but only with parental consent if a person is below the age of 21 years. Early marriage is not a problem and according to the UN (2004), only 2 percent of girls between 15 and 19 years of age are married, divorced or widowed. At 29 years, the female mean age of marriage is the highest in the East Asia/Pacific region. Polygamy was permitted by law until 1971, but was rendered illegal under the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance. In practice, however, polygamy still occurs as a cross-border phenomenon, whereby Hong Kong businessmen have concubines across the border in mainland China. Parental authority is shared by both parents and the Guardianship of Minors Ordinance gives them the same rights and obligations towards their children. In the event of divorce, a court will appoint a guardian or custodian. He or she has the right to apply for maintenance payment by the parent who does not have custody [2](CEDAW, 2004). While both girls and boys have the right to inherit their parents, property is typically divided among sons in accordance with traditional Chinese practice, especially if the family owns a business [3]. In the New Territories, women were not allowed to inherit land or property before the implementation in 1994 of the New Territories Ordinance.
Physical Integrity
Female genital mutilation is not practiced in Hong Kong. The Crimes Ordinance, Offenses Against the Person Ordinance and the Domestic Violence Ordinance protect women against violence. The government supports the principle of ‘zero tolerance of domestic violence’, but has been criticized for failing to adequately address the problem of such violence. A 2005 University of Hong Kong survey found that one in five families had experienced some form of domestic violence ([1]). It has been proposed that the Domestic Violence Ordinance be strengthened in the following three areas: extend the scope of coverage to include ex-spouses and ex-cohabiters; extend the criteria for attachment of a power of arrest to an injunction order to psychological harm; and increase the duration of the injunction order. Marital rape constitutes a crime.
Civil Liberties
There are no restrictions on women’s freedom of movement or on their freedom of dress.
Ownership Rights
All persons above the age of 18 years have the right to own land and property. They may also freely enter into contracts and apply for bank loans or other types of credit.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 U.S. Department of State (2007), Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2006: China (including Hong Kong).
- ↑ CEDAW (2004), Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of States parties, China (Hong Kong only), *CEDAW/C/CHN/5-6/Add.1.
- ↑ www.everyculture.com
Sources
- CEDAW (2004), Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of States parties, China (Hong Kong only), *CEDAW/C/CHN/5-6/Add.1.
- Countries and their cultures, Culture of Hong Kong, www.everyculture.com, accessed 28 February, 2008.
- OECD (2006), The Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base, www.oecd.org/dev/gender/gid.
- United Nations (2004), Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Fertility Report, New York.
- U.S. Department of State (2007), Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2006: China (including Hong Kong).
The Women, Business and the Law
Where are laws equal for men and women? 
The Women, Business and the Law report presents indicators based on laws and regulations affecting women's prospects as entrepreneurs and employees. Several of these indicators draw on the Gender Law Library, a collection of over 2,000 legal provisions impacting women's economic status. This report does not seek to judge or rank countries, but to provide information to inform discussions about women’s economic rights. Covering 128 economies, Women, Business and the Law provides data covering 6 areas: accessing institutions,using property, getting a job, dealing with taxes, building credit, and going to court.Read more about the methodology.
For detailed information on Hong Kong, please visit the Women, Business and
the Law Hong Kong page.
