Hong Kong's Acting Chief Secretary for Administration Stephen Lam on Saturday elaborated on the various efforts the government has taken to promote women's rights in the territory in recent years.

Speaking at the Asia Pacific Women Forum 2009 on "Women's Role in the Changing World," Lam underlined three key events in the advancement of women's rights in Hong Kong, namely the establishment of two commissions and the implementation of a U.N. convention.

He said that Hong Kong set up the Equal Opportunities Commission in 1996 with an aim to promote the eradication of all forms of discrimination on gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, among others.

Later in the same year, the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was extended for application to Hong Kong.

"We have been working very closely with the community in many areas to make this convention a reality... Our aim is to create an enabling environment for women to fully develop their potentials in all aspects of life in Hong Kong," Lam told hundreds of women attending the forum, organized by the Hong Kong Federation of Women.

He added that the third significant event was the establishment of the Women's Commission in 2001, which has provided very sound advice to the government on the advancement of women's rights in Hong Kong society since then.

Aside from efforts by the government, endeavors by unofficial groups also play an equally important role in realizing the goal of gender equality, Lam said, offering his thanks to the Hong Kong Federation of Women for its work over many years in "raising the profile of women in Hong Kong."

"The federation runs a series of employees retraining programs to assist women in the workforce. It is particularly important that in the face of the international financial tsunami, these efforts are continuing."

(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2009)