A group advocating racial equality in Hong Kong is calling for more education on the rights of the disabled after a recent incident in which a woman was denied service at a restaurant due to her wheelchair.
The incident, involving Paralympic double gold medalist Ho Yuen-kei, has shone a spotlight on the treatment of disabled individuals in the city. John Tse, the executive director of Hong Kong Unison, said anti-discrimination laws have been in place since 1995, but problems persist.
“Thirty years later we still have this kind of discrimination happening in Hong Kong and it’s totally unacceptable,” Tse told RTHK’s Hong Kong Today programme on Monday.
Tse criticized the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), the government agency tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws, for not doing enough to help victims and promote awareness.
“The EOC has to do more to promote and educate Hong Kongers and keep them informed of any action that it takes after such incidents,” he said.
The problem, Tse added, is not limited to the restaurant industry. He cited a separate incident earlier this year in which two visually impaired people were forced to leave a flight in Hong Kong, with the EOC ultimately dismissing their complaint.
“No action was ever taken,” Tse said. “The two people complained to the EOC. What did they do? Well, nothing much, they just dismissed it.”
Advocates are calling for stronger enforcement of existing laws and greater efforts to educate the public on the rights and needs of disabled individuals in Hong Kong.
