ABSTRACT
This chapter explores trends in the major indicators of women's status in Hong Kong since the 1970s and draws on various sources that focus on the divergent experiences of women in their quest for equality. It argues that although Hong Kong women have made considerable progress in the legislative and political arenas, the attitudes and behaviours dominating their day-to-day lives bear witness to the resilience of patriarchal values within the modern polity. The chapter provides an overview of the changes to women’s status in Hong Kong that have resulted from the social, economic and political changes of the past three decades. Hong Kong’s population at the start of this century had a skewed distribution with almost two times more men than women. The gender wage differential in Hong Kong compares favourably with that of other Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea.
