2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit held Smoothly, Focusing on Women's Development and Family Strengthening Initiatives

2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit held smoothly

The 2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit, jointly organised by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), the Women's Commission and the Family Council, was held today (March 31). Marking the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, and building on the spirit of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women held in Beijing in October 2025, this Summit adopted the theme "Shaping Women's Strengths and Harnessing a Shared Future for Families", aiming to take women's development and family building to the next level. The Summit attracted more than 1 200 representatives from local and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area women's groups, the business sector and relevant service organisations to register and participate.

State Councilor, Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council and President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), Ms Shen Yiqin, officiated at the Summit and delivered an opening address.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said in his remarks at the opening ceremony that the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women was successfully convened in Beijing last year, injecting new momentum into promoting global gender equality and the all-round development of women. President Xi Jinping put forward four proposals in the meeting - jointly foster an enabling environment for women's growth and development, jointly cultivate powerful momentum for the high-quality development of women's causes, jointly develop governance frameworks to protect women's rights and interests, and jointly write a new chapter in promoting global co-operation on women. These important proposals provide clear direction for the development of women's causes, inspiring broader consensus-building and taking more pragmatic actions to fully promote the all-round development of women.

Mr Lee said his policy rationale is to build Hong Kong into a caring and inclusive home, with the family at its core. Women's development and family building complement each other. The current-term Government has actively implemented various measures to lay a solid foundation in these two aspects. Looking ahead, the Government will continue to improve support policies for women in areas such as employment and entrepreneurship, lifelong learning, and physical and mental well-being to sustain an environment conducive to women's development. Concurrently, further efforts will be made to promote the importance of family, family education and family values, and to advocate Chinese traditional virtues, thus fostering a caring and inclusive community.

The Summit gathered leaders responsible for family and women's policies from the nation and Hong Kong, representatives of international organisations and prominent figures from related fields as speakers. They included the Secretary-General of the International Organization for Mediation, Professor Teresa Cheng; Head of Office (ad interim) of UN Women China, Mr Chuqiao Wang; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; and the Chairperson of the Women's Commission, Dr Eliza Chan. In their keynote speeches, they shared their experience and insights on women's development in the new era, the promotion of women's rights and interests, and family building.

Miss Mak said in her keynote speech, "This year's Summit adopted the theme 'Shaping Women's Strengths and Harnessing a Shared Future for Families,' encompassing society's collective responsibility and commitment, while echoing the core spirit of the Beijing Meeting. Through this Summit, we hope to carry forward the vision of the Beijing Meeting and implement the important proposals put forward by President Xi, so that women can see opportunities, receive support and participate in development, while families can be filled with warmth, harmony and love, and play an important role in social governance."

Miss Mak said that since taking office in 2022, the current-term Government has entrusted the HYAB with the important responsibility of promoting women's development. Under the leadership of the Chief Executive, the HYAB has implemented a number of measures to promote women's and family development, including continuously promoting awareness of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the community, encouraging enterprises to adopt family-friendly measures, launching the Family and Women Portal, and supporting women of different backgrounds and ages to better equip themselves through the Women Empowerment Fund (the Fund) and the "She Inspires" Mentorship Programme (the Programme), thereby injecting stronger impetus into women's development in Hong Kong. The annual allocation for the Fund has been increased from $20 million to $30 million, while the quota for the second cohort of the Programme has also been increased to 120. The HYAB and the Family Council have also launched the five-year new Funding Scheme on the Promotion of Family Education to subsidise community family education projects to raise public awareness of the importance of family values. Last year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government launched the first Hong Kong Excellent Family Awards to promote family education and family virtues by sharing families' real-life stories.

Two thematic sessions were held at the Summit. The first session themed "Co-creating 'She Power' in the New Era" was chaired by the Deputy Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs (Home Affairs), Mr Paul Wong. The panelists, including Representative of the United Nations Population Fund to China, Ms Nadia Rasheed; Vice-Chairperson and the Secretary-General of China Women's Development Foundation, Ms Dong Kui; and the Chief Executive Officer of the MTR Corporation, Ms Jeny Yeung, shared their experiences and explored ways to foster an enabling environment for women's development, and empower them to seize the opportunities of the new era.

The other session with the theme "Uniting Our Families, Co-building a Harmonious Society" was co-chaired by the Chairperson of the Family Council, Ms Melissa Pang, and the emcee of the Summit, Ms Astrid Chan. Renowned artistes Mr and Mrs Moses Chan; Olympic diving champion and member of the World Aquatics Diving Technical Committee, Ms Guo Jingjing; and two recipients of the Hong Kong Excellent Family Awards, Lai Yan-hon's family and Lee Yuk-yee's family, shared their experiences in fulfilling family responsibilities and wisdom in managing their households. They also discussed how family cohesion provides steadfast support in times of adversity, and how this strength can spread warmth to the wider community and help build a harmonious society.

Exhibition booths were also set up at the venue to showcase the achievements of women's groups and family service organisations in promoting women's development and family education.

For details and highlights of the Summit, please visit the webpage of the Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit (www.familyandwomensummit.hk/hyab2026/home).

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the 2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit today (March 31). Photo shows State Councilor, Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council and President of the All-China Women's Federation (AWF), Ms Shen Yiqin (front row, eighth right); Mr Lee (front row, ninth right); the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Zhou Ji (front row, seventh right); the Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group, Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the AWF, and Deputy Head of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, Ms Huang Xiaowei (front row, 10th right); Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council and Member of the Party Group of the State Council, Mr Liu Yuhui (front row, sixth right); the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Mr Cui Jianchun (front row, 11th right); the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (front row, third right), and other guests officiating at the event. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, speaks at the 2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit today (March 31). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the 2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit today (March 31). Photo shows State Councilor, Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council and President of the All-China Women's Federation (AWF), Ms Shen Yiqin (eighth right); Mr Lee (ninth right); the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Zhou Ji (seventh right); the Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group, Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the AWF, and Deputy Head of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, Ms Huang Xiaowei (10th right); Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council and Member of the Party Group of the State Council, Mr Liu Yuhui (sixth right); the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Mr Cui Jianchun (11th right); the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (third right), and other guests officiating at the event. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit was held today (March 31). Photo shows (from left) the Chairperson of the Family Council, Ms Melissa Pang; Recipients of the Hong Kong Excellent Family Awards, Lai Yan-hon's family; Olympic diving champion and member of World Aquatics Diving Technical Committee, Ms Guo Jingjing; renowned artistes Mr and Mrs Moses Chan; Recipients of the Hong Kong Excellent Family Awards, Lee Yuk-yee's family; and the emcee of the Summit, Ms Astrid Chan, exchanging views in the thematic session "Uniting Our Families, Co-building a Harmonious Society". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit was held today (March 31). Photo shows (from left) the Deputy Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs (Home Affairs), Mr Paul Wong; the Vice-Chairperson and the Secretary-General of China Women's Development Foundation, Ms Dong Kui; Representative of the United Nations Population Fund to China, Ms Nadia Rasheed; and the Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation, Ms Jeny Yeung, exchanging views in the thematic session "Co-creating 'She Power' in the New Era". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit was held today (March 31). Photo shows the Chairperson of the Women's Commission, Dr Eliza Chan, delivering her keynote speech at the Summit. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit was held today (March 31). Photo shows the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, delivering her keynote speech at the Summit. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit was held today (March 31). Photo shows the Head of Office (Ad Interim) of UN Women China, Mr Chuqiao Wang, delivering his keynote speech at the Summit. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

2026 Hong Kong Family and Women Development Summit was held today (March 31). Photo shows the Secretary-General of the International Organization for Mediation, Professor Teresa Cheng, delivering her keynote speech at the Summit. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ExCo Non-official Members congratulate successful launch of manned Shenzhou-23 spacecraft

The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:

Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo) today (May 24) warmly congratulate the successful launch of the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceship. They extend their highest respect to all crew members, including Dr Lai Ka-ying, the first payload expert from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members, Mrs Regina Ip, said, "This year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan. This mission is the first manned spaceflight during the 15th Five-Year Plan period and the first time a Hong Kong expert has participated, which is a truly momentous occasion. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the country for providing Hong Kong's innovation and technology talent with this invaluable opportunity to take part in the country's aerospace endeavours. Dr Lai has successfully undergone the rigorous selection and training process to become one of the country's fourth batch of astronauts, and China's fourth female astronaut to reach space, contributing Hong Kong's strength to the national aerospace endeavours. She has exemplified the Lion Rock spirit of rising to challenges with resilience and perseverance. Her courage and determination are truly admirable, and all Hong Kong citizens are immensely inspired and proud of her. The understanding and support of her family are also essential for her to participate in this mission with resolution. I am deeply grateful for their support and commitment.

"The HKSAR Government is actively developing Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre and supporting promising research projects through various funding schemes. As an example, the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (MUSICO) camera, developed under a project led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and funded by the Government's Innovation and Technology Support Programme Special Call on Aerospace Technology, has successfully arrived at China's Tiangong Space Station, becoming Hong Kong's first scientific payload aboard the station. This fully demonstrates Hong Kong's innovation and technology edge and talent advantages."

Non-official Members of the Executive Council expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the country for its high recognition of Hong Kong's innovation and technology talent, development and achievements, as well as its profound emphasis, care and support for Hong Kong's scientific and technological development. They firmly believe that the HKSAR Government will seize this historic moment to nurture more outstanding innovation and technology talent for the country and Hong Kong, and better integrate into and serve the country's overall development.

Source: AI-found images