Eliminate Racial Discrimination

The Race Discrimination Ordinance (RDO), which came into effect in July 2009, provides a legal framework to protect Hong Kong citizens, including ethnic minorities, from racial discrimination. However, the numerous loopholes and exceptions in the RDO have rendered it inadequate in protecting ethnic minorities against racial discrimination, racial inequality, and racial hate speech. 

The RDO is inapplicable to the government’s performance of functions or exercise of powers. Furthermore, under the RDO, discrimination based on nationality, citizenship, and resident status is not unlawful; language is not covered under the definition of “race” and “vocational and educational institutes” are not required to change the medium of instruction. 

At Hong Kong Unison, we have been advocating for amendments to the RDO as well as an effective and accessible redress system for handling racial discrimination complaints. In the meantime, we promote the inherent values of the law against racial discrimination. By doing so we hope to deter discrimination and nurture a more inclusive culture.

We organise public education workshops for ethnic minority communities to help them better understand their legal rights under the scope of protection. We condemn racial discriminatory practices and we provide support to victims of race discrimination.