Former Hong Kong No 2 official Anson Chan to receive international justice prize in US
Ex-chief secretary recognised for advancing social justice in city
Hong Kong’s former No 2 official Anson Chan Fang On-sang has been named the fourth recipient of an international award, joining previous recipients such as former US president Jimmy Carter, for her work advancing social justice in the city.
The annual O’Connor Justice Prize was created to honour retired US Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O’Connor – the first woman in the top court in the United States. It recognises those who have made extraordinary efforts to advance the rule of law, justice and human rights.
Chan said on Monday that she was deeply honoured. The city’s former chief secretary will fly to Phoenix, Arizona to accept the award in February.
“I am deeply honoured and delighted to accept this prestigious award in honour of a great lady, whom I deeply admire,” Chan said, as quoted in the official statement from the award administrator.
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Chan, 77, was born in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong as a child. She started her government career as an administrative service cadet in 1962. She chaired the Association of Female Senior Government Officers, fighting for better rights and equal wages for women in the service.
In 1984, Chan became Hong Kong’s first female civil service director when she was appointed director of social welfare. She was appointed chief secretary in 1993.
“Like O’Connor, Chan broke through significant demographic barriers in her remarkable career, rising through the governmental ranks to become chief secretary, the second-highest position in Hong Kong’s government. She was not only the first female but also the first Chinese chief secretary of Hong Kong,” the statement said.
“In the run-up to the British handing control of Hong Kong back to China in 1997, Chan was viewed as one of the most powerful women in Asia and the face of Hong Kong, assuring world leaders that the transition would go smoothly and civil liberties would be upheld.”
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Chan retired from the government in 2001 and was a legislator from 2007 to 2008. She later founded the think tank Hongkong2020 as well as Project Citizens Foundation, which aims to promote quality civic participation, with pro-democracy scholars.
“A champion of transparent and accountable government, she has spent the past decade leading efforts for full universal suffrage for election of Hong Kong’s chief executive and all members of its legislature,” the statement said.
The previous three recipients of the O’Connor Justice Prize were former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay of South Africa, former Spanish foreign minister Ana Palacio and former US president Jimmy Carter.
