A banner depicting the burden of women workers lists the 10 stresses faced by women and declares: "Working Women Fight For Equality! Dignity! Independence!"


At a weekend workshop/retreat over 50 women workers and union organisers discussed the different forms of workplace discrimination faced by women.


This included group work and lively discussions.


And drama and role playing to bring out these issues, and relieve stress.

March 3- Members of HKCTU's Women's Affairs Committee make public speeches and announce the results of their survey on the problems facing working women.

With support from ICFTU-APRO, HKCTU's Women's Affairs Committee organised a series of union activities and public events to mark International Women's Day (March 8, 2002). Promoting the theme of "Dignity for Working Women", a series of workshops for union members were held to fight sexual harassment in the workplace, and to bring attention to working women's stress and the burden of family responsibility.

On March 2 to 3 an overnight camp for working women was held, with discussion and activities focusing on equal opportunity, sexual harassment, stress and disability rights.
On March 3, a public event was held, followed by a press conference and rally. During the press conference the results of a survey conducted by the Women's Affairs Committee were released. According to the survey the top ten causes of stress for working women are:

1. Age discrimination in employment
2. Low wages
3. Unemployment
4. Work pressure
5. Cuts in wages and benefits
6. Depression
7. Household expenses exceeding family income
8. One or more family members unemployed
9. Job insecurity related to irregular work
10. Fear of redundancy

In addition, employment statistics for the last quarter of 2001 showed the increasing feminisation of poverty, with a marked decline in the livelihood

and wages of working women. From 2000 to 2001 the proportion of working poor (earning less than HK$5,000 [US$641] per month) who are women increased from 67.6% to 78.6%. Of those workers earning more than HK$10,000 (US$1,282) per month, only one-third are women. Extensive discrimination in employment also continues, with the participation rate of women relatively unchanged over the past decade (49.5% in 1990 compared to 51.6% in 2001). At the same time, 72.5% of clerical workers are women and 60.8% of low-skilled workers are women. The ratio of men to women in professional and higher-skilled jobs is 8:2.

In response to these and other problems faced by women workers, a set of ten demands were raised. These demands included the immediate introduction of anti-discrimination legislation to protect women workers from sex discrimination, age discrimination and discrimination based on family responsibilities. In addition, they demanded a substantial increase in social services to benefit the community and generate employment, especially in the public provision of child care, care for the elderly and youth counseling, which would reduce pressure on working women as well as generating new public sector employment.

Prior to the press conference fridge magnets bearing the slogan, Working Women Fight - For Equality! Dignity! Independence! and paper flowers were distributed in the street. Later in the afternoon a rally was held in the busy streets of Mong Kok. Throughout the rest of March more workshops and public activities will be held.