Women's Commission welcomes Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address
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The Women's Commission (WoC) welcomes the strategies and policy initiatives for promoting women's development set out in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan) and the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address (Policy Address) announced by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (September 16).
Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan states that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will empower women to realise their potential by creating an environment conducive to driving women's development, protecting their rights and promoting their well-being. The Government will also strive to empower women across all roles, social positions and life stages so that they can realise their multifaceted potential amid Hong Kong's high-quality development. In addition, the Chief Executive announced in the Policy Address that the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) will extend the "She Inspires" Mentorship Programme by three years to broaden the horizons of more female university students.
It is also mentioned in the Policy Address Supplement that the HYAB will continue to take forward initiatives in advancing women's development. These include making optimal use of the Women Empowerment Fund to subsidise women's organisations and non-government organisations for launching more projects that support women; hosting high-level forums, such as the Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit, to gather relevant stakeholders' views; keeping the one-stop family and women information portal under review and enriching its content; and continuing to implement the Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme under the Community Care Fund.
Commenting on the strategies and policy initiatives set out in Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address, the Chairperson of the WoC, Dr Eliza Chan, said, "Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan includes dedicated content on women's development, providing clear policy directions for advancing women's development in Hong Kong. This fully demonstrates the HKSAR Government's great emphasis on, and firm commitment to, women's development. The work not only responds to the multifaceted needs of women in Hong Kong, but also dovetails with the national direction of promoting women's all-round development and safeguarding women's rights and interests."
Dr Chan added, "The Chief Executive's announcement in the Policy Address to extend the 'She Inspires' Mentorship Programme by three years also reflects the Government's commitment to nurturing young women. The results of the first cohort have been encouraging. Many graduating mentees who have completed the programme said that it had helped strengthen their aspirations for career development and enabled them to better understand their own strengths and future directions. The extension of the programme will provide more female university students with valuable opportunities to build networks and enhance workplace skills." Dr Chan added that the WoC also supports the HYAB's continued implementation of other women-related initiatives to address the needs of women from different backgrounds. The WoC will continue to work hand in hand with the Government, women's organisations and all sectors of society to support the implementation of relevant initiatives under Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address, to promote women's development in Hong Kong.
The WoC was established in 2001 and is committed to enabling women in Hong Kong to fully realise their due status, rights and opportunities in all aspects of life. It adopts a three-pronged strategy, namely the provision of an enabling environment, empowerment of women through capacity building, and public education, to promote the well-being and interests of women.
Ends/Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Issued at HKT 19:00
Issued at HKT 19:00
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