Equal Opportunities Commission
The Hong Kong Association of Business and Professional Women worked with other organisations to establish the Equal Opportunities Commission in 1996.
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) is a statutory body set up in 1996 to implement the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO), the Disability Discrimination Ordinance (DDO) and the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance (FSDO).
The Commission works towards the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, pregnancy, disability and family status.
The EOC also aims to eliminate sexual harassment, and harassment and vilification on the ground of disability. It promotes equality of opportunities between men and women, between persons with and without a disability and irrespective of family status.
http://www.eoc.org.hk/CE/home_ce.htm
Women's Commission
The Hong Kong Association of Business and Professional Women has close ties with the Women's Commission since its establishment in January 2001.
http://www.women.gov.hk/eng/home.html
At the 2003 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Women Leaders' Network (APEC WLN), the Women's Commission led a delegation consisting of HKABPW members, Women's Commission members, members from the Hong Kong Women Professionals and Entrepreneurs' Association and from the All-China Women's Federation.
BPW Asia Pacific
BPW Asia Pacific, in line with the structure of the United Nations, includes a region stretching from the Middle East to Mongolia and Japan to New Zealand. Every triennium, BPW Asia Pacific organises a regional conference, in 2001, the regional conference was held in Bangkok, Thailand, and recently, for 2004, the regional conference was held in Kathmandu, Nepal during the month of April.
BPW International
BPW International has played a major role in all four World Conferences for Women from 1975 to 1995 and is part of the Five-O of top NGO organisations (Rotary, Soromptimist, International Federation of University Women and the Council of Women).
In addition, BPW International has sponsored and participated in regional meetings which included training seminars, workshops, conferences and trade fairs. BPW International is a sponsoring organisation of the Global Summit of Women.
BPW International's next major International Congress (held every three years) is scheduled for 2008 in Mexico. The last BPW International Congress was held in Luzern in June 2005. Past congresses have been held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Melbourne, Australia, and Venice, Italy.
Detailed information on BPW's international UN status can be found in Dr. Chonchanok Viravan's speech on BPW International and the United Nations which she presented at the APEC WLN in July 2003 (see below). Annarosa Colangelo is the First Vice President for BPW International and Chair of the UN and Status of Women Committee for BPW International. You can also go to the BPW International website at: www.bpw-international.org
The current president of BPW International through 2008 is Dr. Chonchonak Viravan.
United Nations:
BPW International has general consultative status at the United Nations and its numerous agencies which means BPW has a representative who represents BPW members and women around the world. BPW International is allowed to make statements at UN meetings and is part of the "Five-O" of non-governmental organizations recognized by the United Nations since the 1940s.
Each year, members of BPW International attend the annual United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women held in New York and are invited to participate and present statements due to the fact that BPW International has UN Consultative Status. As there are UN-related or APEC-related international events, BPW members are invited to attend around the world.
Other UN and APEC-related conferences that BPW members are qualified to attend as they are scheduled include:
The Asia Pacific Women's Informational Network Centre (APWINC), United Nations Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW) are collaborating together in a special e-Business Training project, which is supported by APEC Education Foundation. Each year, this 13 days "e-Biz Training" is held at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, Korea.
The e-Biz Training will contribute in solving the gender digital divide in the APEC region and in activating economic cooperation and networks between APEC economies by putting in effect IT related training and e-Biz training targeting women's business associations and women entrepreneurs in the APEC region. This program will be able to expand women's business, and build global network and partnership through on-site training and e-Channel.
Website: http://apwinc.sookmyung.ac.kr/edu_ebiz/index.htm
Presentation on Women Entrepreneurs and IT for APWINC July 26-August 6, 2004
Related Links
Dr. Chonchanok Viravan Speech on BPWI and the United Nations
BPW International
United Nations
UNESCAP
