The Changing Faces of Hong Kong: A Graphical Summary of Women’s Status, 1991-2011

A broad overview of the last two decades examines the changing social and economic conditions confronting women in Hong Kong.  The systematic analysis of different age groups sheds light on shifting patterns in education levels, income, family life, and civic engagement.

Findings include:

  • Younger women are generally more educated and increasingly likely to delay starting a family as they navigate the balance between traditional and modern gender roles
  • Foreign domestic helpers account for nearly the entire gender income gap in 30-39 year olds, and their labour has enabled middle-class women to advance economically, albeit at the expense of exacerbated racial and class inequality
  • Women are much more likely to work in the public sector than in the private sector, and the elderly are more likely to be living in poverty than any other age group
  • Government recommendations include implementing more family-friendly policies, expanding job opportunities for youth, addressing the increase of women in pink-collar jobs, and improving consistency in demographic data collection