Why are there so few women in Hong Kong politics?
Just 11 women sit on Hong Kong’s 70-strong legislature. But the number of women leading political parties is on the rise. This International Women’s Day, we look at the state of female representation in the city.
There is an oft-cited adage that says no woman ever gets married or pregnant during her time in Hong Kong’s legislature.
That observation may be lighthearted. But it hints at a negative perception that for women a career in public office may require big personal sacrifices.
This idea’s effect on women’s participation in politics is debatable. But the fact remains women are still under-represented in Hong Kong’s legislature, with just 11 women among Legco’s 70 members – a number that has changed little over the years.
But evidence of change comes in the growing number of women taking the helms of parties across the political spectrum.
Suzanne Wu Sui-shan, 35, and 43-year-old Rosanda Mok Ka-han were recently elected chairwoman of the Labour Party and Association for the Democracy and People’s Livelihood respectively, bringing to eight the number of the city’s 11 major political parties led by women.
And now the question is whether the number of women leading political parties will impact on the number of women entering politics.
