THE ZUBIN FOUNDATION
A Hong Kong based charity committed to equality and the betterment of Hong Kong. Research | Engage| Change
26 January 2018
Team 1, Labour and Welfare Bureau 11/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong childrencommission_pe@lwb.gov.hk
Public Engagement for The Establishment of a Commission on Children: Submission from The Zubin Foundation
Dear Sirs
cc. Members of the Preparatory Committee for the Commission on Children
The Zubin Foundation (TZF), a social policy think tank and registered charity in Hong Kong, welcomes the opportunity to share its views and recommendations to the Preparatory Committee for the Commission on Children.
As a leading voice for Hong Kong’s ethnic minority and non-Chinese speaking constituencies, this submission is informed by rigorous stakeholder engagement and extensive research into issues affecting children from these communities.
We hope the points raised are informative and instructive as you consider the function and scope of the Commission.
We look forward to continued dialogue to ensure that the needs of Hong Kong’s children our future are heard, represented and acted upon. All questions can be directed to Sandy Chan, Programme Director at sandy@zubinfoundation.org or Neelesh Hotwani, Communications Director at neelesh@zubinfoundation.org
Yours sincerely,
The Zubin Foundation
A Hong Kong based charity committed to equality and the betterment of Hong Kong. Research | Engage| Change
Commission on Children (COC)
1.Proposed Terms of Reference, Structure and Committees
1.1 Proposed Terms of Reference
• TZF proposes that the COC be a statutory body and not an advisory body.
• TZF proposes that initially an advisory body be set established which will transition into a statutory body over this term of the current administration of the HKSARG.
• TZF proposes that Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of HKSARG, give a public commitment that a statutory body will be formed within her first term as Chief Executive.
• The statutory body will be formed with the following jobs and functions:
a) To protect the rights of all children in Hong Kong (as per Article 2 of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
b) To advocate for the best interest of the child (as per Article 3 of the UNCRC).
c) To monitor the implementation of the UNCRC.
d) To engage widely with all stakeholders, government and non-government, including children.
e) To promote the rights of the child.
f) To keep a databank for public consumption to be used for research, policy and programme purposes.
g) To keep a registry of children.
h) To develop key performance indicators and be accountable and transparent on performance against these.
i) To initiate investigations and to investigate violations against the child.
• The age of children should be from 0 to 18 in order to develop holistic strategies for the development of children
• TZF agrees in the short term, as a transitionary measure, to the proposed terms in the consultation document.
1.2 Structure and Function
• TZF proposes that the COC be an independent statutory body (like the Equal Opportunities Commission).
a) This is in line with international best practice. For example, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
b) This is more likely to ensure that the commitment to children remains a long-term priority of the HKSARG, and outlives the current administration.
c) This will enable the serious financial and intellectual resources to be allocated in order to ensure that commitments made are properly executed.
d) Being independent of all parties, including the HKSARG, will allow the COC to operate in the best interests of children.
• TZF proposes that the COC will have its own budget.
• TZF proposes that the COC will have a high level paid Commissioner.
• TZF proposes that the COC will include functions on (a) Public Awareness and Training (b) Policy and Research (c) Engagement with Children (d) Complaints and Investigation (e) Administration.
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• TZF proposes that the COC, in its composition, should have, as far as possible (a) gender balance; (b) non-Chinese speaking members and members from the ethnic minority community; (c) government and non-government representatives; (d) think tank and academic representatives; (e) parents; and (f) educators.
• TZF proposes that all promotional and supporting imagery that come from the COC and its committees, and that are used to support the COC’s objectives, must feature visuals of ethnic minority children, parents and teachers as appropriate.
1.3 Committees
• TZF proposes that committees should be set up on the major issues such as, but not limited to (a) Poverty; (b) Mental health; (c) Special education needs; (f) Children from non-Cantonese speaking families.
• TZF proposes that ethnic minorities representatives should be included on all committees to ensure that their views are included and ethnicities constituents considered.
THE ZUBIN FOUNDATION
A Hong Kong based charity committed to equality and the betterment of Hong Kong. Research | Engage| Change
2. The Individual Issues
The issues raised below are taken from the various source data as per this table:
1 Status of Ethnic Minorities in Hong Kong, 1997-2014
2 Findings from Town Hall with Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung “The Future of Non-Chinese Speaking Children in Hong Kong”
(140 Non Chinese Individuals in Hong Kong)
3 Report on NGO Engagement Meeting “Issues Facing Ethnic Minorities in Hong Kong”
(22 NGOs working on ethnic minorities)
4 Landscape Study: Primary Education for NonChinese Speaking Students with Special Education Needs
(63 Primary Schools, 113 Families representing 124 NCS SEN children, 17 NGOs, 3 LegCo members)
5 Children’s Forum for Non-Chinese Speaking Children
(112 non-Chinese speaking children aged 9-18 attended from 18 schools)
6 Securing a Good Start for Students learning Chinese as an Additional Language at Kindergarten
7 Dreams of Pakistani Children
(In-depth interviews with 19 children aged between 14-20)
8 “Your Voice, Your Choice” Youth Empowerment
(253 youth, aged 15-24, all from local schools and universities)
November 2017
2017
April 2018 (TBC)
DPC June 2018 (TBC)
2018 (TBC)
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2.1 Issues that straddle all ethnic minority and non-Chinese speaking (NCS) children regardless of age
2.1.1 Social Role models are lacking
1. Role models: Lack of linguistic and ethnic minority role models (YVYC, KG, TH).
2. Visuals: Lack of diversity in imagery and promotional campaigns (TH).
3. Representation: There are not enough ethnic minority social workers (employed by the welfare department) for children, meaning that issues are not understood completely nor are there appropriate solutions offered (TH).
Barriers to inclusion
4. Food: Lack of halal food in schools for Muslim students, making it harder for them to socialise and integrate (DPC).
5. Terminology: Ethnic minority children born and/or raised in Hong Kong are often referred to as “foreigners”, even though they identify as “Hong Kongers” (YVYC, TH).
Discrimination
6. Discrimination of ethnic minority children in public spaces and public transportation (DPC).
7. If a child has a parent who is a domestic helper, there is discrimination against the child and because the parent is not a permanent resident (CF).
Cultural ignorance
8. Lack of cultural awareness programmes targeting ethnically-Chinese students and parents affects how they perceive and relate to their minority counterparts (YVYC, NGO RT).
Family problems
9. There are a large number of unreported cases on abuse among ethnic minority families which includes physical, verbal and emotional abuse. In these families, children could be one of the victims (DPC, NGO RT).
10. Poverty: Child poverty is a serious problem among ethnic minority communities (SEMHK).
11. Parenting: Parents’ working hours are very long, so they cannot give valuable time to their kids (CF).
12. Parenting: Parents with lower education levels tend to lack of knowledge on parenting (NCS SEN, NGO RT).
Harassment
13. In general, sexual abuse and harassment in schools (CF).
2.1.2 Educationrelated
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Stereotypes
1. Stereotyping in school textbooks, which continue to show people from the Philippines as domestic helpers, and Pakistanis as security guards (TH).
Exclusion
2. Racial segregation in schools has prevented many ethnic minority children from learning Chinese to a high level, making it difficult for them to forge friendships with Chinese children and hampers their integration into all aspects of Hong Kong life (KG, TH).
3. Non-Chinese speaking children are shepherded into separate classes and syllabuses, despite wanting to be fully integrated into mainstream syllabuses with their Chinese-speaking counterparts (YVYC, NGO RT, NCS SEN).
Lack of Resources and Support
4. Lack of resources for schools to adequately support non-Chinese speaking and special needs children (NCS SEN, NGO RT, KG).
5. Lack of Chinese-language support for non-native speakers; concept of ‘Chinese as an additional language’ doesn’t exist in the system (KG, NGO RT, TH).
Teachers
6. Lack of cultural sensitivity training for teachers (NGO RT).
7. Schools and teachers find it difficult to communicate with ethnic minority parents, particularly Pakistani parents (NCS SEN, KG).
8. Ethnic minority teachers are not hired, even if they are proficient in Cantonese because “Chinese kids might be scared of them” (reference to their darker skin colour) (TH).
9. Ethnic minority teachers who are native English speakers are often not hired for English teaching jobs because of their skin colour (TH).
Homework
10. In general, homework-related and exam-related stress (CF).
Lack of information available in English
11. Parents find it difficult to obtain information about schools, often relying on friends and relatives (NGO RT).
Low English standards
12. Language difficulties in English Medium of Instruction schools among ethnic minorities are compounded by the fact that neither the children nor the teachers speak native English (NGO RT).
Cultural adaption
13. School activities are designed to be structured, which removes free exploration and artistic expression of the children. Children coming from abroad don’t understand this limitation.
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2.1.3 Other Access to information
1. Lack of information and promotional materials in English, such as posters, leaflets and school websites (TH, NCS SEN).
2. Lack of interpretation or translation services for public resource providers (e.g. hospitals, police etc.) (NGO RT).
Housing
3. In general, lack of physical space at home, stifling privacy and opportunities to study and enjoy leisure time. Many ethnic minority kids are living in subdivided flats (YVYC, CF, TH).
4. Ethnic minority parents are frequently rejected from renting private housing, resulting in a long waiting list for public housing (NCS SEN, TH, NGO RT).
Health
5. South Asians have low awareness of health and mental health issues that may affect their children, and do not know of resources available to them (NGO RT).
Sports, music and recreation
6. Many ethnic minority youth love cricket, but there are no formal opportunities to develop this talent (NGO RT).
7. Lack of youth skills development in sport and music (NGO RT).
8. Sports and leisure facilities are insufficient. Existing facilities are already overbooked by adults and do not allow for sports such as cricket, hockey and other ‘non-traditional’ sports (CF).
9. Lack of infrastructure to do certain activities, e.g. cycling is almost impossible, swimming in the sea is advised against due to polluted water, no parks because available plots are typically given for development (CF).
Internships
10. Lack of opportunities for internships among ethnic minority youth (NGO RT).
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2.2 Issues specific to ethnic minorities and other children from non-Chinese speaking families, aged 0-5 (infants to kindergarten stage).
2.2.1 Social
1. Ethnic minority parents lack early education knowledge (NGO RT).
2. Children born to domestic helpers (ethnic minority children) in Hong Kong have problems accessing education, healthcare and justice (TH).
2.2.2. Educationrelated
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Special educational needs (SEN) children
1. Non-Chinese speaking SEN children are disadvantaged even before primary school: Kindergarten-aged children are already at a disadvantage because there are limited places in the two government Early Education Training Centres (EETCs) for mild and moderate needs children and there are no Englishspeaking Special Child Care Centres (SCCCs) for severe needs (NCS SEN).
2. Limited spaces in ELTC schools for SEN children (NCS SEN).
Kindergarten teachers
3. Kindergartens are reluctant to admit ethnic minority children for fear of deterring parents of Chinese students which leads to clustering and segregation (KG).
4. Kindergartens find it difficult to retain teachers as many teachers do not want to work with ethnic minority children (KG).
5. Non-Chinese speaking children often viewed negatively by teachers (KG).
Limited access to information
6. Lack of English-language information about kindergartens (TH, NGO RT).
7. It is difficult for ethnic minority children to get admission into kindergartens as parents may not know what is expected of them during the admissions process and at interview stage (KG).
8. Only one of the 151 official kindergarten education quality reports produced by the Education Bureau is in English (TH).
Racial segregation
9. Racial segregation prevalent in kindergartens, with non-Chinese speaking children isolated from opportunities to integrate, socialise and “naturally acquire” Chinese-language skills (KG).
Chinese proficiency
10. Low levels of Chinese-language proficiency in K3 among ethnic minorities prevents them from joining Chinese Medium of Instruction Schools (CMI); those who do make it find it very difficult (KG, NCS SEN, NGO RT).
11. Lack of appropriate resources to facilitate Chinese learning for non-Chinese speaking students in kindergartens (little use of ‘romanisation; no use of audio and home languages) (KG).
Family issues
12. Some ethnic minority families leave Hong Kong for extended periods during the summer holidays. This may set students back academically and socially (KG).
Daycare
13. Lack of quality daycare for low-income ethnic minorities (NCS SEN, NGO RT).
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2.3 Issues specific to ethnic minorities and other children from non-Chinese speaking families, aged 6-11 (primary school stage).
Social Health services
2.3.1
1. Hong Kong health professionals lack understanding of other cultures. Hospital Authority psychologists and other specialists, teachers and social workers do not have professional training or personal experiences with people from diverse cultures (NCS SEN, NGO RT).
2. Long waiting times for hospital educational psychologist assessments. Private assessments are prohibitively expensive (NCS SEN).
3. Non-Chinese speaking SEN children are often discriminated against in playgrounds (NCS SEN).
4. Many therapy services provided by NGOs are in Chinese; it is difficult to find therapy services in English (NCS SEN).
Teachers
5. Public schools find it difficult to determine whether an NCS child has a speech delay or has SEN. Many ethnic minority children are misdiagnosed because assessments are carried out in Cantonese (NCS SEN, TH).
Play
6. Many playgrounds are not suitable for children with disabilities (NCS SEN).
Support services not equally distributed
7. Due to limited resources, NGO support programmes aimed at serving the non-Chinese speaking community tend to target schools with the highest concentrations of ethnic minority children (KG).
Pressures and leaving Hong Kong
8. Parents are stressed out with the lack of choice, stigma and lack of future opportunity for children with SEN. This has raised the risk of domestic violence, marriage breakdowns and alcoholism in families (NCS SEN).
9. Families with non-Chinese speaking SEN children are leaving or considering leaving Hong Kong due to lack of adequate social support and education options (NCS SEN).
2.3.2 Education-related
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Special education: No schools available
1. There are no English as the Medium of Instruction (EMI) public special schools in Hong Kong (NCS SEN).
2. There is only one EMI private special school and it has a long waiting list. It is also too expensive for middle-income and grassroots families to consider (NCS SEN).
The ‘double whammy’
3. Non-Chinese speaking SEN children in Chinese schools have a “double whammy” of having to learn a second language on top of coping with special needs (NCS SEN).
Blatant discrimination in private schools
4. Private schools, at the admissions stage, conduct activities that weed out SEN children. They claim that this is an “academic” exercise, although it can be seen as discriminatory (NCS SEN).
5. Private schools use the excuse that they cannot "cater to" children with many types of SEN. In numerous cases, parents have been asked to "pull them out" of school (NCS SEN).
Classrooms
6. De facto racial segregation at primary level makes it hard for children to acquire fluency in Chinese language and prevents them forming relationships with Chinese children (SEMHK).
7. Classrooms are not inclusive. Teachers lack training in teaching a multiethnic student body and are not able to use appropriate strategies for classroom management (SEMHK).
Which secondary school?
8. Lack of transparent information on secondary schools. Students do not know where to go and tend to choose schools with higher concentration of ethnic minorities even if their level of Chinese is sufficient for a CMI school.
Teaching Chinese
9. Lack of teaching materials and methods to make learning Chinese more accessible to ethnic minority students means children continue to be isolated from mainstream education (KG, SEMHK).
10. Most secondary schools lack of resources to provide Chinese (and/or English) remedial classes. Although schools might be willing to accept students from different cultural backgrounds, minority students would have difficulties studying in those schools.
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2.3.2 Education Continued
Accessing information
11. Ethnic minority parents have much difficulty accessing relevant information about primary admissions and lack the relevant information to make informed choices for their children’s education (SEMHK).
12. Information on most public school websites is available in Chinese only (NCS SEN).
Bullying
13. Bullying of non-Chinese speaking students because of their skin colour and ethnic background is not uncommon in school (CF).
2.3.3 Other Hygiene and Safety
1. Children have complained that toilets are often unclean and unsafe at school and that there are insufficient in number (CF).
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2.4 Issues specific to ethnic minorities and other children from non-Chinese speaking families, aged 12-14 (junior secondary school stage)
2.4.1 Social Bullying and discrimination
1. Pakistani girls are often discriminated against and bullied because of how they dress (DPC).
2. Non-Chinese speaking children with SEN are often discriminated against in playgrounds (NCS SEN).
Family pressures
3. Pakistani girls are discouraged by their parents/guardians from studying beyond Form 6 (DPC).
4. Pakistani girls are burdened with housework and family care obligations, affecting their ability to study properly (DPC).
5. Pakistani girls are often forced into early marriage before turning 18 (DPC).
Turned away from jobs
6. Youth searching for employment as English teachers are unable to find jobs with employers citing lack of Cantonese-language skills or because they are not Caucasian (YVYC).
At-risk youth
7. Ethnic minority students have lower school attendance rates and higher dropout rates compared to the general student population. Pakistani students are 2.5 times more likely whilst Nepalese students are more than 3 times as likely as Chinese students to leave school before Form 5 (SEMHK).
8. Nepalese, Bangladeshi and Pakistani youth are at higher risk of drug abuse, being absent from school, and smoking (NGO RT).
9. Lack of awareness of and support for “hidden youth” population (i.e. those who drop out of school or made to stay at home) (DPC, NGO RT).
Health-related
10. Limited public health services (e.g. speech therapy and counselling) available in English (NCS SEN).
Recreation
11. Many playgrounds are not suitable for children with disabilities (NCS SEN).
Support services not equally distributed
12. Mainstream public schools often struggle to obtain resources from NGOs if they only have 1 or 2 NCS students. Due to limited resources, NGO support programmes aimed at NCS students tend to target schools with the highest concentrations of ethnic minority children (KG).
Respect for culture and religion
13. Although schools have allowed girls to wear headscarves, teachers would still find other reasons to ask a girl to take it off (CF).
2.4.2 Educationrelated
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Chinese-language support
1. Lack of after-school support for ethnic minority students to learn Chinese (NGO RT).
Post-secondary options
2. Lack of linkage between the local Chinese curriculum and the GCSE, making it difficult for students to find employment with their GCSE results, and to secure a place in universities (TH).
3. Uncertainty for parents about pathways to post-secondary and tertiary education due to different curricula and lack of transparency around Chineselanguage requirements (DPC, YVYC, TH).
4. Difficult for ethnic minority students to get offers from universities due to DSE system; they struggle in liberal studies as a lot of the subject materials related to Chinese identity and knowledge on China (NGO RT).
5. The barriers to entry to vocational courses are too great, as the medium of instruction in many courses are in Chinese which discourages some NCS students (TH).
No celebration of cultural diversity
6. Ethnic minority holidays are not celebrated in schools and there is a lack of inclusive imagery (of various ethnicities) in school resources (TH).
Bullying
7. Bullying of non-Chinese speaking students in school (CF).
2.4.3 Other Lack of opportunities
1. Lack of employment opportunities for ethnic minority students looking to work in Hong Kong (even among those who have a degree from a local school), forcing many to become underemployed or consider leaving Hong Kong (YVYC, DPC).
2. Despite identifying as a Hong Kong person, many ethnic minority do not see themselves living in Hong Kong in the future due to lack of opportunities to assimilate (YVYC).
3. Lack of employment opportunities for ethnic minority females (NGO RT).
Health and hygiene
4. Lack of health facilities or general services for Muslim women (NGO RT).
5. School toilets are often dirty and unsafe (CF).
6. Not enough toilets in schools (CF). -END-