Hong Kong government scores zero for efforts to improve lives of poor children

An advocacy group, the Children’s Rights Association (CRA), rated 10 of the Hong Kong government’s efforts in 2023 to help poor children. Four of these efforts received a rating of zero.

“The Hong Kong government focused on economic recovery in 2023, but has neglected policy support, legislation and services for poverty alleviation among children,” said 15-year-old Kelly Lee Wai-yi, an ambassador from CRA.

Statistics show that 222,600 children below the age of 18 lived in poverty in 2023. This is 23.8 per cent of the age group.

CRA’s annual ratings exercise asked about 20 children from underprivileged backgrounds, to discuss and rate how the government is doing to improve on issues affecting them. The results were then passed on to about 5,000 other children for vetting.

These were the four policy areas that scored zero: the deepening wealth gap, obstacles for mainland mothers to reunite with their kids in the city, the lack of anti-discrimination laws for new immigrants from across the border, and the lack of an independent statutory children’s rights committee.

CRA members also said the governments education subsidies were not enough to help underprivileged children join school activities.

Quiz time

1. What did Kelly Lee think the city should have focused on in 2023?

2. How many of Hong Kong’s children were living in poverty in 2023?

3. Who gave these ratings to the government?

4. In what areas did the Hong Kong government get a rating of zero?

5. Are the city’s education subsidies enough to help poor children?

In Hong Kong, 23.8 per cent of children under the age of 18 lived in poverty in 2023. Photo: Nora Tam

Suggested answers

1. Kelly Lee thought the city should have focused on support to alleviate poverty among children.

2. There were 222,600 children in Hong Kong living in poverty in 2023.

3. Children from underprivileged backgrounds gave these ratings.

4. The government got a rating of zero in these areas: the deepening wealth gap, obstacles for mainland mothers to reunite with their kids in the city, the lack of anti-discrimination laws for new immigrants from across the border, and the lack of an independent statutory children’s rights committee.

5. No, they are not enough to help children join school activities.