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Revision as of 01:11, 25 October 2006

It is to note that the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor is one of the most important organizations in Hong Kong. It was not established until 1995, which might imply that people started to concern more about human rights from 1990s in Hong Kong. Actually, long time before the establishment of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, the world has been concerning about the human rights issues. One of the world-wide non-profitable organization concerning human rights issues is the Human Rights Watch (HRW). This organization started in 1978 with its base in the United States and with memberships as well as branches all over the world. The ideas from this kind of organizations certainly act as pioneer and encourage the Hong Kong people to ask for similar Rights.

Human Rights is actually very broad but linking to every one of us in our daily life. It is aiming at solving the racial, sexual and age discrimination, etc. in a wider context which appears everyday in every corner of this world. This kind of volutary groups is representing all of us to voice out for justice. Although the capitalist countries claim to give freedom to their people, discrimination and condemnation of Human Rights still happen in these places.

This kind of organizations should thereby be meaning and worth existing. One of the organizations in the United Kingdom called Rights of Women proves that Human Rights is undermined under many circumstances and need the emerge of this. The association was founded in 1975. It offers legal advice to women and makes them being able to voice out their needs when faced unfair treatment. The African Americans also established an organization called Black Voices to represent the unfair treatment against the African American and hope that the government can deal with their problems. These organizations certainly reflect that Human Rights are undermined in many occasions and need someone to stand out and make the world be alert with this.

Background

Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor (HKHRM) (香港人權監察) which was established in April 1995 is a local independent organization. It aims at promoting better human rights protection in Hong Kong in the aspect of legislation and people's everyday life.

The organization is concerned about issues like National Security Laws or Article 23, immigration law, public service broadcasting, the police complaint system, the inspection of prisons, racial discrimination,sex discrimination and freedoms of association, assembly and expression etc.

One of their main aims is to expose the Hong Kong community to the human rights they have, the ones they have not yet obtained and the ones that will better their community. This helps establish an awareness of the initial and potential Hong Kong human rights throughout society. The HKHRM promotes its campaign through the means of education. The recent founding of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor Education Charitable Trust contributes constructively to the social awareness of basic and more complex human rights issues.

Structure

1. Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor
It comprises of mainly Chinese born in Hong Kong with mandate on human rights and the rule of the laws issues in Hong Kong.

2. Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor Education Charitable Trust
A charitable fund in Hong Kong to promote awareness of human rights among the people of Hong Kong.

3. Digital Library
It is a digital library which holds human rights treaties and related documents in electronic format.

4. Resource and Information Centre
A centre for collecting and distributing basic human rights information.

Their Work

In the past, the HKHRM has called for human rights awareness using various resources and by contacting diverse and highly posted authorities concerned with human rights. In dealing with international organizations such as the United Nations, the HKHRM submitted reports calling for the UK and Hong Kong governments to refer to the treaties in which there is mention of certain territories whom should qualify to fall under international human rights. In terms of the Hong Kong authortitative sphere, Monitor members have previously met with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong and Governor to discuss a re-examination of police interrogation and complaint procedures.

Formerly, the HKHRM has also conducted reviews on issues such as the Hong Kong immigration law and the Hong Kong legal aid system and practice. The HKHRM also held campaigns for improvements of the police complaint system, and even more in depth issues such as requesting an independent inquiry for Lee Shing Tat's victim case.

The work of HKHRM can be divided into five aspects:

1. Supporting human rights in Hong Kong
They observe the law, policies and actions of the government by means like participating in Legislative Council of Hong Kong hearings and hold campaigns on different human rights issues and the rule of the law.

2. Finding out the human rights conditions in Hong Kong
They do research on a variety of crucial topics like immigration law, issues about constitution, freedoms of association, assembly and expression, the conduct of police, and the treatment of prisoners in prisons etc.

3. Telling the world about Hong Kong human rights condition
They brief the press, the United Nations, governments in Hong Kong and overseas and legislative bodies on Hong Kong human rights issues in the manner of verbal presentation or written reports.

4. Educating the public about human rights
They publish various educational materials about human rights in Chinese and/or English and distribute them to the public. These publications include a newsletter, teach-yourself human rights pamphlets, calendar etc. The topics of these materials range from the universal declaration of Human Rights to anti-small circle election. They also deliver speeches in public occasions and organize evening classes on human rights.

5. Working on cases closely linked to human rights issues
They handle cases referred to the organization by other Non-government organizations which have significant implications for legal or institutional improvements in certain aspects. Their interest is not limited to individual citizens since they also concerns public affairs such as police and immigration issues.

Meetings and Reports

As mentioned above, HKHRM frequently meets with government officials and international organizations. They also carry out investigations and generate reports about issues that are closely linked to human right issues.

In 1998, members of HKHRM had a meeting with Mr Tung Chee Hwa, the Chief Executive at that time, and expressed their views on the issues of racial equality, immigration appeal system, police monitoring and pace of democracy.

In February 1999, HKHRM submitted a report in respect of the HKSAR’s initial report on herself under Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The report concerns many aspects of women’s substantive rights including politics and female participation, education, welfare system, employment and health of women.

In 2000, HKHRM interviewed staff and residents in eight children's homes run by Social Welfare Department and obtained its findings from unannounced visits. Then, the Monitor presented press reports claiming that little has been done to improve the service of children’s home since a study in the early 1980s. Although the Department has reservations on some of the investigation and criticism of the Monitor, the Department has planned further improvement measures for the two areas which the Monitor has commented, i.e. education service for residents and training for staff.

Founders, Staff and Membership

The founder members of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor include Paul Harris (夏博義), Andrew BYRNES (薄諳度), Johannes CHAN (陳文敏), Philip DYKES (戴啟思), S.C., HO Hei Wah (何喜華), John KAMM (康原), Christine Loh (陸恭蕙), Charles MOK (莫乃光), Stephen NG (吳錦祥), Phillip ROSS (駱浩成).

The HKHRM is run by a full-time staff whom mostly consist of volunteers. Their common ground is based on their concern to rise awareness of the human rights situation in Hong Kong. By advancing Hong Kong's social insight on the matter, they hope to protect human rights in Hong Kong and claim more rights and freedoms for their people.

For all the Monitor members, there exists a joining fee of a basic HK$100; making it affordable to the majority of the Hong Kong community. All members are informed through a newsletter about the functions and events that relate to their cause. Monitor members have the autonomy to choose when and how they want to collaborate and help promote the HKHRM cause. This is only if each member fully understands and demonstrates a legitimate commitment to human rights and the rules and regulations of Hong Kong law.

Activities

Human Rights Day

In 1948, the United Nations adopted The Universal Declarion of Human Rights and set the date of 10th December as the International Human Rights Day every year. In Hong Kong, many different communities in the society associate and work together to hold some activities for the Human Right Day every year. The communities include the Amnesty International Hong Kong, Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, Justice and Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, Hong Kong Christian Institute and Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Movement of China.

This year, the committee of the Human Rights Day 2006 will hold the activities with the title "The World Without Bystanders". By holding a wide variety of activities about citizenship education, they hope to let the public recognize, think and take action for any events against the human rights. Besides, they aim to build the consciousness of human rights around the world. The activities in this year include workshops, case study, composition competition and carnival.

http://www.alliance.org.hk/hrd2006/

Current and Future Activities

1. Forming group to monitor possible interference on the freedom of expression by the HKSAR Government and/or Central Chinese authorities on existing and future legislation.

2. Preparing the amicus curiae (Friend of the Court) documents on important constitutional matters.

3. Monitoring the self-censorship of the media and the possible threat to other media

4. Carrying out research on existing laws on detention and imprisonment and proposing recommendations raised by the Monitor and Human Rights Watch.

5. Urging the HKSAR Government to outlaw racial discrimination by maintaining a record of cases of racial discrimination to illustrate the need for action on this issue.

6. Investigating issues on mental health and its implications on human rights.

7 Refreshing the homepage from time to time to make sure members and other interested individuals are able to keep track of the Monitor's activities and the human rights situation in Hong Kong.

8. Publishing and translating various human rights materials. This include booklets on women's rights, on the right of minorities and on freedom of association and book on teaching human rights for teachers and video about human rights.

9. Establishing a human rights information centre including legislation, government and non-governmental organisation publications and newspaper clippings.

10. Continuing the police campaign which includes monitoring demonstrations, reforming the ineffective police complaints mechanism and improving the quality of autopsies by Government pathologists.

Funding

The HKHRM upholds and promotes it's work through donations. The amount of work and research that could be done for a better human rights awareness in Hong Kong is affected by the amount of donations that come into the HKHRM fund. Donations are appreciated and are non-refundable, but any legitimate donation is welcomed by the Monitor.

Alliance

Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor is one of the member organizations of the Civil Human Rights Front (民間人權陣線). Other member organizations include The Democratic Party, The Frontier, Hong Kong Human Rights Commission, Hong Kong Journalists Association etc.

Contact Information

Address: 4th Floor, Kam Tak Building, 20-24 Mercer Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Phone: (852) 2811-4488 Fax: (852) 2802-6012

External Links

Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor Official website

"Human Rights in Hong Kong Post-1997" from Hong Kong Democratic Foundation Newsletter, Issue 20 -- the establishment of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor

Other Human Rights Groups in Hong Kong

Civic Human Rights Front

Hong Kong Human Right Commission

Amnesty International Hong Kong

Notes

1. “CE meets the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor,” HKSAR Government Daily Information Bulletin, 30 Jul 1998, <http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/199807/30/0730172.htm> (23 October 2006)
2. “Report by Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor,” Shadow reports by Hong Kong NGOs to the CEDAW Committee, Feburary 1999 , <http://www.hku.hk/ccpl/research_projects_issues/cedaw/monitor.html> (24 October 2006)
3. “Response to Report by the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor,” HKSAR Government Press Release, 23 May 2001, <http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200105/23/0523333.htm> (23 October 2006)
4. “Officers,” More About Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, 11 Oct 2006, <http://www.hkhrm.org.hk/english/more/index.html> (23 October 2006)