Knowledge Center

Background

In 1997, an agreement between China and the UK established that Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. In this "one country, two systems," China’s socialist economy is not imposed on Hong Kong, and Hong Kong had autonomy from China in all areas except foreign and defense affairs for the next fifty years.1

Population

In 2010, Hong Kong’s total population was 7,067,800.2

• Hong Kong has the 6th oldest population in the world.3
  • The median age of Hong Kong’s population is 41.8 years old.4
• Between 1981 and 2010, the total population grew by 36%.
  • During the same period, the number of women aged 65 and over increased by 139% while men increased by 204%.5
• The sex ratio (number of males per 1000 females) has decreased from 1087 in 1981 to 881 in 2010 due to large number of women moving from mainland China, and the increase in numbers of women foreign domestic workers from abroad.6

Marriage and Family

• Between 1986 and 2010, the number of women who had never been married increased by 61.3% while men had only a 16.2% increase.7

The median age of women for the birth of the first child was 29.9.8 In 2009, fertility rate for a woman was 1(birth per woman).9

Labour Force

Monthly Earnings10

• In 2010, women’s median monthly employment earning was $9,000 while men earned $12,000. Compared to women, higher percentage of men worked in occupations with higher monthly earnings such as managers, administrators, professionals and associate professionals.11

Women on Boards

• In 2012, women held 9.0% (57) of the 634 directorship positions on the corporate boards of Hong Kong’s top companies, as listed on the Hang Seng Index (HSI).
  • This number has only increased by .1% since 2009.12
• The average age of women holding board positions in 2009 was 57.3 years old, compared to 59.9 years old for men board directors.13

Women’s Representation on Boards 2012 (HIS Companies)14

Educational Achievement

• In 2010, women were 50.5% of all those enrolled in tertiary programs in Hong Kong.15
• Ratio of female to male tertiary enrollment in 2010 was 104%.16
• Business and Commercial Studies was the most popular field of tertiary education for both women and men.17
  • Women make up 47.2% of MBA students in Hong Kong. This is higher than the world average of 31.6%.18

Political Participation

• In 2008, 11 out of 60 Hong Kong Legislative Council members were women.19
• All 21 judges of the Court of Final Appeal are men.20

Work-Life

• In 2008, 46.0 % of women worked overtime regularly, compared to 72.9% of men.21

• 1. CIA, ”China,”CIA World Factbook (2011).
• 2. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 3. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2011). Table 4: Selected Demographic Indicators: Population Ageing, 2010. World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision.
• 4. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2011). Table 4: Selected Demographic Indicators: Population Ageing, 2010. World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision.
• 5. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 6. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 7. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 8. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 9. The World Bank, "Indicators: Fertility Rate, Total (Births Per Woman)."
• 10. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 11. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 12. Aparna Banerji and Kate Vernon, " Standard Chartered Bank Women on Boards: Hang Seng Index 2012," (Community Business, 2010).
• 13. Aparna Banerji and Kate Vernon, " Standard Chartered Bank Women on Boards: Hang Seng Index 2012," (Community Business, 2010).
• 14. Aparna Banerji and Kate Vernon, " Standard Chartered Bank Women on Boards: Hang Seng Index 2012," (Community Business, 2010).
• 15. The World Bank, " Enrolment in Total Tertiary: Public and Private: Full and Part Time: Female,”Education Statistics (2012). The World Bank, “ Enrolment in Total Tertiary: Public and Private: Full and Part Time: Total,” Education Statistics (2012).
• 16. The World Bank, " Ratio of Female to Male Tertiary Enrollment (%)” (2012).
• 17. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 18. Liz Bolshaw, " National Differences in MBA Gender Gap: China and Hong Kong Lead the Way,”Financial Times, (June 22, 2011).
• 19. Census and Statistics Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Women and Men in Hong Kong Key Statistics (2011).
• 20. Bettina Wassener, " Women Still Face Barriers in Hong Kong,”The New York Times, (February 21, 2011).
• 21. Richard Welford, The University of Hong Kong and CSR Asia, "Work Life Balance in Hong Kong: Survey Results (2008).