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Press Release
Appointment to Women's Commission
The Government announced today (December 23) the appointment of Ms Sophia Kao Ching-chi as the chairperson of the Women's Commission (WoC) and the appointments of 10 new members.
The appointments, which will take effect from January 15, 2006, have been published in the gazette today.
The 10 new members, appointed for two to three years, are Dr Miranda Chan Lai-foon, Ms Jacqueline Cheng Ming-fung, Ms Fong Man-ying, Ms Ruth Gee, Dr Sharmila Gurung, Ms Stella Kun Lai-kuen, Ms Betsy Lau Ka-shi, Prof Daniel Shek Tan-lei, Prof Maria Tam Siu-mi, and Prof Grace Tang Wai-king. Brief biographies of the new chairperson and new members are given in the Annex.
Speaking on the appointments, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow said, "Ms Sophia Kao has actively participated in various women organisations for many years and she has served as a member of the WoC since its establishment in 2001. She has made remarkable contribution and dedication in promoting the interests and well-being of women in Hong Kong.
"I am certain under Ms Kao's able leadership, the WoC would continue to play a catalytic role in championing women's interests and mobilising various sectors for the development and advancement of women."
Coming from different backgrounds, the new members possess profound knowledge and extensive experience from their professions, including business, academic, medical and social services, and would strengthen the work of the WoC on various fronts.
Dr Chow also expressed gratitude to the outgoing chairperson, Mrs Sophie Leung, and the outgoing members who have served on the commission since its establishment.
"The establishment of the WoC marks one of the most important milestones in the history of the advancement of women in Hong Kong.
In the past five years, the commission has made significant progress in promoting the well-being and interests of women in Hong Kong, and enabling women to fully realise their due status, rights and opportunities in all aspects of life.
In pursuing this goal, the commission has maintained close liaison with local and international women's organisations, and mobilised the joint collaboration of different sectors in advancing the interests of women.
This would not have been achieved without the strong and unparallel leadership of the Mrs Sophie Leung, and the valuable contribution and dedication of the members during their term of office," Dr Chow said.
The outgoing members include Prof Fanny Cheung, Dr Susan Fan, Dr Joseph Kwok, Mrs Peggy Lam, Dr Judith Mackay, Ms Diane Wilcoxson, Ms Margaret Wong and Dr Agnes Yeung, as well as Mrs Eva Cheng.
The WoC was set up on January 15, 2001 as a high-level central mechanism which takes a strategic overview of women's issues. Comprising 18 non-official members and four ex-officio members, it plays a strategic role in advising Government on policies and initiatives which are of concern to women.
The following is the full membership list of the WoC with effect from January 15, 2006 :-
Non-official Members
Ms KAO Ching-chi, Sophia, JP (Chairperson)
Dr CHAN Lai-foon, Miranda
Ms CHAU Chuen-heung, MH, JP
Ms CHENG Ming-fung, Jacqueline
Ms CHEUNG Look-ping, Ophelia, JP
Ms FONG Man-ying
Ms Ruth GEE
Dr Sharmila GURUNG
Mr HO On-tat, Andy
Ms KO Po-ling, MH
Ms KUN Lai-kuen, Stella
Ms LAU Ka-shi, Betsy
Ms LAU Lai-hing, Joanna
Mr NG Sui-kou, MH
Prof SHEK Tan-lei, Daniel, BBS, JP
Prof TAM Siu-mi, Maria
Prof TANG Wai-king, Grace, JP
Dr YEUNG Ka-ching
Ex-officio Members
Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food or representative (Vice-Chairperson)
Secretary for Education and Manpower or representative
Secretary for Home Affairs or representative
Director of Social Welfare or representative
Annex
Brief biography of new Chairperson and ten new members of Women's Commission:
Ms Sophia KAO Ching-chi (高靜芝女士), JP has been an active member of the Women's Commission (WoC) since 2001. She is the Convenor of the WoC Steering Committee on Capacity Building Mileage Programme which encourages women of different strata to pursue continuous learning and personal development, and the Convenor of the Programme Committee of the "Mainland and Hong Kong Joint Events in Celebration of Beijing + 10" held in April 2005 which brought together some 200 women representatives from Hong Kong and the Mainland to exchange views on various women issues. She has also taken part in various international meetings related to women's issues, including the meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women held in February this year. In addition, Ms Kao participates actively in a wide range of community services, and has close connections with a number of women organisations. She is the Vice-Chairman of the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund Committee, and a member of the Commission on Strategic Development. She serves as a Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Federation of Women and a Board Member of the Hong Kong Women Professional and Entrepreneurs Association.
Dr Miranda CHAN Lai-foon (陳麗歡博士) is a member of the Social Welfare Advisory Committee. She holds a doctorate degree in Social Work from the University of Hong Kong. She was previously the Chief Executive of the Pok Oi Hospital and has many years of experience in social services. She is now the Chief Executive of the Young Women's Christian Association.
Ms Jacqueline CHENG Ming-fung (鄭銘鳳女士) is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Education City. With her wealth of public broadcasting and media experience, she created Hong Kong's first media website and is active in driving information technology in education initiatives. She is also a member of the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Information Technology in Education.
Ms FONG Man-ying (方旻煐女士) is the Director of the Hong Kong Federation of Women's Centres. She is a social worker by profession and has served in many different social service agencies and nongovernmental organisations during which she gained wide exposure to different services areas.
Ms Ruth GEE (紀樂芙女士) is the Director of British Council Hong Kong. Prior to her tenure in Hong Kong, she was responsible for the British's Council's vocational education and training work throughout the world. She started her professional career as a secondary school teacher of English and her career spans work in schools, colleges and the universities sector.
Dr Sharmila GURUNG is currently the Project Coordinator of the Christian Action-Chungking Mansion Service Centre providing a range of services for the ethnic minority community, including ethnic minority women empowerment programmes. She is a medical doctor and holds a master's degree in Community Medicine (Public Health) from the University of Hong Kong.
Ms Stella KUN Lai-kuen (靳麗娟女士) is the Headmistress of the Diocesan Girls' School. She serves on the Broadcasting Authority, the Council of the City University of Hong Kong and the Committee on Performing Arts. She was previously the President and First Vice-President of Zonta Club, Hong Kong.
Ms Betsy LAU Ka-shi (劉嘉時女士) is a member of the Environment and Conservation Fund Committee, the Mandatory Provident Fund Industry Schemes Committee and the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund Committee. She is the Chairman of the Development Committee of the Hong Kong Retirement Schemes Association and the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Trustees Association. She is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank Consortium Trust Company Limited.
Prof Daniel SHEK Tan-lei (石丹理教授), BBS, JP is a professor at the Department of Social Work of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a fellow of the Hong Kong Psychological Society. He holds a doctorate degree in Psychology. He is currently a member of the Fight Crime Committee, the Independent Police Complaints Council, the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations and the Governing Committee of the Beat Drugs Fund Association. He also actively participates in community services.
Prof Maria TAM Siu-mi (譚少薇教授) is the Chairperson of the Anthropology Department and the Gender Studies Programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She holds a doctorate degree in Anthropology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her research interests include issues of identity, migration, gender and ethnic relations, as well as family and marriage relations in social development.
Prof Grace TANG Wai-king (鄧惠瓊教授), JP is the President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Chairperson of the Supplementary Medical Professions Councils, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Prince Philip Dental Hospital and the Medical Council of Hong Kong. She is a professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Hong Kong.
Ends/Friday, December 23, 2005