2014年6月18日 星期三

「她。敢於改變」奬2014獲奬人感言:鄺皓凝 Testimonials of Kwong Ho Ying, "She Dares to Change" Awardee 2014


挑戰荒謬的性別定型,力保女教師穿長褲上班選擇權的鄺皓凝
Kwong Ho Ying, a brave victim of a gender discrimination case, who fought for the rights in wearing trousers to teach


鄺皓凝是一宗性別歧視個案的受害者。當時任職中學老師的她,認為學校無理地要求所有女性老師上班時必須穿著裙子才可以任教的安排並不合理。她認為女教師穿裙與否,與教學、老師的職業要求和日常工作需要無關,更對女教師造成額外的不便、負擔及顧慮,包括︰容易走光、被偷窺、偷拍等,漠視女性穿長褲可保暖及免被偷窺及偷拍的安全權。使女教師因而受到較差待遇。她向校長爭取女教師穿長褲上班,但反遭受校方公然在早會上,於眾學生面前點評她穿褲行為異類,使她尷尬及難堪;校長多次因「穿褲問題」而召見她,甚至向她施壓辭職,導致她承受極大壓力、體重驟降、經常失眠、精神難以集中、焦慮及情緒低落。

她就此向平等機會委員會(平機會)作出投訴,惟投訴過程冗長,法律程序繁複,虛耗投訴人意志。平機會起初嘗試透過調解方式處理事件,但由於校方拒絕出席調解會議,最終調解不成功。但她未有因此而放棄為女性爭取討回公道的機會,繼續向平機會申請法律協助,希望循法律途徑入稟區域法院處理性別歧視個案。可是,平機會曾一度拒絕提供法律協助,然而,她未有放棄,繼而向平機會提出覆議,要求再次考慮其個案的法律觀點及對社會傳遞反性別歧視的教育意義。與此同時,她向法律援助署尋求協助。經過兩年多的折騰,平機會最終願意提供法律協助,代表她入稟區域法院控告該中學性別歧視。及後校方在入稟狀發出後,願意道歉、賠償及更改校內針對女教師穿裙的服飾守則,事件才得以圓滿解決。

事件吸引傳媒廣泛報導,社會大眾亦十分關注及熱烈討論。平機會表示,由於個案對於市民認識何謂性別歧視有深遠影響,將個案製成香港電台節目《非常平等任務》的一集內容,及收錄在平機會出版的《個案實錄》,作公眾教育用途。

她曾向傳媒表示︰「呢個唔係個人問題,係牽涉女性、教師,成個大群體入面一啲基本權利」、「自己在這場抗爭中的堅持,已為下一代上了一課,做教師要有使命感,面對不合理、不公義的事要say no(說不),不可在學生面前退縮、怕事」…她一直堅持的信念,最終不單為自己討回公道,更令該中學、教育界甚至社會大眾關注在僱傭、教學環境及服飾要求方面的性別歧視。

Ho Ying is a victim of a gender discrimination case . When she was a secondary school teacher, she fought for wearing trousers to teach. She felt that the school was unreasonable in telling them to wear skirts, which was very inconvenient and easy to be watched. In fact, this was totally irrelevant to her teaching quality. She insisted to wear trousers to school, and the school principal condemned her in front of all students. The principal met her many times and pressurized her to resign which made her suffered from stress, weight loss, insomnia and depression.

Ho Ying filed a complaint to Equal Opportunity Commission (HK). The complaint procedure was complicated and the process was very long. She was totally burnt out. At the beginning, EOC provided mediation service, but the school representative refused to attend the meeting. Ho Ying did not give up to fight for her rights and she requested ECO to offer legal assistance to file her case to the court, but was being turned down.

Her case caught huge media attention and aroused public concern to the issue of sex discrimination. She persisted to seek ECO to review the case and at the same time, she applied for Legal Aid. After waiting for 2 years, ECO was willing to bring the case to court and to sue the school on the basis of sexual discrimination. The school finally apologized to her and offered a compensation, and to withdraw the requirement to teachers in wearing skirts.

This case attracted massive media coverage with immense public attention.. EOC stated that the case had significant impact on Sexual Discrimination Ordinance and it was significant for educational purpose, they even made a film based on this case.

Ho Ying told the media, “this is not my personal issue, it is an issue related to women, teachers, and the wider community”, “My persistence in this case set a good example to the students. As a teacher, we have to have mission. We have to say no to the injustice, we cannot hold back.”

Her strong will had led her to win the case and also created a great impact to schools, education sector, and the society on sexual discrimination in employment, teaching environment, society as a whole.

「她。敢於改變」奬2014獲奬人感言:Lenlen Mesina Testimonials of Lenlen Mesina, "She Dares to Change" Awardee 2014


開辦Enrich,香港首個為外地勞工提供理財訓練及維護權益的Lenlen Mesina
Lenlen Mesina, founder of Enrich, Hong Kong’s premier training organization for financial literacy, entrepreneurship and communications for migrants


Lenlen相信只要女性有適當的機會及資源,她們的內在潛能就可以發光發亮。自小開始,Lenlen就有一顆正義之心,尤其關心性別平權。中學時她就是菲律賓地區政府中的青年領袖,關注弱勢婦女群體。她在菲國穿州過省,就是為了宣揚婦女應享的各種權利,例如法律權益等,讓她們可以保障自己及其家人。

五年前,Lenlen移居到香港。在菲國生活時,她早就了解到移民工,尤其是菲藉家庭傭工的困難,例如她們在外地工作及回國後要面對的財政問題,她更曾為此進行研究。由此,Lenlen開辦了Enrich,香港首個為移民工提供理財、創業、溝通能力訓練的非牟利機構。Lenlen希望姐姐們可以學會計劃未來,及有更好的生活。

除了服務在港的移民工,機構也為那些已回菲國但仍有財困的工人提供培訓,讓她們能及早還清債務及學會儲蓄。對於有移民工面對性騷擾的問題,Lenlen會挺身而出去保障她們的權益。在2013年,她就在youtube發表一段影片,是一位曾受僱主性騷擾的傭工勇敢說出經歷,片段成功觸動眾多傭工的共鳴,鼓勵她們也敢於道出自己的困難處境。

Lenlen因為與移民工緊密接觸,深深了解及同情她們的處境,尤其是她們需要適切財務意見的境況。推動社會公義及令傭工們有更好的生活,是她最大的原動力。

Lenlen Mesina has always believed that when given the right opportunities and timely information, women’s innate ability to nurture and lead will shine. A fighter for justice from her primary school days, Lenlen has continued to fight for more than equal rights for women and advocate for change. By secondary school she was a star youth leader in her local government office campaigning for the rights of disadvantaged women. Lenlen worked hard across several Philippine provinces to ensure that women were not left behind – that they understood new laws that were being put in place, and that they would be able to use their information wisely to take care of themselves and their families.

Fortunately for disadvantaged women here in Hong Kong, Lenlen moved to the SAR with her young family five years ago. She had long known about the plight of returning women migrants in the Philippines after conducting in-depth research on the issues they had faced while abroad and back home. This inspired Lenlen to help create Enrich, which is now Hong Kong’s premier training organization for financial literacy, entrepreneurship and communications for migrants. Lenlen is Enrich’s main advocate for financial literacy and empowerment for women migrants. The first woman in Hong Kong to highlight how vulnerable migrant workers are to abuse in the homes they come to work in, and how limited they are by their financial distress, she has devoted herself to helping migrants improve their financial literacy capability across the territory. “Goals are dreams with a deadline,” she says as she cheerfully helps each woman suffering financial stress to realize their own long term plan for a better life.

Lenlen has devoted an entire decade of her life to working with migrants in Hong Kong and those who have returned to the Philippines, teaching them to budget and plan so that they can finally get out of debt, save money and realize the dreams that they left home with in the first place. She cares deeply for each woman that she helps, and will travel across Hong Kong at all times of the day and night, to help them take control of their finances, stand up for their rights and protect themselves against sexual harassment. Lenlen’s daring 2013 youtube video of a migrant worker speaking up against sexual abuse by her employer spoke directly to the hearts of many migrants, and gave them the courage to speak out even in the most difficult situations. The video became a poignant reminder of the many difficulties, dangers, loneliness and heartache that migrants face each day they spend working far away from their families.

Social justice is at the heart of everything Lenlen Mesina does; not just at her “workplace” but in her constant interactions with migrants and her remarkable capacity to identify with and empathize with other hard-working women who need solid and sensible financial advice to change their lives around.

「她。敢於改變」奬2014獲奬人感言:李鳯眉 Testimonials of Dorothy Lee, "She Dares to Change" Awardee 2014


為農民爭取權益、維護農業文化,積極保育工作的李鳳眉
Li Fung Mei, who fights for the rights of famers. She is preserving the local agricultural culture


李鳳眉,打鼓嶺坪輋長大的非原居民,原是本地豬農後因農業條例改革而棄農,與不少也是因當地農業敗退的村民一樣, 成為轉投城市上班的一族。其後因要帶孩子而留在家中,及間常在社區中心及學校當義工說故事。近年孩子稍長, 便再投身工作。

2012年新界東北發展規劃揭盅,將一向平靜的坪輋完全反轉過來,自打鼓嶺坪輋保衛家園聯盟成立後, 村民們再次連結起來. 透過參與, 她開始了解到「城市的發展」是什麼一回和其中的不公義。李鳳眉從只逛街市到跑在街上遊行, 本來在村內悠閒的騎單車變成帶團參觀村內農業文化的導賞員, 並透過傳媒的訪問, 將農民的掙扎和再生及其重要性, 還有在那兒發生變遷和故事, 憑著她女性的敏銳的感應一一道來, 深化到訪者和讀者對坪輋的認識和感情上的連結, 與示威與街頭抗爭相輔相承. 李鳳眉除透過村民大會及結連工作連繫和聽取村民的聲音外,由於東北發展計劃影響龐大,她亦參與與另外兩個受影響地區的聯絡工作. 靠著其善於表達的能力, 她也扛下了不少文宣事宜, 包括宣傳物品的製作和facebook的更新維護, 使以農為本的社區能利用互聯網和社交媒體有效的將有關坪輋的消息推廣。

Lee Fung Mei is a non-indigenous that grew up in Ping Che (in North-East of the New Territories ). Fung Mei was a pig farmer but had to change job reluctantly due to the agriculture recession. Later, she quitted the job in order to take care of her family and became a “story-telling” volunteer in the community center and school. Then she started to work again after her children are admitted to school.

In 2012, the government released the Northeast New Territories Development Plan, and turned the peaceful Ping Che totally upside down. The villagers formed the “Ping Che, Ta Kwu Ling Alliance to Defend the Homeland” to fight against the development plan which was very unfair to the non-indigenous people and farmers there. Fung Mei gradually understands that “development” is only favorable to the investors and tycoon. She went to the streets with the others to protest against the Plan, she became a cultural tour guide of Ping Che and told stories and history of her homeland, and advocated the importance to revitalize local agriculture. Fung Mei’s passion touched the visitors who joined the tour and raised their awareness to the issue on preserving the local agricultural culture. She gained more and more supports from the community and the struggle is still on. Fung Mei plays a unique and essential role in the movement, especially in communication work. She produced promotional materials and updated the Alliance’s facebook page, and using Internet and social media to communicate Ping Che news to the community and media of Hong Kong.

「她。敢於改變」奬2014獲奬人感言:陸錦城 Testimonials of Tina Luk, "She Dares to Change" Awardee 2014


積極推動社會公義、工人權益的陸錦城
Tina Luk, who has been actively promotes social justice and workers’ rights


城姐是一位新移民,在國內是大專程度,在2005年她與兒子獲批單程,來港團聚。來港時大兒子剛入幼稚園, 城姐就很快找到第一份工作, 她為了讓自己盡快融入香港,積極學習,每天放工後,待兒子入睡後就開始學習繁體字、香港地理、交通、文化等,假日就帶著兒子到處逛,以作實習。到2006年,城姐的細兒子出世,因為要照顧兩名兒子而被迫再次辭去工作,但城姐並沒因此而放慢腳步,她積極參加很多社區活動以曠闊自己的生活圈子,有次無意間認識了一位基督徒, 自始就積極參與教會,風雨不改。

當城姐的細子也上幼稚園後,城姐從投工作,初時兼職家務助理,後漸轉回全職工作,在機緣巧合下, 她認識了工會, 城姐覺得工會是一個可以讓工人為自己發聲的平台,非常有意義,故她在工餘時常為工會做義工,後來更加入工會,被選為理事‧城姐有敢言,不畏強權的性格,她每每代表工會出席勞資三方會,在街頭抗爭時更會爭「嗌咪」。城姐現時在香港肝康會工作,工餘時積極推動社會公義,如佔中、工會工黨的組織工作,也積極地把社會公義的議題推入教會中,至2012年,她更被選為教會堂委。

Tina is a new immigrant from mainland China. In 2005, she came to Hong Kong with her son and reunited with her husband who was a Hong Kong resident. Tina started to work once her son was admitted into kindergarten, because she wanted to integrate to the society of Hong Kong as soon as possible. And she kept this positive and “willing to learn” attitude at all times. After her son went to bed every night, she would use the time to learn traditional Chinese characters, the different places, transports and local culture of Hong Kong. In 2006, Tina’s younger son was born and she needed to give up her job and be a full time caretaker of the family. But Tina kept her heart open and continued her exploration and engagement in the community.

After Tina’s younger son admitted to kindergarten, she started to work as a part-time domestic helper, and then a full-time. She got to know about the trade union in an occasion and she felt that labor union is a meaningful platform for workers to voice out and defend their rights. So she often volunteered to work for the trade union and joined as member and eventually became one of the committee members . Tina is very active in pursuing for workers’ rights, she often represented the trade union to sit in tripartite meeting with the employers and the government authority. She often helped as the spokesperson in street actions and is dare to voice out workers’ demand.. She is now working in an NGO called Liver Living Association. And she is active in the democracy movement and labor movement in her spare time, such as involving in the Occupy Central with Love and Peace, the organizing work of trade unions. More, in 2012, she was elected as council member of the church.

「她。敢於改變」奬2014獲奬人感言:梁詠恩 Testimonials of Joanne Leung, "She Dares to Change" Awardee 2014


為跨性別人士保衛人權,成立跨性別資源中心的梁詠恩
Joanne Leung, who has been a tremendous force driving changes on transgender issues, and she is a founder of the Transgender Resources Center


Joanne在改跨性別議題上是一鼓龐大的推動力,為公眾帶來一個正面的形象。她的工作不只限於跨性別群體,更廣泛接觸同性戀、雙性戀、跨性別團體(LGBT)以及整個香港。

於2008年Joanne成立跨性別資源中心,目的是要倡議跨性別人士在社會中的權利。同時為普羅大眾及跨性別人士提供有關跨性別教育資源及正確資訊。

Joanne對提倡LGBT平權的熱誠亦不止於本地工作。她馬不停蹄地出席世界各地相關的會議及訓練;同時在內地、澳門及台灣等地舉行工作坊,倡導本地及界婦女。

Joanne has been a tremendous force driving changes on transgender issues offering the public with a face in positive light. Her work is not only confined to the transgender community, but is one that touches the wider lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and to Hong Kong as a whole.

She founded the Transgender Resources Center in 2008 to provide educational resources for the public regarding transgender issues, and to provide resources for transgender people when seeking accurate information. The main goal of the organization is to advocate for the rights of transgender people in the society.

Joanne's passion towards promoting LGBT equality is not confined to Hong Kong. She has traveled extensively attending conferences, trainings and providing workshops in China, Macau and Taiwan and beyond, empowering women at home and abroad.

2014年3月10日 星期一

「她。敢於改變」奬2014獲奬者名單公佈 Final Result of “She Dares to Change” 2014 Award






衷心祝賀!她們是:

為跨性別人士保衛人權,成立跨性別資源中心的梁詠恩

積極推動社會公義、工人權益的陸錦城

為農民爭取權益、維護農業文化,積極保育工作的李鳳眉

開辦Enrich,香港首個為外地勞工提供理財訓練及維護權益的Lenlen Mesina、及

挑戰荒謬的性別定型,力保女教師穿長褲上班選擇權的鄺皓凝



Congratulations to these daring women! They are:

Joanne Leung, who has been a tremendous force driving changes on transgender issues, and she is a founder of the Transgender Resources Center;

Tina Luk, who has been actively promotes social justice and workers’ rights;

Li Fung Mei, who fights for the rights of famers. She is preserving the local agricultural culture;

Lenlen Mesina, founder of Enrich, Hong Kong’s premier training organization for financial literacy, entrepreneurship and communications for migrants;

And Kwong Ho Ying, a brave victim of a gender discrimination case, who fought for the rights in wearing trousers to teach.

2014年2月23日 星期日

誠邀您參與「公眾評選」投票!“She Dares to Change” Award 2014: Public Voting Starts!


您可以在2014年2月28日前,到訪此 婦女動力基金 facebook,參閱各入圍候選者的「她。敢於改變」故事。按「讚」(”like”)投票支持您認為最符合「她。敢於改變」精神的女性!(可投多於一位)

參與投票!支持社會上勇敢女性,讓更多人認識「她」的故事!





We sincerely invite you to vote on HER Fund's facebook page by 28 Feb 2014! Read the “She Dares to Change” stories of our nominees. “LIKE” the story(ies) that is/are the best matches for the “She Dares to Change” spirit.

Please vote! Support the Daring Women in our society while let people know about their daring stories!