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The Government is committed to promoting family values and strengthening family solidarity through a holistic approach with the setting up of the Family Council, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, said today (December 6).
Speaking at the 156th anniversary speech day of St Paul's College, Mr Tsang said family harmony was the foundation of social harmony.
"To enable the Government to pool resources and expertise, as well as study and address problems from a cross-policy perspective with a view to achieving more effective coordination, a high-level Family Council, to be chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, will be set up," he said.
"We need a Family Council because the issues relating to family support are diverse but related," Mr Tsang explained, noting that the council would look at issues from the perspective of the family and take a holistic approach in dealing with them.
On the functions of the new council, Mr Tsang said that it would advise the Government on the formulation of policies and strategies for supporting and strengthening the family, and on development of related programmes and activities; and to monitor their implementation.
It will also advocate cherishing the family as a main driver of social harmony and promote a family-based support network to forge closer and harmonious relations amongst family members.
"The integration of family policies and related programmes across different bureaux and departments for individual age and gender sectors to ensure effective coordination is also one of the council's main tasks.
"It will also oversee the work of the Women's Commission, the Commission on Youth and the Elderly Commission, which have a great depth of experience in their specific area, on family support matters," he added.
The Family Council comprises four official members and 16 non-official members. The membership of the council was announced on December 3. The first meeting of the council will be held later this month to discuss the work ahead.
Mr Tsang stressed that the Family Council would need the support of the community in order to achieve its goals.
"By working together, we can create an even more vibrant, confident and harmonious society for our current and future generations," he said.
Ends/Thursday, December 6, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:30
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