TWF debunks misconceptions surrounding gender equality with new campaign

The Women’s Foundation (TWF) has launched its #BreakZeroSum video campaign, to debunk misconceptions surrounding gender equality and enphasise the benefits of gender equality for societal development.

This comes as TWF realises gender inequality continues to be a pressing issue in Hong Kong. According to the Quarterly Report on General Household Survey, Second Quarter 2023 by the Census and Statistics Department, only 48% of women participate in the workforce, compared with 64% of men. Meanwhile, gender pay gap stands at 15% (excluding foreign domestic helpers), for every HK$10 earned by a man, their female counterpart earns just HK$8.5.

As such, TWF believes Hong Kong should prioritise boosting the female workforce participation rate and encourages the public to share the video campaign on social media, spreading the message that "Gender equality is a win-win, not a zero-sum game".

TWF further calls on everyone to become advocates and take action to advance gender equality, fostering a more equal, happy, and prosperous Hong Kong together.

Done in collaboration with PR agency FleishmanHillard and social media partner BlueCurrent, the month-long campaign includes a video that shows a heated conversation between a man and a woman seated at opposite ends of a see-saw, illustrating misconceptions in promoting gender equality. The video was created and produced by Moonlight Entertainment.

It also underscores that gender equality benefits everyone, and it is not about one gender winning at the expense of another. Research referenced in the video indicates that when companies prioritise gender equality it can lead to overall better business outcomes with an around 60% increase in areas such as profitability, productivity, and the ability to attract and retain talent.

Additionally, couples are happier in their marriage when household chores and childcare responsibilities are equally shared. From a macro perspective, US$12 trillion could be added to the global economy by closing the gender gap, creating a win-win situation where everyone benefits from a more equal world. 

Inti Tam, head of communications and marketing, TWF, said: "Hong Kong is facing unprecedented changes – a talent shortage, an ageing population, and rapid technological advancements. Closing the gender gap would provide a much-needed boost to our city both economically and socially. However, misperceptions around who benefits from gender equality pose a serious barrier to meaningful progress. Our campaign aims to inspire reflection and conversation about these everyday misperceptions, and raise awareness that gender equality benefits individuals of all genders." 

Back in June, TWF and the 30% Club HK called on companies to set meaningful targets and take concrete steps to achieve greater gender parity on boards during its 10th Anniversary 30% Club HK Boardroom Forum. 

To advance board gender diversity, TWF’s programmes and in particular its Boardroom Series for Women Leaders and Women To Watch initiative aim to develop the pipeline of women for board roles, connect senior women leaders to board opportunities, and provide women with executive leadership skills for the transition to the boardroom and leadership positions.

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