簡介
Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focussing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
最新
Faride Shroff, the Founder and CEO of SENsational Foundation
Hello, My name is Faride Shroff, the Founder and CEO of SENsational Foundation. Disability inclusion is an increasingly important field that has gained prominence and attention in recent years. Despite this, people with disabilities often referred to as PwDs, remain a marginalised and often neglected group in society, as well as an untapped talent pool, with limited access to opportunities and resources, especially in Hong Kong.
There are a number of prominent problems that PWDs are facing in the workplace and in education. Whether this be a lack of knowledge on disability inclusion or the sheer disinterest in hiring people with disabilities, there is a large gap in disability awareness in Hong Kong.
To begin with, let’s talk about accessibility, there are so many buildings, offices, public facilities and educational institutions where accessibility measures have not been kept in mind. This can be solved by adhering to the principles of human centred universal design for urban development. Even new buildings that are meant to be fully accessible for all, have limitations such as cargo lifts for wheelchair users, smaller lift door sizes that hinder movement, lift buttons without sensory and tactile accommodations, and heavy access doors that only have a handle. Accessible restrooms ironically are still not accessible to all PwD’s.
Making physical spaces, transportation, information, and communication accessible to individuals with diverse disabilities are very important. Some real time examples could be installing ramps, elevators, and handrails and designing websites and digital content to be accessible to people with visual or hearing impairments. Advocating for their rights through public campaigns, workshops, and training programs that educate the general public, employers, and educators about disabilities ignites the conversation about disability inclusion and hopefully sparks action from society we live in.
Discrimination and social isolation are another factor that affect PwD’s on a daily basis. Whether that discrimination is from peers or from the general community, whether this is intentional or not, it manifests due to unconscious bias, judgment and fear. Due to this, PwD’s face stigmatisation leading to social isolation and limiting their social interactions. This isolation can impact their well-being and mental health, interfering with their integration into the workplace and educational environment.
Limited opportunities in education, services and employment are also affected in Hong Kong. It is an ongoing journey where we all have a part to play. Each student has a right to be given equitable opportunities to thrive in the learning environment, to receive a fair education regardless of disabilities. Along with lack of accommodations, many schools and companies do not provide assistive technologies such as braille displays or speech to text software. PwD’s often face multiple barriers when seeking employment, which stems from the stigma and negative preconceived opinions about their capabilities. Due to these perceptions, companies tend not to consider PwD’s when posting job vacancies.
It is a learning process for everyone. The first step is acknowledging the problems that PwD’s face on a daily basis and educating yourself on how you can make a difference whether that be in the workplace, educational environment or in your community. Collaborative efforts and activating allyship need to be done to address these challenges. The mindset of promoting accessibility, implementing inclusive policies and most importantly raising awareness about disability inclusion needs to happen every day. Even the smallest change can make a PwD’s daily experiences more positive. By breaking barriers of stigma that surrounds PwD’s, it is already a step in the right direction.
At SENsational Foundation, we believe that disability inclusion is not only a matter of social justice but a human right. Investing in disability inclusion, we will be able to create a more equitable and inclusive society where everyone can participate and reach their full potential. Remember, we all are SENsational! I would now like to dedicate this song for all PwD’s saying I am Alive by Celine Dion.
重溫
Simon Wong, President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades
As the government has announced the “ Waste Blueprint for HK 2035 “ to tackle the challenge of waste management as well as to build a circular economy and a sustainable green living environment, “Waste Reduction” is on the top priority list. The government has proposed a measure to regulate disposable plastic tableware in phases. The Amendment Bill for the first phase of regulation was thus passed in March 2023 and will be in force on April 22, 2024.
Under the Regulation, nine types of disposable plastic tableware would be introduced.
In the first phase under the Regulation, EPS tableware, plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates are prohibited to sell to end-consumers and prohibited to provide by catering premises to customers for dine-in and takeaway services. The other disposable plastic tableware such as plates, cups food containers etc, will come into force in the second phase, but the date of implementation has yet to be determined.
There are a few issues which the catering industry is concerned upon the introduction of the ban on using plastic disposable materials. The catering industry at first worried if there were alternative products to substitute the plastic tableware, and whether those environmental substitutes would increase the operating cost.
Accordingly, if we look at the website of the Environmental Protection Department, we find that at the moment 64 companies are carrying 737 items which cover a wide range of non-plastic disposable tableware. Restaurant operators do have a lot of varieties to choose from which would suit their needs.
However, many restaurant operators are, at the moment, not eager to use non-plastic tableware as the government is giving a six-month grace period to the trade, such that operators will not be fined if they do not follow the regulation on and after April 22. On the other hand, it would give enough time for importers and wholesalers as well as retailers to consume or or deal with their inventories within the allowable period. This period would also offer more time for the catering industry to find more suitable products to suit their budget and needs.
In general, the cost of environmentally disposable products is about 20-30% more expensive than the plastic ones. Take the straws for example, a few cents increase seems not much for each straw, but it can translate to a substantial percentage increase when large quantities of straws are to be consumed. Since almost all non-plastic disposable products are imported, importers and wholesalers are not willing to take the risk of keeping too much stock in their warehouses at the moment. However, we believe that costs will come down when all restaurants have adopted the practice due to the larger quantity imports.
Another concern is the quality of the substitutes. Those non-plastic substitutes are commonly made of paper, bamboo, softwood, wood pulp and plant fibre materials. Though there are a lot of choices for each type of utensil, the quality of the product varies. Some customers have complained that the paper straws or spoons cannot sustain in higher temperatures nor cannot be put in liquid for too long as they will become soft. Of course, we can find better quality products in the market, but the cost will then be higher.
As the date for launching is drawing near, the catering industry has thought of ways to deal with the situation. Large restaurant groups, such as fast food chains, hotels and high-end restaurants have started using non-plastic utensils. Even though the cost, in general, is higher, they are willing to do so as it’s a social responsibility to compile with the ESG initiative. Some restaurants simply do not provide disposable utensils, but charge customers upon their request. Some restaurants or coffee shops have started to encourage customers to bring their utensils; in such cases, restaurants will save on the cost of providing the materials, while customers do not need to pay additional to the restaurants for getting non-plastic disposable tableware.
There are about 18,000 restaurant outlets in HK, and 98% of those are small and medium-sized enterprises. With the present gloomy economic environment, these SMEs would be very cautious about the increased expenses if environmental products are used. However, I would suggest to them to use more reusable products to lower their cost and not provide the disposable utensils to customers.
After all, the bill has passed, we, as an individual should do more for the environment. I also believe that education and publicity are vital means to pass the message to the public. The government should without any hesitation, launch more programs and publicities to educate the public how to deal with the change of living habits as well as to let people understand our environment is at risk if we do not act now.
I'd like to share this song with you all this morning, I want to dedicate "Somewhere over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland. Thank you for listening.
