On October 7, the Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) released the findings of the “Research on Public Attitudes towards Female Political Leadership”, which were reported widely by local media. Commissioned by EOC, the research was conducted by the research team of the Gender Research Centre (GRC) of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prof. Song Jing, Assistant Professor of Gender Studies Programme leads this research project and serves as the principal investigator.
The study showed that over 60% respondents, composed of the public and politicians, believed that domestic responsibility was an obstacle for female politicians. It is also highlighted that female leaders “received unwanted public attention with a focus on their body shape, appearance and private lives. The research also provides practical suggestions to eliminate the difficulties female leaders face in participating politics and increase the representation of female politicians, such as introducing family-friendly policies, including flexible working hours and parental leave.
Media Coverage:
The Standard: Women making strides, but some barriers remain
The Standard: Female politicians viewed through deep-rooted stereotypes, survey finds
RTHK English News: Female politicians plagued by gender bias: study
Truth Media Hong Kong: Facebook Live Broadcast
苹果日报：平机会发现过度关注外貌成女性从政障碍 吁避免「好打得」标签应注重表现
香港商报：Facebook Live Broadcast I
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